8 The priests H3548 said H559 not, Where is the LORD? H3068 and they that handle H8610 the law H8451 knew H3045 me not: the pastors H7462 also transgressed H6586 against me, and the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 by Baal, H1168 and walked H1980 after H310 things that do not profit. H3276
What profiteth H3276 the graven image H6459 that the maker H3335 thereof hath graven H6458 it; the molten image, H4541 and a teacher H3384 of lies, H8267 that the maker H3335 of his work H3336 trusteth H982 therein, to make H6213 dumb H483 idols? H457
But G235 have renounced G550 the hidden things G2927 of dishonesty, G152 not G3361 walking G4043 in G1722 craftiness, G3834 nor G3366 handling G1389 the word G3056 of God G2316 deceitfully; G1389 but G235 by manifestation G5321 of the truth G225 commending G4921 ourselves G1438 to G4314 every G3956 man's G444 conscience G4893 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316
Behold, G2396 thou G4771 art called G2028 a Jew, G2453 and G2532 restest G1879 in the law, G3551 and G2532 makest thy boast G2744 of G1722 God, G2316 And G2532 knowest G1097 his will, G2307 and G2532 approvest G1381 the things that are more excellent, G1308 being instructed G2727 out of G1537 the law; G3551 And G5037 art confident G3982 that thou thyself G4572 art G1511 a guide G3595 of the blind, G5185 a light G5457 of them which are in G1722 darkness, G4655 An instructor G3810 of the foolish, G878 a teacher G1320 of babes, G3516 which hast G2192 the form G3446 of knowledge G1108 and G2532 of the truth G225 in G1722 the law. G3551 Thou therefore G3767 which G3588 teachest G1321 another, G2087 teachest thou G1321 not G3756 thyself? G4572 thou that preachest G2784 a man should G2813 not G3361 steal, G2813 dost thou steal? G2813 Thou that sayest G3004 a man should G3431 not G3361 commit adultery, G3431 dost thou commit adultery? G3431 thou that abhorrest G948 idols, G1497 dost thou commit sacrilege? G2416 Thou G3739 that makest thy boast G2744 of G1722 the law, G3551 through G1223 breaking G3847 the law G3551 dishonourest thou G818 God? G2316 For G1063 the name G3686 of God G2316 is blasphemed G987 among G1722 the Gentiles G1484 through G1223 you, G5209 as G2531 it is written. G1125
Many H7227 pastors H7462 have destroyed H7843 my vineyard, H3754 they have trodden H947 my portion H2513 under foot, H947 they have made H5414 my pleasant H2532 portion H2513 a desolate H8077 wilderness. H4057
Yet G2532 ye have G1097 not G3756 known G1097 him; G846 but G1161 I G1473 know G1492 him: G846 and G2532 if G1437 I should say, G2036 G3754 I know G1492 him G846 not, G3756 I shall be G2071 a liar G5583 like G3664 unto you: G5216 but G235 I know G1492 him, G846 and G2532 keep G5083 his G846 saying. G3056
For G1063 what G5101 is a man G444 profited, G5623 if G1437 he shall gain G2770 the whole G3650 world, G2889 and G1161 lose G2210 his own G846 soul? G5590 or G2228 what G5101 shall a man G444 give G1325 in exchange G465 for his G846 soul? G5590
The law H8451 of truth H571 was in his mouth, H6310 and iniquity H5766 was not found H4672 in his lips: H8193 he walked H1980 with me in peace H7965 and equity, H4334 and did turn H7725 many H7227 away H7725 from iniquity. H5771 For the priest's H3548 lips H8193 should keep H8104 knowledge, H1847 and they should seek H1245 the law H8451 at his mouth: H6310 for he is the messenger H4397 of the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 But ye are departed H5493 out of the way; H1870 ye have caused many H7227 to stumble H3782 at the law; H8451 ye have corrupted H7843 the covenant H1285 of Levi, H3878 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 Therefore have I also made H5414 you contemptible H959 and base H8217 before all the people, H5971 according H6310 as ye have not kept H8104 my ways, H1870 but have been partial H5375 H6440 in the law. H8451
My people H5971 are destroyed H1820 for lack of knowledge: H1847 because thou hast rejected H3988 knowledge, H1847 I will also reject H3988 thee, that thou shalt be no priest H3547 to me: seeing thou hast forgotten H7911 the law H8451 of thy God, H430 I will also forget H7911 thy children. H1121
Mine heart H3820 within H7130 me is broken H7665 because of the prophets; H5030 all my bones H6106 shake; H7363 I am like a drunken H7910 man, H376 and like a man H1397 whom wine H3196 hath overcome, H5674 because H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and because of the words H1697 of his holiness. H6944 For the land H776 is full H4390 of adulterers; H5003 for because H6440 of swearing H423 the land H776 mourneth; H56 the pleasant places H4999 of the wilderness H4057 are dried up, H3001 and their course H4794 is evil, H7451 and their force H1369 is not right. For both prophet H5030 and priest H3548 are profane; H2610 yea, in my house H1004 have I found H4672 their wickedness, H7451 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Wherefore their way H1870 shall be unto them as slippery H2519 ways in the darkness: H653 they shall be driven on, H1760 and fall H5307 therein: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon them, even the year H8141 of their visitation, H6486 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 And I have seen H7200 folly H8604 in the prophets H5030 of Samaria; H8111 they prophesied H5012 in Baal, H1168 and caused my people H5971 Israel H3478 to err. H8582 I have seen H7200 also in the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 an horrible thing: H8186 they commit adultery, H5003 and walk H1980 in lies: H8267 they strengthen H2388 also the hands H3027 of evildoers, H7489 that none H376 doth return H7725 from his wickedness: H7451 they are all of them unto me as Sodom, H5467 and the inhabitants H3427 thereof as Gomorrah. H6017 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 concerning the prophets; H5030 Behold, I will feed H398 them with wormwood, H3939 and make them drink H8248 the water H4325 of gall: H7219 for from the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 is profaneness H2613 gone forth H3318 into all the land. H776
Woe H1945 be unto the pastors H7462 that destroy H6 and scatter H6327 the sheep H6629 of my pasture! H4830 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 against the pastors H7462 that feed H7462 my people; H5971 Ye have scattered H6327 my flock, H6629 and driven them away, H5080 and have not visited H6485 them: behold, I will visit H6485 upon you the evil H7455 of your doings, H4611 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
O LORD, H3068 my strength, H5797 and my fortress, H4581 and my refuge H4498 in the day H3117 of affliction, H6869 the Gentiles H1471 shall come H935 unto thee from the ends H657 of the earth, H776 and shall say, H559 Surely our fathers H1 have inherited H5157 lies, H8267 vanity, H1892 and things wherein there is no profit. H3276
They shall teach H3384 Jacob H3290 thy judgments, H4941 and Israel H3478 thy law: H8451 they shall put H7760 incense H6988 before H639 thee, and whole burnt sacrifice H3632 upon thine altar. H4196
How do ye say, H559 We are wise, H2450 and the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 is with us? Lo, certainly H403 in vain H8267 made H6213 he it; the pen H5842 of the scribes H5608 is in vain. H8267 The wise H2450 men are ashamed, H3001 they are dismayed H2865 and taken: H3920 lo, they have rejected H3988 the word H1697 of the LORD; H3068 and what wisdom H2451 is in them? Therefore will I give H5414 their wives H802 unto others, H312 and their fields H7704 to them that shall inherit H3423 them: for every one from the least H6996 even unto the greatest H1419 is given H1214 to covetousness, H1215 from the prophet H5030 even unto the priest H3548 every one dealeth H6213 falsely. H8267 For they have healed H7495 the hurt H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 slightly, H7043 saying, H559 Peace, H7965 peace; H7965 when there is no peace. H7965
For my people H5971 is foolish, H191 they have not known H3045 me; they are sottish H5530 children, H1121 and they have none understanding: H995 they are wise H2450 to do evil, H7489 but to do good H3190 they have no knowledge. H3045
Hath a nation H1471 changed H3235 their gods, H430 which are yet no gods? H430 but my people H5971 have changed H4171 their glory H3519 for that which doth not profit. H3276
Neither said H559 they, Where is the LORD H3068 that brought us up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 that led H3212 us through the wilderness, H4057 through a land H776 of deserts H6160 and of pits, H7745 through a land H776 of drought, H6723 and of the shadow of death, H6757 through a land H776 that no man H376 passed through, H5674 and where no man H120 dwelt? H3427
All ye beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 come H857 to devour, H398 yea, all ye beasts H2416 in the forest. H3293 His watchmen H6822 are blind: H5787 they are all ignorant, H3045 they are all dumb H483 dogs, H3611 they cannot H3201 bark; H5024 sleeping, H1957 lying down, H7901 loving H157 to slumber. H5123 Yea, they are greedy H5794 H5315 dogs H3611 which can H3045 never have H3045 enough, H7654 and they are shepherds H7462 that cannot understand: H995 they all look H6437 to their own way, H1870 every one H376 for his gain, H1215 from his quarter. H7097 Come H857 ye, say they, I will fetch H3947 wine, H3196 and we will fill H5433 ourselves with strong drink; H7941 and to morrow H4279 shall be as this day, H3117 and much H3966 more H3499 abundant. H1419
But they H428 also have erred H7686 through wine, H3196 and through strong drink H7941 are out of the way; H8582 the priest H3548 and the prophet H5030 have erred H7686 through strong drink, H7941 they are swallowed up H1104 of H4480 wine, H3196 they are out of the way H8582 through strong drink; H7941 they err H7686 in vision, H7203 they stumble H6328 in judgment. H6417
Then said H559 Elijah H452 unto the people, H5971 I, even I only, remain H3498 a prophet H5030 of the LORD; H3068 but Baal's H1168 prophets H5030 are four H702 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men. H376
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 2
Commentary on Jeremiah 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
It is probable that this chapter was Jeremiah's first sermon after his ordination; and a most lively pathetic sermon it is as any we have is all the books of the prophets. Let him not say, "I cannot speak, for I am a child;' for, God having touched his mouth and put his words into it, none can speak better. The scope of the chapter is to show God's people their transgressions, even the house of Jacob their sins; it is all by way of reproof and conviction, that they might be brought to repent of their sins and so prevent the ruin that was coming upon them. The charge drawn up against them is very high, the aggravations are black, the arguments used for their conviction very close and pressing, and the expostulations very pungent and affecting. The sin which they are most particularly charged with here is idolatry, forsaking the true God, their own God, for other false gods. Now they are told,
Those hearts were hard indeed that were untouched and unhumbled when their sins were thus set in order before them. O that by meditating on this chapter we might be brought to repent of our spiritual idolatries, giving that place in our souls to the world and the flesh which should have been reserved for God only!
Jer 2:1-8
Here is,
Jer 2:9-13
The prophet, having shown their base ingratitude in forsaking God, here shows their unparalleled fickleness and folly (v. 9): I will yet plead with you. Note, Before God punishes sinners he pleads with them, to bring them to repentance. Note, further, When much has been said of the evil of sin, still there is more to be said; when one article of the charge is made good, there is another to be urged; when we have said a great deal, still we have yet to speak on God's behalf, Job 36:2. Those that deal with sinners, for their conviction, must urge a variety of arguments and follow their blow. God had before pleaded with their fathers, and asked why they walked after vanity and became vain, v. 5. Now he pleads with those who persisted in that vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers, and with their children's children, that is, with all that in every age tread in their steps. Let those that forsake God know that he is willing to argue the case fairly with them, that he may be justified when he speaks. He pleads that with us which we should plead with ourselves.
Jer 2:14-19
The prophet, further to evince the folly of their forsaking God, shows them what mischiefs they had already brought upon themselves by so doing; it had already cost them dear, for to this were owing all the calamities their country was now groaning under, which were but an earnest of more and greater if they repented not. See how they smarted for their folly.
Jer 2:20-28
In these verses the prophet goes on with his charge against this backsliding people. Observe here,
Jer 2:29-37
The prophet here goes on in the same strain, aiming to bring a sinful people to repentance, that their destruction might be prevented.