Comments on Jeremiah 2 This chapter is a long series of attacks on Israel. The Lord makes several accusations citing their rebellious and sinful nature. The chapter starts in v. 1-3 with the Lord reminiscing about how easily entreated Israel was under Joshua, and then through the rest of the chapter contrasts contemporary Israel (i.e., contemporary with Jeremiah) with this idealized historical Israel. v1-3 The Lord recalls Israel's loyalty when it had just finished the wandering in the wilderness and entered into the Promised Land (v. 2). At that time they were holy to the Lord, the cream of the crop, and all of her persecutors were punished (v. 3). The historical context here is that of Joshua 24 and Judges 2:1-10. Under Joshua, Israel would repent when rebuked. But the subsequent generations did not repent when rebuked and had to endure series of covenant curses in order to be chastened. v4-37 This section launches a tirade against contemporary Israel. The verses can be divided up based upon general subject as follows: Compare and contrast (v. 4-8) Punishment because Israel abandons Lord (v. 9-13) Israel brings punishment on herself (v. 14-19) Israel chooses idolatry (v. 20-25) Israel will be humiliated (v. 26-28) Lord asks why Israel rebels (v. 29-37) v4-8 Contemporary Israel is compared and contrasted with historical Israel (note the shift from "your fathers...they" to "you"). The historical Israel would be that same one referred to in v. 1-3. Verses 4-6 present historical Israel as without complaint against the Lord (v. 5) and never asking "Where is the Lord?" because He was with them as He led them to the Promised Land with many miracles (v. 6). However, contemporary Israel is already in the Promised Land and has defiled it (v. 7). And the priests never say "Where is the Lord?" because they do not know him and instead are pursuing Baal (v. 8). v9-13 By terms of the covenant, the Lord must punish Israel when she abandons Him (v. 9). The Lord tells Israel to look at all of her neighbors, and notice none of them abandon their gods, yet Israel abandons her God (v, 10-11). The Lord summons all of the heavens as witness and they are utterly shocked (v. 12). Israel's sin is categorized as twofold: forsaking the Lord, trusting in the arm of flesh (v. 13). v9 "plead", the KJV rendering does not well represent the intent of the Hebrew. The Hebrew term here is hostile. The NAS renders it "contend", the JPS renders it "accuse". The Strong's entry is as follows: 07378 riyb {reeb} or ruwb {roob} a primitive root; TWOT - 2159; v AV - plead 27, strive 13, contend 12, chide 6, debate 2, misc 7; 67 1) to strive, contend 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to strive 1a1a) physically 1a1b) with words 1a2) to conduct a case or suit (legal), sue 1a3) to make complaint 1a4) to quarrel 1b) (Hiphil) to contend against So, the Lord is not pleading with them in the sense of begging or entreating them to repent. Rather, the Lord is fighting with them. This is the identical term as in v. 29. v12 "be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate", a poor rendering. The JPS renders it "Be horrified, utterly dazed!" v13 forms a good antithetical parallel: For my people have committed two evils; A - they have forsaken me B - the fountain of living waters, and A - hewed them out cisterns, B - broken cisterns, that can hold no water. The A's contrast the Lord with "them", mankind. The B's contrast the living fountain with the empty cistern. Note v. 18 draws on the drinking of water symbol. v14-19 Israel brings punishment on herself as a series of covenant curses (v. 14-16). The Lord makes it clear the tribulations they face are a result of their rebellion in spite of the Lord's attempts to work with them (v. 17). Instead of the Lord, they choose diplomacy with Egypt and Assyria (v. 18). The result is their own decisions have led them into suffering, and the Lord admonishes them in their sufferings to note how bitter it is to forsake Him and not fear Him (v. 19). v14 "why is he spoiled?", "spoiled" as in despoiled or looted and not as in "spoiled brat". v16 "broken the crown of thy head", the Hebrew is obscure but a better translation would be "Have shaved the crown of your head" (NAS) of "Will lay bear your head" (JPS). Having your head shaved was symbolic of going into slavery, exile, or captivity. It is also a symbol of humiliation, cf. Isa. 3:24, Isa. 7:20. v20-25 The Lord freed Israel from servitude, but Israel does not serve their Deliverer. Rather, they choose idolatrous nature worship (v. 20). The Lord blessed and prospered Israel but they have corrupted themselves (v. 21). Their sin is one that cannot be washed off or hidden, even if they were to use lye (v. 22). The Lord questions their assertion that they have not defiled themselves by idolatry (v. 23), and then compares their behavior to an animal in rutting season (v. 24). They could save themselves from poverty and thirst, but their passions have become compulsions which they cannot abandon (v. 25). v22 The symbolism here is their stain is a spiritual one. It is one that cannot be scrubbed of with soap or even lye. It is a sin they cannot hide from the Lord. There is no physical means of cleaning such spiritual filth. Contrast this with Isa. 1:18. v25 The KJV is obscure on the first two lines. The intended meaning is they could prevent their shoeless and thirsty condition by following the Lord. Instead, they choose to continue in their rebellious ways. Going shoeless can be symbolic of poverty, being destitute, or even of going into captivity, cf. Isa. 20:2-4. v26-28 Israel will be humiliated for resorting to idols. Just as a thief is humiliated when caught in the act, so will Israel be (v. 26). All of the leaders of Israel who engage in idol worship will plead for help in their dismay (v. 27). But the idols which they made with their own hands will grant them no aid, no matter how many they make (v. 28). v26 The comparison to a thief being caught in the act is intended to parallel Israel being caught in the act of worshiping and resorting to idols on the day of their dismay. When they should have turned to the Lord in their difficulties, they instead turn to the idols. The result is they are overtaken in their sins. Abandoning the Lord for idols was their first mistake, and then looking to idols for deliverance from covenant curses just results in destruction. And so they are shamed, caught in the act of idol worship. v27 The reference to a tree as being their father and a stone being their creator is a reference to idol worship, cp. 3:9. Idols were typically carved from stone or wood. Also, Canaanite fertility cults were located in natural settings on hilltops with carved trees (i.e., Asherim), cp. v. 20. v29-37 Through a series of rhetorical questions the Lord asks Israel about its rebellion. The text is intended to show how foolish Israel has been in their actions. The questions asked are all derivative of the subjects presented in v. 1-28. Thus, the text serves as a summary and distillation as well as a something of a schoolmaster who questions the students on what was just said. The subject of v. 9 is reversed by saying it is Israel that contends with the Lord (v. 29). The Lord has smitten Israel to no avail, they refuse to repent. Instead of repenting and being saved in the face of adversity, they are destroyed by it (v. 30, cp. v. 15). The Lord has not given them a dark and wild land, then why do they run away from Him (v. 31, cp. v. 6-8)? Could a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding adornments? Yet Israel has forgotten the Lord for endless days (v. 32). Israel deliberately and skillfully seeks out their idolatrous ways, and so skillful are they at it they can even teach a few things to the worst of harlots (v. 33, cp. 23-25). Furthermore, they are hypocritically using the Law in an effort to excuse themselves for their crimes, for which the Lord will judge them (v. 34-35, cp. v. 22). How they cheapen themselves by changing their course! They will be humiliated for resorting to Gentile nations for help (v. 36, cp. v. 18). Resorting to the other nations will result cause them great agony and the Lord has rejected them, and Israel along with them (v. 37). v31 The KJV rendering is poor on the next to last line "We are Lord". A better rendering would be "We have broken loose" (JPS), meaning they are free to roam about as they please. v32 Compare and contrast Isa. 49:15. v33 One would assume the reference to teaching wicked women would indicate that they are so good in their idolatrous ways they can even teach temple prostitutes a few things. Implicit in this is the "sons of God and daughters of man" theme from Gen. 6:2, also cp. Gen. 24:3, Exod. 34:16, Deut. 7:3-4, Josh. 23:12, Judges 3:6, Mal. 2:11. v34-35 A better rendering for the KJV "I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these", would be "You did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things". The subject is that of the "blood...of the poor innocent". What the guilty are doing is trying to use the Law to excuse themselves from victimizing the poor and innocent. If a person is breaking in and you kill them in self-defense then you are not guilty of murder, cf. Exod. 22:2. But this is not what has happened and the Lord knows it, this was no "self-defense" case. Thus for their statement "I am innocent, surely [H]is anger shall turn from me" the Lord will in fact judge them contrarily for their original sins and the sin of falsely justifying themselves in the eyes of other men. And again, in v. 35 the "plead" would be better rendered "contend" as in v. 9, 29. v36 is making reference to the political alliances Israel and Judah made numerous times with their Gentile neighbors, most notably Egypt and Assyria. All of which resulted in their being humiliated. v37 "thine hands upon thine head", symbolic of terrible lamenting, cp. 2 Sam. 13:19.t Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.