Jeremiah 3:9

And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

And it came to pass through the lightness {H6963} of her whoredom {H2184}, that she defiled {H2610} the land {H776}, and committed adultery {H5003} with stones {H68} and with stocks {H6086}.

The ease with which Isra'el prostituted herself defiled the land, as she committed adultery with stones and with logs.

Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

Commentary on Jeremiah 3:9 (KJV)

Jeremiah 3:9 delivers a powerful indictment against the Kingdom of Judah, portraying their spiritual unfaithfulness to God as a profound act of adultery. This verse highlights the casual yet devastating nature of their idolatry and its far-reaching consequences.

Context

The prophet Jeremiah consistently calls Judah to repentance, reminding them of God's covenant with Israel, which he often likens to a marriage. In Jeremiah chapter 3, God expresses His sorrow and anger over Judah's spiritual harlotry, drawing parallels to the earlier unfaithfulness of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Despite witnessing Israel's judgment and exile for their sins, Judah did not learn her lesson, but rather persisted in even greater apostasy. This verse specifically describes the manner and impact of Judah's idolatrous practices.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The core message is Judah's betrayal of their covenant relationship with God by worshipping false deities. This spiritual infidelity is starkly depicted as "whoredom" and "adultery." The specific mention of "stones and stocks" refers to pagan idols made of wood and stone, emphasizing the absurdity of exchanging the living God for lifeless objects of worship. This theme is prevalent throughout prophetic literature, often seen in books like Hosea, where Israel's unfaithfulness is a central metaphor.
  • Shamelessness in Sin: The phrase "lightness of her whoredom" suggests a casual, unrepentant, and perhaps even defiant attitude towards their sin. It implies a lack of shame or seriousness about breaking their vows to God, indicating a profound spiritual blindness and moral decay.
  • Defilement of the Land: A significant consequence of Judah's idolatry was the literal "defilement of the land." In ancient Israelite thought, sin, especially idolatry and bloodshed, had a direct impact on the purity of the land itself, making it "vomit out" its inhabitants (as seen in Leviticus 18:25). This highlights the communal and environmental ramifications of individual and national transgressions against God's law.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "lightness" (קַל / qal) here conveys a sense of triviality, ease, or flippancy. It's not just that Judah committed spiritual adultery, but they did so with a careless, unburdened attitude, as if it were a minor transgression. The terms "stones and stocks" (אֶבֶן וָעֵץ / 'even va'etz) are common biblical expressions for idols, contrasting their inanimate nature with the vibrant, active presence of Yahweh.

Practical Application

While we may not literally bow down to "stones and stocks" today, this verse serves as a timeless warning against modern forms of idolatry. Anything that takes precedence over God in our lives—be it money, career, relationships, power, comfort, or even self-image—can become an idol. The "lightness" of Judah's whoredom reminds us to examine our own attitudes towards sin: Do we take God's commands seriously, or do we treat spiritual unfaithfulness as a minor issue? Furthermore, the concept of the land being defiled underscores that our actions have ripple effects, impacting not just ourselves but also our communities and the world around us. A genuine relationship with God requires wholehearted devotion and a rejection of anything that competes for His rightful place in our hearts.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 2:27

    Saying to a stock, Thou [art] my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned [their] back unto me, and not [their] face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

  • Jeremiah 3:2

    Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

  • Isaiah 57:6

    Among the smooth [stones] of the stream [is] thy portion; they, they [are] thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

  • Jeremiah 10:8

    But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock [is] a doctrine of vanities.

  • Jeremiah 2:7

    And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

  • Hosea 4:12

    ¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

  • Ezekiel 16:17

    Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

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