Jeremiah 2:32

32 Whether a virgin shall forget her ornament? and a spousess her breast girdle? But my people hath forgotten me by days without number.

Jeremiah 2:32 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:32

Can a maid forget her ornaments
Which she has provided for her wedding day, and is then to wear, and which may be the next; such as ear rings, bracelets, and jewels, which are never out of her mind, and can scarce sleep for thinking of them, how richly she shall be adorned with them; wherefore it follows: or a bride her attire?
or, "her bindings" ^F15; her knots about her head or breast. The word is rendered "head bands" in ( Isaiah 3:20 ) and here, by the Septuagint version, "her stomacher"; set with sparkling precious stones; see ( Isaiah 61:10 ) , these things her heart being set upon, and priding herself with, cannot be forgotten by her, at least not long: yet, my people have forgotten me days without number;
which shows great stupidity and ingratitude; the Lord not being so much to them, from whom they had received so many favours, as the ornaments of a maid, and the attire of a bride, are to them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hyrwvq) "fasciae suae", Tigurine version; "ligaminum suorum", Munster, Calvin; "ligamentorum suorum", Piscator.

Jeremiah 2:32 In-Context

30 In vain I smote your sons, they received not chastising; your sword devoured your prophets, your generation is destroyed as a lion. (In vain I struck down your sons and daughters, for they would not receive their discipline, or their correction; your own sword devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.)

31 See ye the word of the Lord, whether I am made a wilderness to Israel, either a land late bringing forth fruit? Why therefore said my people, We have gone away, we shall no more come to thee? (See ye the word of the Lord, am I made like a wilderness to Israel, or like a land bringing forth late fruit? And so why did my people say, We have gone away, we shall no longer come to thee?)

32 Whether a virgin shall forget her ornament? and a spousess her breast girdle? But my people hath forgotten me by days without number.

33 What enforcest thou to show thy way good to seek love, which furthermore both hast taught thy malices thy ways, (How well thou endeavourest to find thy lovers, even the worst women can learn from thy ways!)

34 and the blood of poor men and innocents is found in thy wings? I found not them in ditches, but in all things which I remembered before. (and the blood of the poor and the innocent is found on thy wings. Yea, it got there not from breaking into houses, but from sacrifices made under every tree.)