Jeremiah 2:20

Of old time I have broken thy yoke, i.e. the bondage and tyranny that thou wert under in old time in Egypt, as also divers times besides, as appears through the Book of Judges. The Hebrew elam, that signifies everlasting, is sometimes used for a long time to come, and also for a long time past; so here, and Genesis 6:4 Isaiah 57:11. And burst thy bands; a double allusion, either to the bands and fetters with which prisoners are wont to be bound, Jeremiah 40:4, or those bands wherewith the ends of the yoke of beasts were wont to be bound. See Poole on "Isaiah 58:6". Thou saidst, I will not transgress; when the deliverance was fresh, thou didst put on good resolutions. Heb. serve, i.e. serve or worship idols: the word is of the feminine gender, because God speaks of his people as of a woman promising faithfulness, but breaking covenant. Some understand thee; I will not serve time, q.d. which thou madest appear, when upon every hill, & c. And thus he accuseth them of their ingratitude, who owed themselves to their Redeemer. But this doth not so well agree with their engagement, Exodus 19:8. When; or, notwithstanding all thy promises. Upon every high hill: idolaters were wont to sacrifice upon the tops of high hills, because there they thought themselves nearer heaven; nay, some have esteemed high hills to be gods, as the Indians of Peru at this day. Under every green tree: under these shades idolaters thought there lay some hidden deity, with which they conversed. Thou wanderest, viz. changing thy way to gad after idols, as one that hast broken covenant. See on Isaiah 57:8. The word properly signifies to go from one's place, as harlots use to do, instigated either by unbridled lust, or covetousness; i.e. making great haste from one tree to another, or from one idol to another. See Jeremiah 2:23,24. Others, thou liest down, or, thou settest thyself. Playing the harlot; committing idolatry, which is a spiritual harlotry, Jeremiah 3:1,2. This is frequent. Some read the former part of the text otherwise, making it the daring boast of the people, Thou hast said, I have broken, &c. and saidst, I will not serve, i.e. I will not obey. But this will not suit well with the rest of the text.