A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about people crying; it highlights that their "weeping and pleading" is a direct response to having "perverted their way" and "forgotten the Lord." Their sorrow isn't just general sadness, but a deep lament stemming from the realization of how they've twisted God's paths and overlooked Him, especially in the very places where they used to practice idolatry.
A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a future time of national repentance for Israel, echoing earlier prophetic calls for return. Building on promises of mercy in the preceding verses, this passage pictures the people publicly lamenting their past idolatry on the very high places where they once sinned, acknowledging how they've strayed and forgotten God. This weeping and pleading marks a turning point where their deep sorrow over sin leads to genuine supplication for forgiveness.
The 'high places' in Scripture often echo with the sounds of forbidden worship. But what happens when these very spots become stages for genuine sorrow?
Jeremiah 3:21 speaks of a 'voice heard upon the high places,' but this time it's not the shouts of idolatrous rituals. It's the sound of weeping and pleading from the children of Israel.
Why are the Israelites weeping? The verse gives two intertwined reasons that reveal the heart of true repentance.
The verse clearly states the reason for Israel's 'weeping and pleading': 'because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God.' This isn't just about facing consequences; it's about recognizing the root of their problems.
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This verse captures a moment of profound spiritual crisis and potential repentance. The 'high places,' once symbols of Israel's betrayal of God through idolatry, are now echoing with the sounds of their sorrow and pleas for forgiveness. It highlights that even in the midst of or after great sin and judgment, the possibility of turning back to God remains, often accompanied by deep mourning for past wrongs.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
After King Solomon's reign, the unified kingdom of Israel splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This division leads to separate political and religious trajectories.
c. 732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
The Northern Kingdom of Israel allies with Aram (Syria) to attack Judah. Judah, under King Ahaz, appeals to Assyria for help, leading to Assyrian influence in the region.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Neo-Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel and deports its population, effectively ending its existence as a distinct entity. This event serves as a stark warning to Judah.
c. 626 BC
Jeremiah Begins Prophesying
Jeremiah starts his prophetic ministry in Judah, a time of growing political instability and spiritual decline, just before the major exilic periods.
609 BC
Josiah's Reforms and Death
King Josiah implements significant religious reforms based on the discovery of the "Book of the Law." His death in battle against Egypt marks a turning point towards decline.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Neo-Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, and deports the majority of the population into exile.
Undated, within Jeremiah's prophetic context— this verse
Penitential Cries from High Places
The prophet Jeremiah hears the sounds of weeping and supplication emanating from the 'high places'—sites previously used for idolatrous worship. This signifies a potential, albeit late, turning of Israel's (or Judah's) people back to God.
This passage echoes Jeremiah 3:21 by describing the 'weeping and supplications' of the people on their high places of worship, directly linking their distress to their forgetting God and practicing idolatry.
Luke 19:41-42Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, lamenting their spiritual blindness and their rejection of God's ways, drawing a parallel to Israel's perversion of their path and forgetting their God.
Zechariah 12:10This prophecy speaks of a future outpouring of the Spirit that will cause the people to 'look on me, whom they have pierced,' leading to deep mourning and repentance, reflecting the 'weeping and supplications' for a perverted way.
Romans 10:19-21Paul quotes Isaiah, highlighting God's frustration with a people who have strayed and forgotten Him, paralleling Jeremiah's lament over Israel's perverted ways and forgetfulness of their God.
clarkeJeremiah 3:21: "A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God."
A voice was heard upon the high places - Here the Israelites are represented as assembled together to bewail their idolatry and to implore mercy. While thus engaged, they hear the gracious call of Jehovah: -
pulpitJeremiah 3:21: "A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God."
Verse 21. - Another of those rapid transitions so common in emotional writing like Jeremiah's. The prophet cannot bear to dwell upon the backsliding of his people. He knows the elements of good which still survive, and by faith sees them developed, through the teaching of God's good providence, into a fruitfu…
This verse isn't just about people crying; it highlights that their "weeping and pleading" is a direct response to having "perverted their way" and "forgotten the Lord." Their sorrow isn't just general sadness, but a deep lament stemming from the realization of how they've twisted God's paths and overlooked Him, especially in the very places where they used to practice idolatry.
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a future time of national repentance for Israel, echoing earlier prophetic calls for return. Building on promises of mercy in the preceding verses, this passage pictures the people publicly lamenting their past idolatry on the very high places where they once sinned, acknowledging how they've strayed and forgotten God. This weeping and pleading marks a turning point where their deep sorrow over sin leads to genuine supplication for forgiveness.
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a future time of national repentance for Israel, echoing earlier prophetic calls for return. Building on promises of mercy in the preceding verses, this passage pictures the people publicly lamenting their past idolatry on the very high places where they once sinned, acknowledging how they've strayed and forgotten God. This weeping and pleading marks a turning point where their deep sorrow over sin leads to genuine supplication for forgiveness.
"A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God." — This verse isn't just about people crying; it highlights that their "weeping and pleading" is a direct response to having "perverted their way" and "forgotten the Lord." Their sorrow isn't just gener…
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Last reviewed October 2026