God laments Israel’s deep unfaithfulness and invites them to return to Him.
“Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, ‘Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.’” (v.6) In this verse, Jeremiah recalls a moment when God specifically addresses him during the reign of King Josiah, who ruled the kingdom of Judah from 640 to 609 BC. King Josiah was known for his reforms and his desire to restore the proper worship of the LORD, but God brings attention to Israel’s spiritual infidelity. When the text says “She went up on every high hill and under every green tree” (v.6), it is pointing to the places of idol worship commonly found throughout the land. These “high places” had become rallying points for pagan ceremonies and practices that violated the covenant with the LORD.
Here, the reference to Israel as being “faithless” or unfaithful is portrayed in the strong language of harlotry—God likens their idolatry to the betrayal within a marriage. Historically, this rebuke refers to the northern kingdom of Israel, which had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC because of its continuous disobedience (2 Kings 17:6). Yet, the warning is shared during the reign of Josiah in Judah, reminding Judah of the downfall of their sister nation, urging them to heed the lesson. This passage demonstrates God’s deep sorrow and righteous anger at the nation’s refusal to remain loyal, a theme echoed later in the New Testament when Jesus cites Israel’s history to caution His listeners about spiritual unfaithfulness (Matthew 23:37).
Moreover, Jeremiah, who prophesied from approximately 627 to the mid-580s BC, emphasizes God’s yearning to see His covenant people turn from these high-hill worship practices and return wholeheartedly to Him. The image of a “green tree” indicates lush groves or wooded areas, often associated with idol shrines and pagan ceremonies. By calling attention to what “faithless Israel did,” the LORD confronts the people’s pattern of continual betrayal, yet also extends an invitation to repent and experience restoration (Jeremiah 3:12).
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Jeremiah 3:6 meaning
“Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, ‘Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.’” (v.6) In this verse, Jeremiah recalls a moment when God specifically addresses him during the reign of King Josiah, who ruled the kingdom of Judah from 640 to 609 BC. King Josiah was known for his reforms and his desire to restore the proper worship of the LORD, but God brings attention to Israel’s spiritual infidelity. When the text says “She went up on every high hill and under every green tree” (v.6), it is pointing to the places of idol worship commonly found throughout the land. These “high places” had become rallying points for pagan ceremonies and practices that violated the covenant with the LORD.
Here, the reference to Israel as being “faithless” or unfaithful is portrayed in the strong language of harlotry—God likens their idolatry to the betrayal within a marriage. Historically, this rebuke refers to the northern kingdom of Israel, which had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC because of its continuous disobedience (2 Kings 17:6). Yet, the warning is shared during the reign of Josiah in Judah, reminding Judah of the downfall of their sister nation, urging them to heed the lesson. This passage demonstrates God’s deep sorrow and righteous anger at the nation’s refusal to remain loyal, a theme echoed later in the New Testament when Jesus cites Israel’s history to caution His listeners about spiritual unfaithfulness (Matthew 23:37).
Moreover, Jeremiah, who prophesied from approximately 627 to the mid-580s BC, emphasizes God’s yearning to see His covenant people turn from these high-hill worship practices and return wholeheartedly to Him. The image of a “green tree” indicates lush groves or wooded areas, often associated with idol shrines and pagan ceremonies. By calling attention to what “faithless Israel did,” the LORD confronts the people’s pattern of continual betrayal, yet also extends an invitation to repent and experience restoration (Jeremiah 3:12).