Jeremiah 2:10

10 Cross over to Cyprus[a][b]and take a look. Send [someone] to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

Jeremiah 2:10 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:10

For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see
Or, "to the isles of Chittim" F26; so called from Kittim the son of Javan, ( Genesis 10:4 ) who, as Josephus says F1, possessed the island of Chethima, now called Cyprus; and, from that, all islands, and most maritime places, are, by the Hebrews, called Chittim, he observes: it may regard all the islands in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas: and send unto Kedar;
which was in Arabia, and lay to the east, as Chittim to the west; and so the Targum paraphrases it,

``send to the provinces of the Arabians:''
and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing;
as what is inquired about in the following verse, a change of deities. All this is to be understood of the contemplation of the mind, and not of any corporeal journey to be taken, to inquire into this matter.
FOOTNOTES:

F26 (Myytk yya wrbe) (eiv nhsouv) Sept. "transite ad insulas Cethim", V. L. "ad insulas Cypriorum"; so some in Vatablus; "in insulas", Schmidt.
F1 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1.

Jeremiah 2:10 In-Context

8 The priests quit asking: Where is the Lord? The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
9 Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. I will bring a case against your children's children.
10 Cross over to Cyprusand take a look. Send [someone] to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation [ever] exchanged its gods? (but they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
12 Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. [This is] the Lord's declaration.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lit to the islands of Kittim
  • [b]. Gn 10:4; Nm 24:24; Isa 23:1,12
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