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

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

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

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

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

18Now 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?

19Your 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 4:22Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 2:7Classic cross-references Genesis 15:3Classic cross-references Isaiah 50:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Is Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אִם־H518Conjunctiona slaveהַעֶ֙בֶד֙H5650Article | Noun - masculine singularWas heה֑וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularborn into slaveryיְלִ֥ידH3211Noun - masculine singular construct. . .בַּ֖יִתH1004Noun - masculine singularWhy thenמַדּ֖וּעַH4069Interrogativehas he becomeהָיָ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularpreyלָבַֽז׃H957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

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

Original words

The young lionsכְפִרִ֔יםH3715Noun - masculine pluralhave roaredיִשְׁאֲג֣וּH7580Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralat himעָלָיו֙H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularthey have soundedנָתְנ֖וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir voicesקוֹלָ֑םH6963Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralThey have laidוַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּH7896Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralwasteלְשַׁמָּ֔הH8047Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularhis landאַרְצוֹ֙H776Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularhis citiesעָרָ֥יוH5892Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularlie in ruinsנִצְּתָהH5327Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralwithoutמִבְּלִ֥יH1097Preposition-m | Adverbinhabitantיֹשֵֽׁב׃H3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

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

Original words

The menבְּנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Memphisנֹ֖ףH5297Noun - proper - feminine singularand TahpanhesוְתַחְפְּנֵסH8471Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular-גַּם־H1571Conjunctionhave shavedיִרְע֖וּךְH7462Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person feminine singularthe crown of your headקָדְקֹֽד׃H6936Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

LXX; Hebrew Noph

Verse 17

Cross-references

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

Original words

Have you notהֲלוֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlebroughtתַּעֲשֶׂה־H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthisזֹ֖אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularon yourselfלָּ֑ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularby forsakingעָזְבֵךְ֙H5800Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהַ֔יִךְH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularwhenבְּעֵ֖תH6256Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructHe led youמוֹלִיכֵ֥ךְH1980Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularin the wayבַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃H1870Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

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

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbwhat will you gainמַה־H4100Interrogativeon your wayלְדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-l | Noun - common singular constructto Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularto drinkלִשְׁתּ֖וֹתH8354Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe watersמֵ֣יH4325Noun - masculine plural constructof the Nileשִׁח֑וֹרH7883Noun - proper - feminine singularWhat will you gainוּמַה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativeon your wayלְדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-l | Noun - common singular constructto Assyriaאַשּׁ֔וּרH804Noun - proper - feminine singularto drinkלִשְׁתּ֖וֹתH8354Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe watersמֵ֥יH4325Noun - masculine plural constructof the Euphratesנָהָֽר׃H5104Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Verse 19

Cross-references

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

Original words

Your own evilרָעָתֵ֗ךְH7451Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singularwill discipline youתְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְH3256Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person feminine singularyour own apostasiesוּמְשֻֽׁבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙H4878Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singularwill reprimand youתּוֹכִחֻ֔ךְH3198Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine plural | second person feminine singularConsiderוּדְעִ֤יH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularand realizeוּרְאִי֙H7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularhowכִּי־H3588Conjunctionevilרַ֣עH7451Adjective - masculine singularand bitter it isוָמָ֔רH4751Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularfor you to forsakeעָזְבֵ֖ךְH5800Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהָ֑יִךְH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularand to haveאֵלַ֔יִךְH413Preposition | second person feminine singularnoוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefear of Meפַחְדָּתִי֙H6345Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe Lordאֲדֹנָ֥יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularGODיְהוִ֖הH3069Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאֽוֹת׃H6635Noun - common plural

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