Chapter 2

1 God, having shewed his former kindness, expostulateth with the Jews their causeless revolt, 9 beyond any example. 14 They are the causes of their own calamities. 20 The sins of Judah. 31 Her confidence is rejected.

1. Word of the Lord. This phrase introduces a series of prophecies extending from ch. 2 to ch. 6. This series is a retrospect of Israel’s past, and shows how present conditions are the result of past failures. The prophecy was given during the first ten years of Jeremiah’s ministry (627/26–c. 616 b.c.), probably in the 13th year of Josiah (see ch. 3:6; cf. ch. 1:2).

2. Go and cry. If Jeremiah was in Anathoth, he is now commanded to leave and go to Jerusalem for his prophetic labors.

I remember thee. Literally, “I remember for thee,” in thy favor, or to thy credit (see Neh. 5:19, where “think upon me,” is literally, “remember for me”).

Kindness of thy youth. Grammatically the phrase may mean either the kindness of God toward Israel or Israel’s kindness toward God. Here the latter seems to be emphasized. In her youth Israel had responded to the wooing of God’s love. In poetic figure God is represented as the Lover and Israel as His betrothed.

Espousals. Literally, “betrothal time,” or “state of being a bride.” The bridal state was at the beginning of her history.

A land … not sown. Israel demonstrated the sincerity of her love by forsaking the comparative comforts and security statute of Egypt in order to follow God in the barren wilderness.

Holiness. Or, “a holy thing” (see on Deut. 7:6).

The firstfruits. The figure of first fruits was familiar to the Jews (see on Ex. 23:19; Num. 18:12, 13). Israel was as the most precious part of the harvest, the part that was dedicated as God’s portion.

Shall offend. No heathen nation was to be allowed to devour Israel (Jer. 10:25; 50:7; cf. Deut. 7:16).

5. What iniquity? See Micah 6:3, 4. God challenged Israel to show that He had been unfaithful or had broken the covenant. The prophet inquires in effect, “Has the Lord practiced any deceit or disregarded any promises? Wherein has He failed?” (see Deut. 32:4). This verse presents the touching challenge of a wounded love conscious of its integrity and faithfulness.

Vanity. A reference to Israel’s idols (Jer. 10:15; 14:22; 16:19; cf. Deut. 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13; 1 Cor. 8:4; see on Eccl. 1:2). Once Israel had walked after God; now the people pursued vanity.

Are become vain. Men take on the nature of the object they worship (see Deut. 7:26; Rom. 1:21–23; PP 306, 334, 335).

6. Neither said they. The people were basely ungrateful for the providential deliverances and beneficent care that God had lavished upon them, and lightly esteemed their Benefactor.

Brought us up out. Israel’s career as a nation began with a great act of redemption. The deliverance from Egyptian slavery is frequently referred to as the superlative example of God’s miraculous intervention in behalf of His people (Ex. 20:2; Deut. 7:8; Isa. 63:10–14; Hosea 2:15; 11:1; 12:9, 13; 13:4; Amos 2:10; Micah 6:4; etc.).

Through the wilderness. God’s preservation of such a vast multitude from the dangers and privations of the wilderness was a marvelous instance of His almighty power, as well as of His goodness and care (see on Deut. 32:10).

Shadow of death. See on Ps. 23:4.

7. A plentiful country. Literally, “the land of the orchard,” that is, “a land planted with vines and fruit trees,” a contrast to the “land of deserts” through which Israel had passed on the way to Canaan.

Ye. The change from third to second person makes the application of the message more personal.

My land. See Lev. 25:23; Deut. 11:12; cf. Lev. 18:25, 27, 28; Num. 35:34.

8. The priests. This verse describes the delinquencies of the three ruling classes, the priests, the pastors, and the prophets (see on v. 26; Micah 3:11).

That handle the law. The priests were to be experts in the law (see on Deut. 31:9; Ps. 19:7; Prov. 3:1), and to explain it to the people (Deut. 33:10; Mal. 2:6, 7).

The pastors. Literally, “shepherds.” This expression designates responsible leaders in Israel’s theocracy, both civil and religious (see Jer. 3:15; 10:21; Jer. 22:22; Jer. 25:34–36; 1 Kings 22:17; Isa. 44:28; Zech. 10:3; 11:5).

9. Plead. Heb. rib, “to contend,” “to conduct a legal case” (see Isa. 3:13; 57:16). God will yet prosecute His charges against His rebellious people. He will plead by inflicting judgments upon them (see on Ps. 74:22).

10. Pass over the isles. Or, “pass over to the isles,” or “pass over to the coastlands.” The Hebrews were admonished to direct their attention to other nations to observe the fidelity of these peoples to heathen gods and to contrast this fidelity with their own infidelity to the true God.

Chittim. The name here denotes Greeks in general (see on Gen. 10:4).

Kedar. One of the sons of Ishmael, who became the ancestor of a nomadic tribe living in the Arabian Desert (see on Gen. 25:13).

See if there be. The Israelites had shown a desire to imitate the surrounding nations (1 Sam. 8:5, 19, 20), but not in the matter of loyalty to religion. A diligent inquiry from east to west could produce no parallel example of infidelity.

11. Hath a nation? The question implies a negative answer. Only in extraordinary cases would an idolatrous nation discard its ancestral religion. Even today many adherents of heathen religions are truer to their gods than are nominal Christians to the one true God.

Yet no gods. The clause reads literally, “and they are no gods.” The “yet” translates the Hebrew conjunction and must not be interpreted as a temporal adverb. The gods of the nations are unreal. The gods that the idol is supposed to represent do not exist.

Changed their glory. Israel bartered the real for the unreal and traded the truth for falsehood (see Ps. 106:20; Rom. 1:23). “Their glory” was God, the source of all prosperity (see Deut. 10:21; 1 Sam. 4:21; Ps. 3:3). Elsewhere God is spoken of as the “excellency,” or, more accurately, the “pride” of Israel (Amos 8:7; Hosea 5:5). Other nations could have forsaken their false gods without any loss to themselves. But Israel, in forsaking their God, Jehovah, had acted not only contrary to the custom of other nations but also contrary to the dictates of reason.

12. Be astonished. Israel’s wickedness is so horrible that the prophet, in this impassioned personification, called upon the heavens themselves to be appalled.

13. Two evils. The two evils may be defined as: (1) rejection of the real, and (2) the adoption of the unreal. The first naturally leads to the second.

Forsaken me. The “me” is emphatic in the Hebrew.

Living waters. That is, “flowing waters.” The Hebrew phrase thus translated occurs in Gen. 26:19; Lev. 14:5; etc. On the figure, compare Jer. 17:13; John 4:10; 7:37; 3T 467; PP 413.

Broken cisterns. Water has always been a precious commodity in the Near East. Anyone who possessed a gushing spring of life-giving water would be foolish to trade it for a leaky cistern of stagnant water.

14. Servant. Heb. Фebed, which may denote a servant either hired or in bondage. The question of the prophet calls for a negative answer. No! Israel is not a slave. Israel is God’s first-born son (Ex. 4:22).

A homeborn slave. In general, slaves were divided into two classes: those captured in war or bought, and those born and brought up in their master’s house. God designed that Israel should have dominion and should not be held in servitude.

Why is he spoiled? Literally, “why has he become for a spoil?” The people could not blame God for the loss of their liberty. The tragedy was the result of their own doing (see v. 17). Men should not blame God for their own failures. They make or mar their destinies by their decisions.

15. Young lions. The foreign invaders, so called because of their fierceness and strength (see Isa. 5:29, 30). Tyrants and oppressors are often compared to lions (Job 4:10, 11; Ps. 58:6; Eze. 19:3, 6; Nahum 2:11, 12; Jer. 4:7; 50:17).

16. Noph. Memphis, an ancient capital of Lower (northern) Egypt, 14 mi. (22.4 km.) south of Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. The Hebrew name Noph, or Moph (Hosea 9:6), was perhaps a corruption of the middle part of the Egyptian name Men-nefer. In Assyrian the city was called Mempi, or Mimpi, from which the Greek name Memphis comes. Its remains are near MйЖt Rahineh. From ancient times Memphis was the center of worship of the god Ptah. In the time of Jeremiah, Memphis continued to be one of the first cities of Egypt, and was renowned for its cosmopolitan population.

Tahapanes. Usually identified with Daphnae, the modern Tell Defenneh in the eastern Delta. This city enters prominently into the history of the closing phase of Jeremiah’s ministry (ch. 43:7–10). Noph and Tahapanes here designate the Egyptians who had inflicted injuries upon Judah.

17. Unto thyself. See ch. 4:18; cf. Ps. 107:17. The prophet pointed out the true cause of the calamities. God had not forsaken His people; they had forsaken Him. He had led them in the true way of life, but they had chosen another path.

18. And now. Heb. weФattah, a common formula for drawing a conclusion from what has been stated. The “now” is logical, not temporal.

The way of Egypt. Earlier prophets had denounced the attempt to secure freedom from Assyria by an alliance with Egypt (Isa. 30:1–7; 31:1–3; see Hosea 7:11, 16). Jeremiah here asks, What is to be gained by such an alliance?

A Christian today may well ask himself: “What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt?”—in its sins or in its pleasures.

Sihor. Heb. Shichor, from the Egyptian ShiРhor, signifying “the waters of Horus.” For three possibilities see on Isa. 23:3. The exact location is unknown.

The river. Here evidently the Euphrates (see Gen. 31:21; Ex. 23:31; see on Num. 22:5). The LXX has “rivers,” as though including both the Tigris and the Euphrates. “River” is here used figuratively of the Assyrian power.

19. Correct. Rather, “discipline,” or “chastise.”

Backslidings. Heb. meshuboth, “apostasies,” “turnings back,” or “defections,” a word occurring most frequently in Jeremiah. Of the 12 certain occurrences in the OT 9 are in this book (chs. 2:19; 3:6, 8, 11, 12, 22; 5:6; 8:5; 14:7).

An evil thing. Defined as being twofold: (1) apostasy from God, and (2) indifference to God.

20. I have broken. The LXX and the Vulgate have “thou hast broken,” which is more consistent with the use of the second person in the remainder of the verse. The yoke and bands refer to the discipline and guidance of the Lord (see ch. 5:5).

I will not transgress. Literally, “I will not serve,” a reading supported by the LXX and the Syriac. A slight change in one letter gives the reading “I will not transgress.” This latter reading was preferred by the Jewish scholars who punctuated the Hebrew, and is found in the Targums. The thought seems to be that Israel was declaring her independence, and asserting her freedom from service to God (see v. 31).

Every high hill. A designation for the numerous sacred places where sacrifices were offered to Baal or where the lascivious rites of Asherah and Ashtoreth were practiced (see Deut. 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4; 17:10; Isa. 57:5, 7; Jer. 3:6, 13; 17:2; Eze. 6:13).

Wanderest. Heb. saФah, “to lie down [like a prostitute],” in the shameless spiritual adultery of idolatry (see on Ex. 34:15).

21. A noble vine. Heb. sЊoreq. A choice kind of Oriental vine, producing grapes of a dark-red color (see Deut. 32:32; Ps. 80:8, 9; Isa. 5:1–7; Hosea 10:1).

How then? The perverseness and degeneracy of Israel were not the result of any neglect on God’s part but of their own perversity.

22. Wash. Heb. kabas, “to cleanse,” or “to full”; that is, “to make [garments] clean and soft by treading or beating [them] in water.” Self-expiation of sin is impossible, though men in all ages have tried it.

Nitre. A mineral alkali, natron, or carbonate of soda, a deposit of certain alkaline lakes in Egypt. It was collected in ancient times to make lye for washing purposes (see Prov. 25:20). The product must not be confused with what is now called niter, or saltpeter, which is potassium or sodium nitrate.

Soap. Not a true soap, but a vegetable alkali, obtained from the burning of certain plants, and used for washing purposes.

Marked. Literally, “stained,” or “defiled” (see Isa. 1:18).

23. How canst thou say? This question is evidently more than the prophet’s anticipation of a possible attempt by these sinners at self-vindication. It appears that the inhabitants of Judea repeatedly voiced this objection (see v. 35). Since Josiah had revived the appointed public worship of Yahweh, the people evidently persuaded themselves that they worshiped the true God, in spite of the fact that idolatrous heathen rites still continued (see ch. 9:13, 14).

Baalim. A transliteration of the Hebrew plural for Baal. The word is equivalent to the “other gods” of ch. 1:16.

In the valley. The prophet substantiated his charges by an appeal to the facts. Jeremiah probably referred to the abominations carried on in the valley of the son of Hinnom, south and west of Jerusalem (chs. 7:31, 32; 19:2, 6, 13, 14; 32:35). On the southern brow of the hill overlooking this valley, Solomon had erected a high place for Molech, the god of Ammon (see on 1 Kings 11:7). From time to time later idolatrous kings revived the horrid rites in the same vicinity. Ahaz and Manasseh made their children “pass through the fire” (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; 2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6). To put an end to the abominations of this valley, the good king Josiah polluted the site with bones and refuse (see on 2 Kings 23:10).

Dromedary. Heb. bikrah, “a young she-camel,” here represented as running around in the heat of desire. Such is the ardor for idolatry shown by the people of Israel.

24. A wild ass. In her zeal Israel resembles this wild, unbridled creature (see Job 24:5; 39:5).

Snuffeth up the wind. In the ardor of her heat she sniffs the wind to ascertain where the he-ass is to be found.

Weary themselves. She is searching out the he-asses; they have no need to weary themselves in searching for her. In the same way the false gods would not need to court Israel’s favor. In her wild lust she pursued them (Eze. 16:34; see Hosea 2:7).

Her month. Her mating season.

25. Withhold thy foot. The sense seems to be: Cease this mad running after idols till your feet are bare and your throat parched.

There is no hope. The exhortation is of no avail. Judah is determined to go on with her sinful course. She reasons that she has gone too far to turn back.

Strangers. Here the strange gods (see Jer. 3:13; Deut. 12:2; 32:16).

26. Is the house of Israel ashamed. Better, “The house of Israel will be put to shame.” The Hebrew tense here employed may be regarded as a perfect of prophetic certainty. Such a tense form describes an event yet future as a completed act, thus emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment. There may be a play on the word “shame,” Heb. bosheth, here. Bosheth was sometimes used as a title of opprobrium for Baal (see Jer. 11:13; Hosea 9:10). Israel had chosen to serve “shame” rather than God, and her reward could be nothing but a shameful exposure (see Jer. 6:15; 8:9).

Their kings. Compare the three classes of leaders mentioned in v. 8.

27. A stock. Literally, “a tree,” or “a piece of wood,” here representing the material from which an idol is made (see Isa. 40:20; 44:9; 45:20; Hosea 4:12).

Thou art my father. How utterly stupid to attribute the production and sustenance of life to a piece of wood. The Lord placed the vanity of idol worship in its strongest light in order to emphasize the unpardonable flagrancy of Israel’s transgression.

A stone. That is, an idol made of stone (see Jer. 3:9; Deut. 4:28; 28:36, 64; 29:17; 2 Kings 19:18; Eze. 20:32).

Thou hast. The pronoun translated “thou” is feminine; hence, the stone is addressed as the mother.

Turned their back. A gesture of contempt and aversion (see chs. 7:24; 18:17; 32:33).

Time of their trouble. Compare Ps. 78:34; Isa. 26:16. Trouble often brings men to their senses (see Hosea 5:15).

28. Where are thy gods? Compare Deut. 32:37, 38; see on Judges 10:14. The challenge was made, not to mock the inhabitants of Judah, but to deepen in them the consciousness of their terrible apostasy and to cause them to recognize the real source of help and hope (see Isa. 43:11, 25; 51:12).

Let them arise. An insinuation of the lifelessness and impotency of these gods (see Jer. 10:15; Isa. 46:7).

Number of thy cities. Every city had its tutelary god (see ch. 11:13).

29. Wherefore will ye plead? The people had no ground of complaint. Their rebellion was too open to be glossed over. How could they still attempt to justify themselves? Any claim to God’s former promises had been forfeited by their transgressions.

30. In vain. Verses 30–32 re-emphasize the thought (see v. 5) that God is in no way to be blamed for Judah’s revolt.

Your children. Here the children or people of Judah. The cities and communities of Judah were sometimes, as probably here, figuratively represented as mothers, and the inhabitants as the children (see Lev. 19:18; Joel 3:4–6; Zech. 9:13).

Your prophets. The men who had been sent to reprove their follies and exhort them to amend their ways (see 2 Chron. 36:15, 16; Neh. 9:26; Matt. 23:29–31; Acts 7:52). The height of this violence against God’s messengers came during the half century of Manasseh’s reign (2 Kings 21:16). Isaiah was one of the first of the prophetic martyrs to fall (PK 382; EGW, Supplementary Material, on Isa. 1:1).

31. A wilderness. As in v. 5 God challenges the people to tell what unkindness He has shown them that has caused them to turn their backs upon Him. Was God ever to them a barren place of no sustenance? Actually God had been Judah’s source of supply for all life’s necessities (see on Deut. 32:13, 14; Neh. 9:15).

We are lords. This phrase translates a single Hebrew word. However, there is considerable uncertainty as to the exact meaning of the word thus translated. According to the Masoretic tradition the root is rud, which means “to roam,” or “to wander aimlessly.” The statement would then imply a casting off of God’s authority (see on v. 20) and would be an assertion of independence and self-sufficiency. The people would be saying in effect: “We will rove at will. We will do what we please. We are our own masters, and will regard no laws, human or divine.”

However, the root may be radad instead of rud, in which case the clause would read, “we are subjugated.” The LXX has “we shall not be ruled over.” One of the manuscripts of the LXX reads “we shall not be enslaved.” Aquila’s Greek translation and the Vulgate support the reading “we are rebelling.”

32. Attire. One would naturally expect a bride to cherish the outward memorials of her marriage.

Forgotten me. Judah had done worse than forget the outward memorials of marriage. She had forgotten her Husband (see ch. 3:14).

33. Why trimmest thou? Judah is represented as decking herself as a harlot to seek illicit relations with foreign nations and their idols, while God, her true glory, is forgotten.

Wicked ones. That is, wicked women, as is indicated by the feminine plural in the Hebrew. Judah had become so vile that even wicked women could learn from her. The wickedness of God’s chosen people not only confirmed the heathen in their idolatry but also taught them new ways of practicing it.

34. Poor innocents. Among these were doubtless those who suffered because of the miscarriage of justice (see Jer. 7:6; 19:4; 22:3, 17; Micah 3:10), the children who were sacrificed to Molech, and the prophets and other martyrs slain, especially during the reign of Manasseh (see Jer. 2:30; 2 Kings 21:16; 24:3, 4).

I have not found. Or, “you have not found.” The Hebrew may be translated as either the first person singular or the second person feminine singular.

Secret search. Heb. machtereth, “a breaking in [as of a house],” as in burglary. The entire clause may be translated, “Not in the act of breaking in did you find them.” This translation suggests that the innocents, who were slain, had not been detected in any crime (see v. 30). If those slain had been guilty of some serious crime, such as “breaking in,” the law would not have attributed criminal responsibility to anyone who smote them in the act (see on Ex. 22:2). But these martyrs were “poor innocents,” not criminals. As translated in the KJV the entire passage seems to mean that guilt was so open and apparent that God did not need to search for it.

35. I am innocent. The nation did not seem to be conscious of its guilt. Perhaps the people flattered themselves that though they had sunk low under the reign of Manasseh, Josiah’s outward reformation had turned aside the threatened wrath of God (2 Kings 22:17).

I will plead. Or, “I will bring into judgment,” that is, with the intent of punishing.

36. Why gaddest thou about? That is, why was the nation in such haste to change its policy and shift its alliances?

Ashamed of Egypt. To his disgrace and ruin Ahaz had formed alliances with the king of Assyria (see 2 Kings 16:10; 2 Chron. 28:16–21). The prophet predicted that an alliance with Egypt would result in similar shame and confusion. The prediction was literally fulfilled in the reign of Zedekiah (Jer. 37:5–10).

37. From him. That is, from Egypt.

Thine hands upon thine head. An expression of deep sorrow and of utter despair (see 2 Sam. 13:19).

Thy confidences. That is, those in whom Judah trusted or placed her confidence.

Ellen G. White comments

6    PP 377

13   CH 300; CW 102; Ed 83; FE 168, 422; GC 478; PK 233; PP 413; 3T 467, 474; 4T 625; 5T 63, 519; 6T 164; 7T 150, 204, 276

21   AA 15; COL 290; PK 19

34   EW 76, 234; LS 206; TM 262; 1T 138, 219, 314, 511; 2T 47, 256, 361, 483, 506; 3T 192, 209, 243, 443; 4T 239, 392, 514, 646; 5T 11, 190, 234, 288, 662; 6T 144; 8T 155