Jeremiah 2:1-13
ISRAEL'S LACK OF FAITHFULNESS... [ Continue Reading ]
ISRAEL'S LACK OF FAITHFULNESS... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, this being an introduction both to the first prophetic discourse and to the whole cycle of Jeremiah's prophetic messages,... [ Continue Reading ]
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, the expression "in the ears" showing that the prophet should preach to the people living in this center of idolatry with clamoring insistence, saying, THUS 'SAITH THE LORD: I REMEMBER THEE, THE KINDNESS OF THY YOUTH, the love which Israel bore the Lord in Egypt a... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel was holiness unto the Lord, consecrated to Him and to His service, AND THE FIRST-FRUITS OF HIS INCREASE, the people chosen by Him as the first among all nations, produced as the first in the garden of His love and mercy. ALL THAT DEVOUR HIM SHALL OFFEND, all those who dared to prey upon Israe... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel, individually and collectively, the whole nation, all of them being in the same condemnation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, what wrong done to them by Jehovah, THAT THEY ARE GONE FAR FROM ME, deserting Him for the false gods of the heathen, AND HAVE WALKED AFTER VANITY, the nothingnesses of their idols, AND ARE BECOME VAIN? The worshipers of idols become j... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, that of Sinai, Paran, and Arabia, THROUGH A LAND OF DESERTS AND OF PITS, where chasms and sink-holes abounded, endangering the lives of man and beast, THROUGH A LAND OF DROUGHT AND O... [ Continue Reading ]
And I brought you into a plentiful country, a well-cultivated and fruitful land, TO EAT THE FRUIT THEREOF AND THE GOODNESS THEREOF, to enjoy all the blessings it offered to the full; BUT WHEN YE ENTERED, YE DEFILED MY LAND, namely, by becoming addicted to idolatry, AND MADE MINE HERITAGE AN ABOMINAT... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, by citing them before His tribunal and pronouncing judgment upon them, AND WITH YOUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WILL I PLEAD, since they follow their parents in all their wicked ways.... [ Continue Reading ]
For pass over the isles of Chittim, applied first of all to the island of Cyprus, but later to the entire coast of the Mediterranean, especially to Greece, AND SEE, AND SEND UNTO KEDAR, the descendants of Ishmael in the Arabian Desert, AND CONSIDER DILIGENTLY, AND SEE IF THERE BE SUCH A THING. The c... [ Continue Reading ]
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? In spite of the fact that their idols were false gods, the heathen at least had the pride and the decency of clinging to their gods. BUT MY PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED THEIR GLORY FOR THAT WHICH DOTH NOT PROFIT, exchanging their possession of Jehovah,... [ Continue Reading ]
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, at the unspeakable wickedness of their behavior, AND BE HORRIBLY AFRAID, be filled with shuddering loathing, BE YE VERY DESOLATE, SAITH THE LORD, exceedingly aghast at the monstrous spectacle thus presented.... [ Continue Reading ]
For My people have committed two evils, thus exceeding even the heathen with their one transgression of foolish idolatry: THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME, THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS, the only true and living God, AND HEWED THEM OUT CISTERNS, whose waters lack the freshness and the sparkle of spring- or wel... [ Continue Reading ]
Is Israel a servant? Is he a home-born slave? Why is he spoiled? The question, whether asked by the prophet or directly by God, expresses surprise that the nation which was once God's favorite should now be left at the mercy of the enemy like a worthless slave. Whence this change in fortunes? Whence... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel's Punishment and its Cause... [ Continue Reading ]
The young lions roared upon him and yelled, raising their voices in a roar of triumph, AND THEY MADE HIS LAND WASTE; HIS CITIES ARE BURNED WITHOUT INHABITANT. This is the condition of Israel which the prophet sees in spirit, the picture of the devastation wrought by beasts of prey being particularly... [ Continue Reading ]
Also the children of Noph, of Memphis, the capital of Lower Egypt at that time, AND TAHAPANES, of Daphne, a city on the frontier of Egypt toward Palestine, HAVE BROKEN THE CROWN OF THY HEAD. The Egyptians also took the opportunity of spoiling Judah when the nation had become weak under the reign of... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, the Israelites having brought this calamity upon themselves, IN THAT THOU HAST FORSAKEN THE LORD, THY GOD, WHEN HE LED THEE BY THE WAY? on the good path of His will, on the road of righteousness.... [ Continue Reading ]
And now, what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor? For Israel had sent to Egypt for help against Assyria and Babylon. OR WHAT HAST THOU TO DO IN THE WAY OF ASSYRIA TO DRINK THE WATERS OF THE RIVER, EUPHRATES? in endeavoring, at times, to enter into a league with this hea... [ Continue Reading ]
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, their sin bearing with it its own punishment, AND THY BACKSLIDINGS SHALL REPROVE THEE, for the very allies whose help they sought became the instruments of Israel's destruction. KNOW THEREFORE AND SEE THAT IT IS AN EVIL THING AND BITTER THAT THOU HAST FORSAKE... [ Continue Reading ]
For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands, rather, "For from ancient times thou hast broken thy yoke and burst thy bands," namely, the laws and ordinances of God; AND THOU SAIDST, I WILL NOT TRANSGRESS, literally, "I will not serve," thus obstinately refusing obedience to the Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIN OF IDOLATRY... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, the finest and most fruitful of the Holy Land, WHOLLY A RIGHT SEED, Cf Deuteronomy 32:32; Psalms 80:8; Isaiah 5:1; HOW, THEN, ART THOU TURNED INTO THE DEGENERATE PLANT OF A STRANGE VINE UNTO ME? After all the pains which the Lord had taken with Israel it certainl... [ Continue Reading ]
For though thou wash thee with niter, an alkali having the properties of lye, used for washing, AND TAKE THEE MUCH SOAP, the potash which, mixed with oil, was used for washing clothes, YET THINE INIQUITY IS MARKED BEFORE ME, is a stain before the eyes of the Lord, SAITH THE LORD GOD. All the efforts... [ Continue Reading ]
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, denying the guilt of her wickedness, I HAVE NOT GONE AFTER BAALIM? the plural being used to characterize the many forms which this god took among the various nations. SEE THY WAY IN THE VALLEY, considering the course which she had followed, KNOW WHAT THOU HAST... [ Continue Reading ]
a wild ass used to the wilderness, not to be tamed, THAT SNUFFETH UP THE WIND AT HER PLEASURE, both to cool her ardor and to direct her way; IN HER OCCASION, her anxiety to accomplish her purpose, WHO CAN TURN HER AWAY? ALL THEY THAT SEEK HER WILL NOT WEARY THEMSELVES, have no need to tire themselve... [ Continue Reading ]
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, in running so violently after idolatry as to wear out her shoes, AND THY THROAT FROM THIRST, as a result of her excessive exertion in seeking strangers and their idolatrous customs; BUT THOU SAIDST, THERE IS NO HOPE, NO; it is useless to argue, since she is firml... [ Continue Reading ]
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, put to shame by the evidences of his guilt, SO IS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL ASHAMED; THEY, THEIR KINGS, THEIR PRINCES, AND THEIR PRIESTS, AND THEIR PROPHETS, leaders and people in the same condemnation,... [ Continue Reading ]
saying to a stock, to a tree or log. THOU ART MY FATHER, hailing the dead creature as god; AND TO A STONE, THOU HAST BROUGHT ME FORTH; FOR THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACK UNTO ME AND NOT THEIR FACE, that is their transgression; BUT IN THE TIME OF THEIR TROUBLE THEY WILL SAY, ARISE AND SAVE US. When affl... [ Continue Reading ]
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise it they can save thee in the time of thy trouble; for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah! Idolaters of all times and places have had the same experience, namely, that idols of every kind cannot deliver from trou... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore will ye plead with Me? contending with the Lord as though He had no right to punish them. YE ALL HAVE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST ME, SAITH THE LORD, forsaking Him in rebellious wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GUILT ESTABLISHED... [ Continue Reading ]
In vain have I smitten your children, in endeavoring to bring them to their senses; they received no correction, they would not permit themselves to be guided on the right path; YOUR OWN SWORD HATH DEVOURED YOUR PROPHETS LIKE A DESTROYING LION. Cf 2 Chronicles 36:16; Nehemiah 9:26; Matthew 23:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
O generation! Children of perverseness now living! SEE YE THE WORD OF THE LORD, which is hereby brought before them with the demand that they regard it. HAVE I BEEN A WILDERNESS UNTO ISRAEL, where all the necessaries of life are wanting, A LAND OF DARKNESS? so that they would seem to be under the sh... [ Continue Reading ]
Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire? the precious girdle with which she adorned herself on her wedding-day. YET MY PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ME DAYS WITHOUT NUMBER. Israel should have clung to her God, her highest and most precious Ornament and Possession, by whom she had been so richl... [ Continue Reading ]
Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? Israel decking herself like a harlot to accomplish her ends. THEREFORE HAST THOU ALSO TAUGHT THE WICKED ONES THY WAYS. As wicked as the Gentiles were in themselves, Israel was able to give them instruction in wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents, of holy men and prophets who dared to reprove Israel for her sins. I HAVE NOT FOUND IT BY SECRET SEARCH, such a careful scrutiny was not necessary in this case, BUT UPON ALL THESE, on account of the sin of idolatry, which fina... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet thou sayest, with brazen boldness. Because I am innocent, surely His anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, citing Israel before the tribunal of His judgment, BECAUSE THOU SAYEST, I HAVE NOT SINNED, in a self-righteous denial of her guilt.... [ Continue Reading ]
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? in forming alliances with her heathen neighbors. THOU ALSO SHALL BE ASHAMED OF EGYPT, whose vassal Israel was for a while, AS THOU WAST ASHAMED OF ASSYRIA, after King Ahaz had sent there for help, 2 Chronicles 28:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, from all heathen allies, AND THINE HANDS UPON THINE HEAD, as a sign of deep mourning; FOR THE LORD HATH REJECTED THY CONFIDENCES, the heathen nations in whom Israel trusted, AND THOU SHALT NOT PROSPER IN THEM, have no success in the stays on which she relied. All s... [ Continue Reading ]