Jeremiah 2:9-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 2:9-13

The prophet, having shown their base ingratitude in forsaking God, here shows their unparalleled fickleness and folly (Jer. 2:9): I will yet plead with you. Note, Before God punishes sinners he pleads with them, to bring them to repentance. Note, further, When much has been said of the evil of sin, still there is more to be said; when one article of the charge is made good, there is another to be urged; when we have said a great deal, still we have yet to speak on God's behalf, Job 36:2. Those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:9

Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord ,.... Either verbally, by reasoning with them, and reproving them for their ignorance, stupidity, and idolatry; or by deeds, inflicting punishment upon them; so the Targum, "therefore I will take vengeance on you, or punish you, saith the Lord:' and with your children's children will I plead ; who imitate their parents, and do the same evil things as they, which the Lord knew they would; and was particularly true of the Jews in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:10

For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see ,.... Or, "to the isles of Chittim" F26 עברו איי כתיים εις νησους Sept. "transite ad insulas Cethim", V. L. "ad insulas Cypriorum"; so some in Vatablus; "in insulas", Schmidt. ; so called from Kittim the son of Javan, Genesis 10:4 who, as Josephus says F1 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. , possessed the island of Chethima, now called Cyprus; and, from that, all islands, and most maritime places, are, by the Hebrews, called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:11

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods ?.... Though they are not by nature gods which they worship, only nominal and fictitious deities, yet they did not change them for others; but when they once embraced the worship of them, continued therein; so did the Chittim, the inhabitants of the isles, who though they traded to distant countries, from place to place; and so the Kedarenes, who dwelt in tents, and fed cattle, and moved from one desert to another, and from one pasture... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:12

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this ,.... Meaning either the angels in heaven, or the heavens themselves, by a personification: and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord ; all which may be signified by storms and tempests, by thunder and lightning, and by the sun's withdrawing its light. This is said to aggravate the wickedness committed, as if the heavens blushed and were ashamed, and were confounded and amazed at it; and as if, on account of it, the Jews deserved not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 2:13

For my people have committed two evils ,.... Not but that they had committed more, but there were two principal ones they were guilty of, hereafter mentioned; and it was an aggravation of these crimes, that they were the professing people of God who had committed them: and it may be observed, that such sin; they are not without it, nor the commission of it; and may be left to fall into great sins, and yet remain his people; covenant interest cannot be dissolved; this should be considered not... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:9

I will yet plead with you - אריב arib , I will maintain my process, vindicate my own conduct, and prove the wickedness of yours. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:10

The isles of Chittim - This is the island of Cyprus, according to Josephus. In 1 Maccabees 8:5, it is taken for Macedonia. Besides this, how they (the Romans) had discomfited in battle Philip and Perseus, king of the Chittims. Chittim was the grandson of Japhet; and Bochart has made it appear that the countries inhabited by the Chittim were Italy and the adjacent provinces of Europe, lying along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; and probably this is the prophet's meaning. Send unto... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:12

Be astonished, O ye heavens - Or, the heavens are astonished. The original will admit either sense. The conduct of this people was so altogether bad, that among all the iniquities of mankind, neither heaven nor earth had witnessed any thing so excessively sinful and profligate. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 2:13

Two evils - First, they forsook God, the Fountain of life, light, prosperity, and happiness. Secondly, they hewed out broken cisterns; they joined themselves to idols, from whom they could receive neither temporal nor spiritual good! Their conduct was the excess of folly and blindness. What we call here broken cisterns, means more properly such vessels as were ill made, not staunch, ill put together, so that the water leaked through them. read more

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