Jeremiah 2:13

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Two evils - not merely one evil, like the idolaters who know no better: besides simple idolatry, my people add the sin of forsaking the true God whom they have known; the pagan, though having the sin of idolatry, are free from the further sin of 'changing' the true God for idols ().

Forsaken me. The Hebrew collocation brings out the only Living God into more prominent contrast with idol non-entities. "ME they have forsaken, the Fountain," etc. (; ; the Lord Jesus identifies Himself with Yahweh in this respect ().

Broken cisterns - tanks for rain water, common in the East, where wells are scarce. The tanks not only cannot give forth an ever-flowing fresh supply, as fountains can, but cannot even retain the water poured into them; the stone-work within being broken, the earth drinks up the collected water. So, in general, all earthly, compared with heavenly, means of satisfying man's highest desires (Isaiah 55:1: cf. ).