Jeremiah 2:1-8

Israel Forsakes God

1 The word of the LORD came to me:
2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the LORD says: “ ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’ ” declares the LORD.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.
5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.

Jeremiah 2:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 2

This chapter contains the prophet's message from the Lord to the people of the Jews; in which they are reminded of their former favours, in order to aggravate their sins and transgressions they were chargeable with; to show their ingratitude and unkindness, and to bring them to a conviction and acknowledgment of their iniquities, without which punishment would be inflicted on them. The preface to this message is in Jer 2:1,2, and the discourse begins with an account of their former state and condition when they came out of Egypt; what kindness was shown them by the Lord, and what was returned to him by them; what they were to him, and how much regarded by him, Jer 2:2,3 and so far were they from being injured by him, that might cause them to depart from him, which they are desired to give attention to, that they were followed with various instances of goodness, which are particularly enumerated; and yet no notice was taken of them, neither by people, priests, pastors, and prophets, who were guilty of the grossest ignorance and wickedness, Jer 2:4-8, wherefore the Lord determines to plead with them and theirs; and charges them with such idolatry as was not to be found among the Gentiles, Jer 1:9-11 the heavens are called upon to be astonished at it; and the reason given for it, the ingratitude and folly of this people, Jer 2:12,13 in order to reclaim them, the Lord by the prophet proceeds to observe to them the corrections and chastisement they had already endured, being brought into bondage, their land wasted, cities burnt, and their glory taken from them; all which were owing to their revoltings and backslidings, and by which they might see what an evil and bitter thing sin is in its effects, Jer 2:14-19 and again reminds them of former favours; how that he loosed them from their yoke and bonds, when they promised to transgress no more, and yet did more and more; how he had raised them from a right seed, and planted them a noble vine, and yet they were sadly degenerated, and were guilty of such crimes as were not to be removed by anything done by them, Jer 2:20-22, and notwithstanding all this, they had the impudence to deny that they were tainted with idolatry, when they had been so guilty of it in the valley of Hinnom, and elsewhere; and were comparable to the lustful dromedary and wild ass, and so fond of strange gods, that they thirsted after them, and were resolved to follow them, Jer 2:23-25 and yet the time would come when all ranks of men among them would be ashamed of their worship of stocks and stones, and in the time of their trouble call upon the Lord to save them, when they would be sent to their gods, who were as numerous as their cities, Jer 2:26-28 wherefore it was in vain to plead their innocence, when they were all so guilty, and had received correction without amendment, and had even slain the prophets of the Lord, Jer 2:29,30 and then the Lord again upbraids them with their ingratitude to him, who had been so good and kind to them; with their forgetfulness of him, illustrated by a maid's not forgetting her ornaments, and a bride her attire; with their artful methods to entice others to idolatry, and with their shedding of innocent blood; and yet, after all this, they asserted their innocence, and affirmed they had never sinned, Jer 2:31-35, for all which sentence is pronounced against them, and punishment is threatened them, Jer 2:36,37.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Isaiah 38:4; Ezekiel 1:3; Micah 1:1
  • 2. Psalms 71:17; Isaiah 54:4; Jeremiah 3:4; Eze 16:8-14,60; Hosea 2:15; Hosea 11:1; Revelation 2:4
  • 3. S Exodus 13:21; S Deuteronomy 1:19; Deuteronomy 2:7
  • 4. S Deuteronomy 7:6
  • 5. S Exodus 19:6; S Deuteronomy 7:6
  • 6. Leviticus 23:9-14; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4
  • 7. Isaiah 41:11; Jeremiah 10:25; Jeremiah 30:16
  • 8. Jeremiah 50:7
  • 9. S Deuteronomy 32:21; S 1 Samuel 12:21; Psalms 31:6
  • 10. 2 Kings 17:15
  • 11. S Exodus 6:6; Hosea 13:4
  • 12. S Deuteronomy 1:19; Deuteronomy 8:15
  • 13. S Deuteronomy 32:10
  • 14. Jeremiah 51:43
  • 15. S Numbers 13:27; Deuteronomy 8:7-9; Deuteronomy 11:10-12
  • 16. Psalms 106:34-39; Jeremiah 3:9; Jeremiah 7:30; Jeremiah 16:18; Ezekiel 11:21; Ezekiel 36:17
  • 17. S 1 Samuel 2:12; Jeremiah 4:22
  • 18. Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 23:1; Jeremiah 25:34; Jeremiah 50:6
  • 19. S 1 Kings 18:22; Jeremiah 23:13
  • 20. ver 25; S Isaiah 40:19; S Isaiah 56:10; Jeremiah 5:19; Jeremiah 9:14; Jeremiah 16:19; Jeremiah 22:9
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