Jeremiah 2:10

10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus [a] and see, Send to Kedar [b] and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing.

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 did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked after things that do not profit.
9 "Therefore I will yet bring charges against you," says the Lord, "And against your children's children I will bring charges.
10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing.
11 Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate," says the Lord.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Hebrew Kittim, western lands, especially Cyprus
  • [b]. In the northern Arabian desert, representative of the eastern cultures
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.