Jeremiah 2:36

36 You change sides so casually! But Egypt will shame you no less than Assyria.

Jeremiah 2:36 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:36

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way?
&c.] Or, "by changing thy way" F20; sometimes going one way, and sometimes another; sometimes to Egypt, and then to Assyria; seeking sometimes to the one for help, and sometimes to the other; at one time serving the gods of the one, in order to curry favour with them, and then the gods of the other, like a lascivious woman that gads about from place to place to increase her lovers, and satisfy her lust. The Vulgate Latin version is, "how exceeding vile art thou become, changing thy ways"; and so Jarchi says, the word (ylzt) signifies "contempt", or "vileness": deriving it from (lwz) , or (llz) , to be "vile" or "contemptible"; and to this sense are the Septuagint and Arabic versions; but Kimchi derives it from (lza) , to go; to which our version and others agree: thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt;
as they were in the times of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, when Pharaohnecho king of Egypt took the former, and put him in bands, and carried him into Egypt; and set the latter upon the throne, and took tribute of him, for which the land was taxed, ( 2 Kings 23:33-35 ) as thou wast ashamed of Assyria;
in the times of Ahaz, who sent to the king of Assyria for help, when Judah was smitten by the Edomites, and invaded by the Philistines; but when he came to him, he distressed him, and strengthened and helped him not, ( 2 Chronicles 28:16-21 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (Kykrd twnvl) "mutando viam tuam", Vatablus, Piscator, Junius & Tremellius.

Jeremiah 2:36 In-Context

34 Your garments are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, even though you didn't catch them breaking and entering. Yet, despite all this,
35 you still insist, "I'm innocent; as a result he will turn his anger away from me." Because you claim not to have sinned, I will pass judgment against you.
36 You change sides so casually! But Egypt will shame you no less than Assyria.
37 From there you will go out with your hands on your heads, because the LORD has rejected those you rely on; they won't help you.
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