Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah isn't just saying idols are useless; he's highlighting the excitement and tumult of idol worship ("the orgies on the mountains") as a stark, deceptive contrast to the true, quiet salvation found only in God. It's a powerful call to recognize that our pursuit of thrills and spectacle can distract us from the genuine source of our hope.
Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is presenting a dialogue where God calls his "backsliding children" to return, promising healing and restoration. In response, the people acknowledge their folly, recognizing that their attempts to find salvation through idolatrous worship on hills and mountains were completely in vain, and that true salvation can only be found in the LORD their God.
Ever chased after something that promised so much but delivered so little? Jeremiah paints a vivid picture of this kind of empty pursuit.
Jeremiah calls the hills and mountains, often the sites of idolatrous worship, a 'delusion.' Think of the Israelites setting up their shrines and altars on these high places, seeking divine favor or protection.
False Hope
The 'orgies on the mountains' suggest wild, often debauched rituals. These weren't just acts of worship; they were attempts to manipulate spiritual powers or gods for personal gain.
The Great Letdown
But Jeremiah declares these pursuits are 'in vain.' The pagan gods and practices offered a false sense of security and power. They were like a mirage in the desert – appearing real and refreshing from a distance, but ultimately empty and leading to ruin.
After exposing the emptiness of false worship, the prophet points to the one true source of hope.
The second half of the verse is a powerful counterpoint: 'Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.'
The Contrast
This isn't just a casual statement; it's a declaration of absolute truth. After dismissing the 'delusion' of the mountains, Jeremiah asserts that real, lasting salvation is found only in the LORD our God.
God's Role
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'Salvation' here means deliverance, rescue, and a secure future. It's not something Israel can achieve on its own, nor can it be found in any other deity or power. The LORD Himself is the source and guarantor of this salvation for His people, Israel.
Understand the original words
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
That which is empty, vain, or false; often used in the Old Testament to describe idols or the act of idolatry, which promises life but delivers only vanity and deception.
teshu'ah · Hebrew Noun
The comprehensive deliverance provided by God to His people. It encompasses physical rescue, spiritual redemption, and the ultimate restoration of the kingdom of God.
This verse speaks powerfully in the aftermath of judgment. The people have lost their kingdom and their Temple because they chased after the 'hills' and 'mountains' – the pagan deities and their deceptive rituals. Jeremiah's sharp word reminds them that all those false hopes have crumbled, leaving only ruin. True salvation, he declares, has always been, and always will be, found solely in their God.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its people and the breakdown of its national identity.
c. 626 BC
Jeremiah Begins Prophesying
Jeremiah receives his call from God to prophesy, beginning a ministry that would span several decades and witness the final collapse of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 609 BC
Josiah's Reforms Reversed
King Josiah, who had attempted to reform Judah's religious practices, is killed in battle. His successors quickly abandon his reforms, leading to a resurgence of idolatry.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeats Egypt and begins deporting Judean elites and skilled workers to Babylon, including figures like Daniel. This marks the beginning of Judah's vassalage.
c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This is the devastating climax of Judah's disobedience.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah 3:23 Written
Jeremiah delivers this message, likely to the remnant in Judah after Jerusalem's fall. He contrasts the utter futility of the people's past reliance on idols and high places with the true and lasting salvation found only in the LORD.
This Psalm speaks of looking to the hills for help, but contrasts it with the Lord who made heaven and earth, mirroring Jeremiah's point that true help comes only from God, not from places or things associated with false worship.
Hosea 13:4Like Jeremiah, Hosea emphasizes that Israel's only true Savior is the LORD, directly confronting the futility of relying on other gods or powers that cannot offer salvation.
Isaiah 43:10-11These verses strongly declare that the LORD is the only Savior, reinforcing Jeremiah's message that all other sources of hope are deceitful compared to the unique power and faithfulness of God.
1 Kings 18:26-28This passage vividly illustrates the frenzied, ultimately fruitless worship of Baal on Mount Carmel, providing a historical example of the 'orgies on the mountains' that Jeremiah condemns and highlighting the contrast with Elijah's reliance on the true God.
Acts 4:12This New Testament passage echoes Jeremiah's core message by stating that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, underscoring the singular and exclusive role of God in salvation.
calvinJeremiah 3:22-23: "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God."
Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
Revertimini, filii rebelles; sanabo transgressiones vestras. Ecce, nos venimus ad to, quia Jehova Deus noster.
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the…
pulpitJeremiah 3:23: "Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel."
Verse 23. - Truly in vain, etc. An obscure and (if corruption exists anywhere) corrupt passage, which, however, it is hopeless to attempt to emend, as the corruption consists partly in wrong letters, partly in omitted letters or words (or both); and, moreover, the text employed by the Septuagint appears to have presented the same diffic…
Jeremiah isn't just saying idols are useless; he's highlighting the excitement and tumult of idol worship ("the orgies on the mountains") as a stark, deceptive contrast to the true, quiet salvation found only in God. It's a powerful call to recognize that our pursuit of thrills and spectacle can distract us from the genuine source of our hope.
Jeremiah is presenting a dialogue where God calls his "backsliding children" to return, promising healing and restoration. In response, the people acknowledge their folly, recognizing that their attempts to find salvation through idolatrous worship on hills and mountains were completely in vain, and that true salvation can only be found in the LORD their God.
Jeremiah is presenting a dialogue where God calls his "backsliding children" to return, promising healing and restoration. In response, the people acknowledge their folly, recognizing that their attempts to find salvation through idolatrous worship on hills and mountains were completely in vain, and that true salvation can only be found in the LORD their God.
"Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel." — Jeremiah isn't just saying idols are useless; he's highlighting the excitement and tumult of idol worship ("the orgies on the mountains") as a stark, deceptive contrast to the true, quiet salvati…
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Last reviewed October 2026