Jeremiah 2:8

8 The priests quit asking: Where is the Lord? The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers^[a] rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal^[b] and followed useless idols.

Jeremiah 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:8

The priests said not, where is the Lord?
&c.] Whose business it was to draw nigh to God, and offer the sacrifices of the people, and inquire of God for them; whose lips should keep knowledge, and at whose mouth the law should be sought, they being the messengers of the Lord of hosts, ( Malachi 2:7 ) : and they that handle the law knew me not;
the sanhedrim, according to Jarchi; or the lawyers and scribes, the Rabbins and doctors of the law, whose business it was to read and explain it; these did not understand it, nor the mind of God in it; and much less did they know him in a spiritual and evangelical manner; or as he is in Christ, and revealed in the Gospel: the pastors also transgressed against me;
kings, as the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi interpret it, who were pastors or shepherds in a civil sense; whose business it was to feed the people as the shepherd does his flock; that is, to guide and govern them by wholesome laws, by the laws of God; but, instead of this, they rebelled against the Lord, and transgressed his commands: and the prophets prophesied by Baal;
in his name; pretending to be inspired by that idol, and to receive the spirit of prophecy from him: and walked after things that do not profit;
the gods of the Gentiles, which could not supply them with the least temporal blessing, and much less give them spiritual and eternal ones; see ( Jeremiah 14:22 ) . This is to be understood of false prophets, as Ben Melech.

Jeremiah 2:8 In-Context

6 They stopped asking: Where is the Lord who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?

7 I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled My land; you made My inheritance detestable.

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:

Footnotes

• [a] Jr 23:1-4; Ezk 34
• [b] Jr 2:23; 9:14