What Does Jeremiah 3:23 Mean?

Surely the hills and the tumult of the mountains are a lie. Surely in the LORD our God is the deliverance of Israel.

Jeremiah 3:23 · SDV

Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.

Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

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.

THE KEY

The hills are many and high, but deliverance is found in the LORD, not in what towers above you.

THE MEANING

The high and abundant things you look to cannot give you the deliverance you need. Your deliverance is in the LORD your God, the one who brings you out.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that piling up impressive supports can guarantee rescue.

THE ROOT

תְּשׁוּעַת

teshu'at

GROWS FROM

יָשַׁע

yasha

To deliver, bringing someone out into safety and spaciousness.

The verse’s “salvation” is ⁨תְּשׁוּעַת⁩ (teshu’at), a form from ⁨יָשַׁע⁩ (yasha, deliver). The root points to deliverance as being brought out; the hills may look like abundant help, but they are not the source of that movement.

ALSO GROWS

yeshuah: Deliverance, salvation.

יְשׁוּעָה

This related noun makes the verse’s claim explicit: deliverance belongs to the LORD.

moshia: One who delivers; a deliverer.

מוֹשִׁיעַ

This form names the one acting to bring someone out, showing that salvation is more than an outcome: it is deliverance from a source.

THE PATTERN

Deliverance comes from the LORD rather than from visible strength or self-reliance.

A Song of degrees. I lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where comes my help. My help comes from the LORD, who makes heavens and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2 · SDVThe gaze rises to the hills, but the answer names the LORD as the source of help.

But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of open-handed thanks; what I have vowed, I will make whole. Deliverance belongs to the LORD.

Jonah 2:9 · SDVThe verse states the same source plainly: salvation belongs to the LORD.

For by favor you have been delivered through leaning your full weight, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8 · SDVIts emphasis on gift and “not of yourselves” echoes the refusal to locate rescue in human support.

THE THREAD

Deliverance belongs to the LORD; your blessing is upon your people. Selah.

Psalm 3:8 · SDV

Jeremiah calls it ⁨תְּשׁוּעַת⁩ (teshu’at, deliverance of) Israel; the psalm says ⁨יְשׁוּעָה⁩ (yeshuah, deliverance) belongs to the LORD. Both forms grow from ⁨יָשַׁע⁩ (yasha, deliver), so the shared root names the source as well as the rescue.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us