Focused Passage

Jeremiah 2:14-19

The LORD Charges Judah with Forsaking the Fountain of Living Water

The chapter moves from remembered covenant devotion to shocking covenant betrayal, from the LORD's unmatched faithfulness to Judah's irrational exchange, and from exposed idolatry to the futility of self-defense before God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?

15 The young lions have roared at him; they have sounded their voices. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.

16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?

18 Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

19 Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

Exodus 4:22 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 2:7 Classic cross-references Genesis 15:3 Classic cross-references Isaiah 50:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

Is Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction a slave הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ H5650 Article | Noun - masculine singular Was he ה֑וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular born into slavery יְלִ֥יד H3211 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . בַּ֖יִת H1004 Noun - masculine singular Why then מַדּ֖וּעַ H4069 Interrogative has he become הָיָ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular prey לָבַֽז׃ H957 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Jeremiah 4:7 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:8 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 50:17 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:7 Classic cross-references Isaiah 5:29 Classic cross-references

Original words

The young lions כְפִרִ֔ים H3715 Noun - masculine plural have roared יִשְׁאֲג֣וּ H7580 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural at him עָלָיו֙ H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular they have sounded נָתְנ֖וּ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural their voices קוֹלָ֑ם H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural They have laid וַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּ H7896 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural waste לְשַׁמָּ֔ה H8047 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular his land אַרְצוֹ֙ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular his cities עָרָ֥יו H5892 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular lie in ruins נִצְּתָה H5327 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural without מִבְּלִ֥י H1097 Preposition-m | Adverb inhabitant יֹשֵֽׁב׃ H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Jeremiah 46:14 Classic cross-references Isaiah 19:13 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 43:7 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 33:20 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 44:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

The men בְּנֵי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Memphis נֹ֖ף H5297 Noun - proper - feminine singular and Tahpanhes וְתַחְפְּנֵס H8471 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular - גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction have shaved יִרְע֖וּךְ H7462 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person feminine singular the crown of your head קָדְקֹֽד׃ H6936 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

LXX; Hebrew Noph

Verse 17

Cross-references

Hosea 13:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:13 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 4:18 Classic cross-references Zephaniah 1:6 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

Have you not הֲלוֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle brought תַּעֲשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular this זֹ֖את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular on yourself לָּ֑ךְ Preposition | second person feminine singular by forsaking עָזְבֵךְ֙ H5800 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular when בְּעֵ֖ת H6256 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct He led you מוֹלִיכֵ֥ךְ H1980 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular in the way בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ H1870 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

1 Kings 19:9 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 16:28 Classic cross-references Hosea 7:11 Classic cross-references Joshua 13:3 Classic cross-references Isaiah 23:3 Classic cross-references

Original words

Now וְעַתָּ֗ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb what will you gain מַה־ H4100 Interrogative on your way לְדֶ֣רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct to Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular to drink לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת H8354 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the waters מֵ֣י H4325 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Nile שִׁח֑וֹר H7883 Noun - proper - feminine singular What will you gain וּמַה־ H4100 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative on your way לְדֶ֣רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct to Assyria אַשּׁ֔וּר H804 Noun - proper - feminine singular to drink לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת H8354 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the waters מֵ֥י H4325 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Euphrates נָהָֽר׃ H5104 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Hebrew of Shihor, a branch of the Nile River
Hebrew the River

Verse 19

Cross-references

Proverbs 13:15 Classic cross-references Isaiah 3:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 3:14 Classic cross-references Hosea 13:9 Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:31 Classic cross-references

Original words

Your own evil רָעָתֵ֗ךְ H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular will discipline you תְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְ H3256 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person feminine singular your own apostasies וּמְשֻֽׁבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ H4878 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singular will reprimand you תּוֹכִחֻ֔ךְ H3198 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine plural | second person feminine singular Consider וּדְעִ֤י H3045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular and realize וּרְאִי֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular how כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction evil רַ֣ע H7451 Adjective - masculine singular and bitter it is וָמָ֔ר H4751 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular for you to forsake עָזְבֵ֖ךְ H5800 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular and to have אֵלַ֔יִךְ H413 Preposition | second person feminine singular no וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle fear of Me פַחְדָּתִי֙ H6345 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the Lord אֲדֹנָ֥י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֖ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאֽוֹת׃ H6635 Noun - common plural

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