Jeremiah 17 3

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 verses

Jeremiah 17 3 Meaning

Jeremiah 17:3 conveys God's declaration of judgment upon Judah. It signifies that the secure capital, Mount Zion/Jerusalem, will be rendered vulnerable and exposed, akin to an unprotected field. The nation's amassed wealth and treasures will be plundered by invaders, and their idolatrous "high places," scattered throughout the land, will be dismantled or exposed as a direct and inescapable consequence of their deep-seated and persistent sin against the Lord. This verse emphasizes divine retribution for a nation that has strayed far from God.

Jeremiah 17 3 Context

Jeremiah chapter 17 is a stark continuation of the prophetic indictment against Judah. Immediately preceding this verse (Jer 17:1-2), the prophet highlights Judah's deeply ingrained sin, "written with a pen of iron...engraved on the tablet of their heart." This refers to their persistent idolatry, specifically worshipping "Asherim on every green tree" and remembering their altars and idols. The judgment declared in verse 3 is therefore a direct, divinely orchestrated response to this pervasive and unrepentant rebellion.

Historically, Jeremiah prophesied during a period of national decline leading up to the Babylonian exile (late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE). Kings like Jehoiakim, who refused to heed Jeremiah's warnings, led Judah further into apostasy and political intrigue. The people of Judah trusted in their strong defenses, their wealth, and often, in foreign alliances, believing these would protect them, rather than repenting and trusting in the Lord. Verse 3 directly confronts these false securities, pronouncing the Lord's determination to bring about the very destruction they thought they could avoid, exposing Jerusalem's vulnerability and devastating their idolatrous practices.

Jeremiah 17 3 Word analysis

• My mountain (הָרִי, hari): Lit. 'My mountain.' This refers primarily to Mount Zion, upon which Jerusalem and the Temple were built. The possessive "My" indicates God's special claim over this place. Its sacred status and supposed inviolability made its threatened exposure all the more shocking, highlighting the severity of Judah's sin that even God's dwelling could be made vulnerable.
• in the field (בַּשָּׂדֶה, baśśāḏeh): This phrase dramatically conveys exposure and vulnerability. A mountain (like Zion) is typically a natural fortress; placing it "in the field" signifies stripping it of its protection, making it open to attack and desolation, like an uncultivated plot easily trodden upon. It reflects Jerusalem's desacralization and future plunder.
• I will give (אֶתֵּן, 'etten): This first-person singular verb emphatically declares God's direct agency and sovereign control over the impending judgment. It is not merely an external calamity but a divinely ordained consequence. God Himself is the one delivering their possessions to spoil.
• your wealth (חֵילְךָ, ḥêlḵā): Refers to material riches, substance, strength, and resources. It encompasses everything that Judah had accumulated, suggesting a broad scope of plunder. This was often seen as a sign of divine blessing, now ironically to be forfeited by divine curse.
• and all your treasures (וְכָל־אוֹצְרֹתֶיךָ, wəḵol-’ôtsərōṯeyḵā): Denotes accumulated valuable stores, hidden riches, and anything precious kept under safekeeping. The addition of "all" underscores the completeness of the plundering. This indicates that nothing, no matter how carefully hidden or valued, would be spared from the invaders.
• for spoil (לָבַז, lāḇaz): Explicitly means "as plunder" or "loot." This term highlights the violent nature of the foreign invasion where everything acquired by Judah will become the spoils of war for their enemies. This fulfilled covenant curses of Deut 28.
• your high places (בָּמֹתֶיךָ, bāmoṯeyḵā): These were notorious cultic sites, typically elevated locations where Canaanite gods were worshipped and where Israelites also engaged in syncretistic, idolatrous practices, mixing pagan rituals with the worship of Yahweh. They represented the heart of Judah's spiritual corruption.
• because of sin (בַּחַטָּאת, baḥaṭṭāṯ): This is a critical causal link. The plundering of wealth and the desecration of high places are presented not as arbitrary acts but as direct and righteous punishment for the nation's "sin." This connects the outward judgment to the inward corruption and rebellion discussed in Jer 17:1-2.
• throughout all your territory (בְּכָל־גְּבוּלֹתֶיךָ, bəḵol-gəḇûlōṯeyḵā): This emphasizes the comprehensive and pervasive nature of the judgment. It signifies that no part of the land of Judah will be untouched; the divine judgment will sweep across the entire nation, leaving no sanctuary or border immune from the consequences of their transgressions.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "My mountain in the field": This juxtaposition creates a powerful image of desolation. What was once the sacred, divinely protected, and elevated seat of God's presence will be reduced to the level of an open, vulnerable, and common field, exposed to invasion and profanation. It speaks to the utter removal of God's protective hand due to Judah's unfaithfulness.
• "I will give your wealth and all your treasures for spoil": This highlights God's sovereignty over all things, even the prosperity of His people and their eventual loss. The Lord Himself, not just an enemy army, is the agent distributing Judah's amassed possessions to the plundering foe, turning blessings into a curse as foretold in the covenant.
• "your high places because of sin throughout all your territory": This phrase directly connects the physical judgment (destruction of idolatrous sites) to its spiritual root cause (sin). It emphasizes the complete penetration of sin across the land, and thus, the corresponding widespread and total nature of God's righteous retribution for their pervasive apostasy. The destruction of the "high places" symbolized the definitive end of their rebellion against the true worship of God.

Jeremiah 17 3 Bonus section

• The irony of Jerusalem's designation as "My mountain in the field" lies in the contrast between its divine selection as the dwelling place of God's name and its impending humiliation and desecration due to human sin. What God made unique, humanity made common through idolatry and disobedience.
• This verse embodies the "curse" sections of the Mosaic Covenant (Deut 28; Lev 26), where disobedience results in enemies plundering wealth and desolating the land. Jeremiah applies these ancient covenant stipulations directly to his contemporary Judah.
• The pronouncement underscores the direct correlation between idolatry and national collapse. The high places, symbols of spiritual adultery, are highlighted as key reasons for the comprehensive judgment, demonstrating that worship of other gods is not a minor infraction but a catastrophic offense against the Living God.
• Jeremiah, often called the "weeping prophet," delivered these harsh messages from a place of deep pain for his people, but also unwavering commitment to divine truth. This verse is an example of the difficult, uncompromising word he was commissioned to speak, even as it announced the loss of all that Judah held dear.

Jeremiah 17 3 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:3 serves as a severe indictment and a solemn warning of divine judgment. It declares God's deliberate intention to punish Judah by rendering its supposedly secure capital, Jerusalem/Mount Zion, completely exposed and vulnerable to destruction, much like an open field lacking defenses. Their hard-earned wealth and precious treasures, which perhaps they relied upon for security, would be ruthlessly plundered by invaders, underscoring the futility of trusting in material possessions or fortresses rather than the Lord. Critically, the verse directly attributes this widespread devastation to Judah's sin, particularly emphasizing the dismantling or exposure of their idolatrous "high places." This judgment is not arbitrary but a just consequence for their deep-seated apostasy and continuous rejection of God's covenant, revealing that even sacred spaces and valuable possessions are no safeguard against divine wrath when rebellion is rampant throughout the land. It powerfully articulates God's sovereignty in orchestrating national downfall as retribution for sin.