Jeremiah 17:3 kjv
O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.
Jeremiah 17:3 nkjv
O My mountain in the field, I will give as plunder your wealth, all your treasures, And your high places of sin within all your borders.
Jeremiah 17:3 niv
My mountain in the land and your wealth and all your treasures I will give away as plunder, together with your high places, because of sin throughout your country.
Jeremiah 17:3 esv
on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory.
Jeremiah 17:3 nlt
So I will hand over my holy mountain ?
along with all your wealth and treasures
and your pagan shrines ?
as plunder to your enemies,
for sin runs rampant in your land.
Jeremiah 17 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 17:1 | "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of diamond it is engraved..." | Idolatry and sin permanently marked |
| Psa 51:10 | "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." | Plea for inner purification from sin |
| Psa 139:1-4 | "O Lord, you have searched me and known me... you discern my thoughts from afar." | God’s complete knowledge of internal thoughts and sins |
| Ezek 11:19 | "and I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them..." | God's promise of a new heart |
| Ezek 18:31 | "Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!" | Exhortation to change one's heart and spirit |
| Prov 3:3 | "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." | The importance of divine precepts written on the heart |
| Prov 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | The centrality of the heart in life and action |
| Jer 2:22 | "Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is marked before me, declares the Lord GOD." | Sin's persistence despite attempts at cleansing |
| Jer 7:29 | "Cut off your hair and cast it away; and raise a lamentation on bare heights, for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath." | Divine rejection due to persistent sin |
| Jer 8:12 | "Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not even blush." | Shamelessness in sin |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts..." | The New Covenant promise of inner law |
| 2 Cor 3:3 | "And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." | Spiritual inscription of God's word |
| Heb 8:10 | "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts..." | Reinforcement of the New Covenant |
| Ex 27:2 | "And you shall make its horns on its four corners, out of one piece with the altar..." | Description of the altar horns |
| Lev 4:7 | "Then the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the Lord..." | Blood applied to altar horns in sacrifice |
| Lev 16:18-19 | "And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it... And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar and pour all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar." | Atonement involving altar horns |
| Isa 65:11 | "But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for the Troop and who fill a cup of mixed wine for the Mixture," | Apostasy and devotion to false gods |
| Hos 2:11 | "And I will stop all her expression of joy, her feasts, her New Moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts." | Cessation of religious observance due to sin |
| Zech 1:4 | "Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and your evil deeds.'" | Call to repentance rejected |
| Rom 2:15 | "they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness." | The law of God evident in human hearts |
| Matt 7:13-14 | "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." | Contrast between the path of destruction and life |
Jeremiah 17 verses
Jeremiah 17 3 Meaning
This verse states that the sins of Judah will be permanently inscribed on their hearts and on the horns of their altars. This signifies the indelible nature of their sin and its deep-rootedness in their identity, as well as its presence in their worship. Their rebellion is not a fleeting mistake but a core part of their character and their religious practices.
Jeremiah 17 3 Context
Jeremiah chapter 17 stands as a solemn indictment against Judah's pervasive sin and idolatry. The prophecy follows God's previous pronouncements and warnings, highlighting the unrepentant nature of the people and their leadership. This particular verse occurs in a section where Jeremiah is detailing the consequences of Judah's spiritual infidelity, a sin that has infiltrated their personal lives and religious institutions. The nation is facing imminent judgment, and God is revealing the depth of their corruption which warrants this severe outcome. The verse emphasizes that their sin is not a surface-level issue but has penetrated the core of their being and their worship.
Jeremiah 17 3 Word Analysis
the sin (ḥaṭāʼ) - Primarily refers to falling short of a mark, deviation from righteousness, rebellion against God, and its consequences. It implies an offense against divine law and a stain that requires cleansing.
of Judah (lîhûḏâ) - Denotes the southern kingdom of Israel after the division of the monarchy.
is written (ḵatûḇ) - Present tense, passive voice, indicating an ongoing state of inscription. This points to the permanent, evident, and divinely recorded nature of their sin. It’s not just an act, but a marked condition.
with a pen (ba·beṯə·’aḇ) - A writing instrument. In ancient times, pens were made from reeds.
of iron (lə·ḵet)—Transliterated as “lekhet” with the meaning related to an iron stylus or a pointed instrument, signifying permanence and hardness in writing. This suggests an indelible inscription.
with a point of diamond (al·‘emə·qə·lə·ḇə·nō·wṯ) - Transliterated as "lemetsah-libnah." The exact meaning of "libnah" in this context is debated among scholars, but it is often interpreted as diamond or emery stone, a very hard substance. This amplifies the idea of a permanent, unerasable marking.
it is engraved (ḥa·rûṯ) - Passive verb form of engraving, further reinforcing the idea of permanence and deep incision.
upon the table (‘al·le·ba·rê) - Refers to the tablets of their hearts. The heart (lev) was considered the seat of intellect, will, emotions, and conscience in Hebrew thought.
of their heart (lîbêm) - Singular possessive form of "lev," the heart. The heart is where decisions are made, affections lie, and intentions originate.
and upon the horns (wə·‘al·qə·rə·nōṯ) - The "horns" (qeren) of the altars, especially the altar of burnt offering, were significant points, often symbolically smeared with blood during atonement rituals. They represented the place of divine access and sanctuary.
of their altars (mîz·be·ḥê·mō·wṯ) - Refers to the various altars used for worship, both the official bronze altar in the Temple and potentially other, possibly illicit, altars.
group: "written with a pen of iron, with a point of diamond it is engraved upon the table of their heart" - This entire phrase emphasizes the profound, lasting, and obvious nature of Judah's sin. Their rebellion is not superficial; it's etched into their innermost beings, affecting their thoughts, desires, and decisions. The hard materials convey that their sin is stubbornly persistent and resists erasure.
group: "upon the horns of their altars" - This signifies that their sin is also evident in their worship and religious practices. Even their attempts to appease or serve God are marked by their corrupt nature, suggesting a defilement of their spiritual life and service. The horns of the altar were places of mediation and atonement, so sin marked here implies a perversion of these very means of approach to God.
Jeremiah 17 3 Bonus Section
The imagery of writing on the heart is a significant motif in the Bible. In the Old Testament, it speaks of God's law being deeply ingrained (Deut 6:6, Prov 3:3), leading to obedience. However, Jeremiah here inverts this, showing God’s law being ignored and the heart instead inscribed with sin. The New Testament fulfillment of this theme is seen in the New Covenant where God promises to write His law on the hearts of His people by the Spirit (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10, 2 Cor 3:3). This contrast highlights the severity of Judah’s condition: their hearts, which should have been receptive to God's commands, were instead repositories of rebellion. The horns of the altar, where atonement blood was applied, being marked with sin signifies a corruption of the sacrificial system itself. This points to the ultimate need for Christ's perfect atonement, which truly cleanses both the inner heart and makes the believer’s worship acceptable to God.
Jeremiah 17 3 Commentary
Jeremiah 17:1 uses vivid imagery to declare the permanence of Judah’s sin. Their offenses are not minor infractions but are deeply etched into their hearts, signifying a complete moral and spiritual corruption that permeates their being. The description of being "written with a pen of iron" and "engraved with a point of diamond" powerfully conveys the indelible and lasting nature of their transgression. This sin is not something easily washed away; it is intrinsically tied to their identity and decisions. Furthermore, the verse extends this permanence to the "horns of their altars," revealing that their very worship and attempts to connect with God are tainted by their sin. This indicates that their religious activities have become hollow, even defiled, because the inner disposition is fundamentally flawed. They continue their rituals, but the heart of obedience and true devotion is absent. The inscription on the altar horns suggests that even their sacred spaces and actions bear the mark of their apostasy. This dual inscription – on the heart and the altars – underscores a holistic rebellion against God, affecting both their personal lives and their corporate religious expression.