Yēlìmǐshū 2:33

33 Nǐ zĕnme xiūshì nǐde dàolù yào qiú aì qíng ne . jiù shì è liè de fùrén nǐ yĕ jiào tāmen xíng nǐde lù .

Yēlìmǐshū 2:33 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:33

Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?
&c.] To seek the love, and gain the affections and esteem, of the idolatrous nations; as a lascivious woman dresses herself out in the best manner to excite the lust and move the affections of her lovers; and as Jezebel, who painted her face, and tired her head, ( 2 Kings 9:30 ) or dressed it in the best manner, where the same word is used as here; so the Targum,

``why dost thou make thy way beautiful, to procure loves (or lovers) to be joined to the people?''
or the sense is, why art thou so diligent and industrious to make thy way, which is exceeding bad, look a good one, by sacrifices and ceremonies, oblations and ablutions, in order to seek and obtain my love and favour, which is all in vain? it is not to be gained by such methods: therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways;
the wicked idolatrous nations, to whom they joined themselves; these they taught their ways of sacrificing, their rites, ceremonies, and superstitions; or, as Jarchi interprets it, thou hast taught thyself the worst way among them all; that is, thou hast used thyself to it: there is a double reading in this clause. The Cetib, or writing, is (ytdml) , "I have taught"; as if they were the words of God, saying, "wherefore I have taught"; or, "will teach"; that is, by punishing thee; that thy ways are evil;
or, as Kimchi explains it,
``I have taught thee by thy ways that they are evil, and evil shall come unto thee because of them.''
The Keri, or reading, is (tdml) , "thou hast taught"; which is confirmed by the Targum; and is followed by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and other versions. It is by some rendered, "seeing thou hast taught others thy evil ways" F16; not content to sin themselves, but taught others to do so, and yet would be thought good.
FOOTNOTES:

F16 "Quandoquidem etiam (alios) malas docuisti vias tuas", Noldius, p. 507. vid. No. 1998.

Yēlìmǐshū 2:33 In-Context

31 Zhè shìdaì de rén nǎ , nǐmen yào kàn míng Yēhéhuá de huà . wǒ qǐ xiàng Yǐsèliè zuò kuàngyĕ ne . huò zuò yōuàn zhī dì ne . wǒde bǎixìng wèihé shuō , wǒmen tuōlí yuē shù , zaì bú guī xiàng nǐ le .
32 Chǔnǚ qǐnéng wàngjì tāde zhuāngshì ne . xīn fù qǐnéng wàngjì tāde mĕi yǐ ne . wǒde bǎixìng què wàngjì le wǒ wú shǔ de rìzi .
33 Nǐ zĕnme xiūshì nǐde dàolù yào qiú aì qíng ne . jiù shì è liè de fùrén nǐ yĕ jiào tāmen xíng nǐde lù .
34 Bìngqiĕ nǐde yǐ jīn shang yǒu wúgū qióngrén de xuè . nǐ shā tāmen bìng bú shì yùjiàn tāmen wā kūlóng , nǎi shì yīn zhè yīqiè de shì .
35 Nǐ hái shuō , wǒ wúgū . Yēhéhuá de nùqì bìdéng xiàng wǒ xiāo le . kàn nǎ , wǒ bì shĕnwèn nǐ . yīn nǐ zì shuō , wǒ méiyǒu fàn zuì .
Public Domain