Jeremiah 2:36

36 Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

Jeremiah 2:36 in Other Translations

36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

36 How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

36 First here, then there— you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before.

36 "You think it's just a small thing, don't you, to try out another sin-project when the first one fails? But Egypt will leave you in the lurch the same way that Assyria did.

36 How unstable you are, constantly changing your way! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by 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 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Jeremiah 2:36 In-Context

34 On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this

35 you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

37 You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 31:22
• 2. S Psalms 108:12; S Isa 30:2,3,7; Jeremiah 37:7