Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
God berates the people for worshiping idols and condemns them to servitude.
II. Photo
God laments his fate: “Can a maiden forget her jewels, a bride her adornments? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number!” (v. 32)
III. Important Verses
2: Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said the LORD: I accounted to your favor The devotion of your youth, Your love as a bride — How you followed Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.
3: Israel was holy to the LORD, The first fruits of His harvest. All who ate of it were held guilty; Disaster befell them — declares the LORD.
5-6: Thus said the LORD: What wrong did your fathers find in Me That they abandoned Me And went after delusion and were deluded? They never asked themselves, “Where is the LORD, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, A land of deserts and pits, A land of drought and darkness, A land no man had traversed, Where no human being had dwelt?”
8: The priests never asked themselves, “Where is the LORD?” The guardians of the Teaching ignored Me; The rulers rebelled against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And followed what can do no good.
10-11: Just cross over to the isles of the Kittim and look, Send to Kedar and observe carefully; See if aught like this has ever happened: Has any nation changed its gods Even though they are no-gods? But My people has exchanged its glory For what can do no good.
18: What, then, is the good of your going to Egypt To drink the waters of the Nile? And what is the good of your going to Assyria To drink the waters of the Euphrates?
20: For long ago you broke your yoke, Tore off your yoke-bands, And said, “I will not work!” On every high hill and under every verdant tree, You recline as a whore.
34-35: Moreover, on your garments is found The lifeblood of the innocent poor — You did not catch them breaking in. Yet, despite all these things, You say, “I have been acquitted; Surely, His anger has turned away from me.” Lo, I will bring you to judgment For saying, “I have not sinned.”
IV. Outline
1-3. God’s love for Israel 1-2a. Introduction to oracle 2b-3. God’s love for Israel 4-9. Israel’s continuous sin 4-5a. Introduction oracular sermon 5b-7. Israel’s forebears chose to sin 8. The priests, rulers, and prophets rebelled 9. God will contend with Israel 10-19. Israel’s sin and punishment 10-11. Israel is worse than other nations 12. Poetic address 13. Israel has abandoned God for non-gods 14-16. Israel’s present and future calamities 17-19. There is no aid from Egypt or Assyria 20-28. God confronts Israel for worshiping idols 20. Israel’s effrontery 21-22. Metaphors: Israel has gone bad 23a. Israel’s sin: Baal worship 23b-24. Metaphors: Israel is obstinate 25-27a. Israel is entranced by their idols 27b-28. Israel’s gods do not save them from danger 29-35a. God’s lament 29. Israel has rebelled 30. Rebuke serves no purpose 31-32. Israel has forgotten God 33. Israel’s adultery 34-35a. Harming the poor 35b-37. Israel’s punishment 35. Israel will be punished for falsely denying its guilt 36-37. Egypt will dominate the people
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Craigie, Peter C. “Jeremiah 1-25” Word Biblical Commentary v. 26 (Dallas, Texas: Wordbooks, 1991).
Photo taken from http://mybabygotbling.com/images/V-Necklace-with-a-Broche.jpg