Jeremiah 2:29-32

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 2:29-37

The prophet here goes on in the same strain, aiming to bring a sinful people to repentance, that their destruction might be prevented. I. He avers the truth of the charge. It was evident beyond contradiction; it was the greatest absurdity imaginable in them to think of denying it (Jer. 2:29): ?Wherefore will you plead with me, and put me upon the proof of it, or wherefore will you go about to plead any thing in excuse of the crime or to obtain a mitigation of the sentence? Your plea will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:29

Wherefore will ye plead with me ?.... Strive and contend, chide, murmur, and complain, when evil came upon them, as if the Lord dealt hardly with them, and as if they had never sinned against him; when their case would not bear to be brought into judgment and examined openly; what would they get by that but shame and disgrace? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord ; high and low, rich and poor, great and small; men of all ranks, degrees, and character; kings, priests and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:30

In vain have I smitten your children ,.... Or, "for vanity" F7 לשוא "propter vanitatem, sive vaniloquentiam", Vatablus. ; for vain speaking, for making vain oaths and vows; so it is explained in the Talmud F8 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 32. 2. & Cetubot, fol. 72. 1. ; but the sense is, that the rod of chastisement was used in vain; the afflictions that came upon them had no effect on them to amend and reform them; they were never the better for them: they received no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:31

O generation, see ye the word of the Lord ,.... Take notice of it, consider it; or, hear it, as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions. Jarchi and Kimchi think F9 So Mechilta apud Yalkut in loc. the pot of manna was brought out, and shown them, to be looked at by them, for the conviction of them, and confirmation of what follows: have I been a wilderness unto Israel ? no: the Israelites were plentifully supplied by him when in the wilderness, and since they were brought into a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:32

Can a maid forget her ornaments ,.... Which she has provided for her wedding day, and is then to wear, and which may be the next; such as ear rings, bracelets, and jewels, which are never out of her mind, and can scarce sleep for thinking of them, how richly she shall be adorned with them; wherefore it follows: or a bride her attire? or, "her bindings" F15 קשוריה "fasciae suae", Tigurine version; "ligaminum suorum", Munster, Calvin; "ligamentorum suorum", Piscator. ; her knots... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:31

Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? - Have I ever withheld from you any of the blessings necessary for your support? A land of darkness - Have you, since you passed through the wilderness, and came out of the darkness of Egypt, ever been brought into similar circumstances? You have had food and all the necessaries of life for your bodies; and my ordinances and word to enlighten and cheer your souls. I have neither been a wilderness nor a land of darkness to you. We are lords - We... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:32

Can a maid forget her ornaments - This people has not so much attachment to me as young females have to their dress and ornaments. They never forget them and even when arrived at old age, look with pleasure on the dress and ornaments which they have worn in their youth. Days without number - That is, for many years; during the whole reign of Manasses, which was fifty-five years, the land was deluged with idolatry, from which the reform by good King Josiah his grandson had not yet... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:29

Verse 29 Jeremiah concludes here his previous subject: he says that the Jews gained nothing by alleging against God that they were innocent, and by thinking that they could by mere words escape his judgment, and not only by doing so, but also by hurrying on to such a degree of presumption as to challenge God himself, and to seek to prove him guilty. But God answers them in one word, and says, that they were perfidious. The meaning then is, that the Jews ill consulted their own interest in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:30

Verse 30 Some expound the beginning of this verse as though the meaning were, — that God chastised the Jews on account of their folly, because they habituated themselves to falsehoods: but the latter clause does not correspond. There is therefore no doubt but that God here expostulates with the Jews, because he had tried to bring them to the right way and found them wholly irreclaimable. A similar expostulation is found in Isaiah, “In vain,” he says, “have I chastised you; for from the sole of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:31

Verse 31 The prophet assumes the character, no doubt, of one in astonishment, that he might render the sin of the people more detestable: for he speaks as one astonished, generation! The word, דור, dur; as it is well known, means an age. It is then the same as if he had said, “On what time are we fallen? or in what an age do we now live?” We now then perceive the import of the word. Then he adds, See ye the word of Jehovah The word, see, seems not to be suitable; for he ought to have said,... read more

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