Jeremiah 8:2

2 "They will spread them out to the sun, the moon and to all the 1host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have gone after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered 2or buried; 3they will be as dung on the face of the ground.

Jeremiah 8:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 8:2

And they shall spread them before the sun and the moon, and all
the host of heaven
The stars. This shows, not only that they should be publicly exposed; but, as it refers to their idolatrous worship of the sun, moon, and stars, that these deities will not be able to help them; as they could not prevent their dead bodies being dug up, so neither could they order or cause them to be gathered together, and buried again: whom they have loved;
whereas they ought to have loved the Lord their God, and him only: it means an idolatrous love of and affection for them; and not the love of them, as creatures for use and delight; otherwise the light of the sun, moon, and stars, is sweet, and their influence great; and a pleasant thing it is to behold them, and especially the former of them, the fountain of light and heat: and whom they have served; more and besides the Creator of them, whom they should have served, the Lord of hosts, and him only: and after whom they have walked;
not in a natural and literal sense, but in a religious one, as is after explained: and whom they have sought;
for advice and counsel, and by making their prayers and supplications to them: and whom they have worshipped;
by bowing the knee, or kissing the hand; by offering sacrifices, and burning incense, and putting up petitions to them; by trusting in them, and expecting good things from them; see ( 2 Kings 21:3-5 ) ( 23:5 ) ( Jeremiah 7:18 ) ( Ezekiel 8:16 ) : they shall not be gathered, nor be buried:
meaning not the men that should die in those times, but the bones that should be brought out of the graves; these, having been scattered about, should not be collected together again, and replaced in their sepulchres: they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth;
that is, they should lie and rot upon the face of the earth, and crumble into dust, and become dung for it; see ( Psalms 83:10 ) .

Jeremiah 8:2 In-Context

1 "At that time," declares the LORD , "they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves.
2 "They will spread them out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have gone after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or buried; they will be as dung on the face of the ground.
3 "And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them," declares the LORD of hosts.
4 "You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD , "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent?
5 "Why then has this people, Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 2 Kings 23:5; Jeremiah 19:13; Zephaniah 1:5; Acts 7:42
  • 2. Jeremiah 22:19; Jeremiah 36:30
  • 3. 2 Kings 9:37; Psalms 83:10; Jeremiah 9:22
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.