Jeremiah 2:27

27 Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: Thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.

Jeremiah 2:27 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:27

Saying to a stock
"To a tree" F6; to a piece of wood; that is, to an image made of it; so the Targum,

``they say to an image of wood;''
what follows: thou art my father;
ascribing that to the idol which belongs to God, who was their Father that made them, and upheld them, was the author of their beings, and the God of their mercies: and to a stone;
an image of stone: thou hast brought me forth:
into being; affirming it to be his former and maker; so the Targum,
``to that which is made of stone, thou hast created me:''
for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face;
they turned their faces to images of wood and stone, and worshipped them; and they turned their backs upon the Lord, his worship and ordinances, and apostatized from him; which the Targum thus expresses,
``for they turned their backs on my worship, and did not put my fear before their faces:''
but in the time of their trouble;
when any calamity befalls them, as famine, pestilence, sword, captivity, and the like: they will say, arise, and save us;
not that they will say so to their idols, but they will say so to the true God; for notwithstanding they worshipped idols in time of prosperity, forgetting God their Saviour; yet in adversity they are brought to their senses, and find that none but God can save them, and therefore apply to him; to which agrees the Targum,
``and in the time that evil comes upon them, they deny their idols, and confess before me, and say, have mercy on us, and save us.''

FOOTNOTES:

F6 (Uel) "ligno", V. L. Pagnanius, Montanus, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 2:27 In-Context

25 Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
26 As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.
27 Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: Thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
28 Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
29 Why will you contend with me in judgment? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
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