Jeremiah 2:8

Jeremiah 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
• New International Version (NIV)The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The priests did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked after things that do not profit.

Context of Jeremiah 2:8

6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ 7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land and made My inheritance detestable. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. 9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. 10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

Jeremiah 2:8 word by word

הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתּוֹרָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יוֹעִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃Read the interlinear

• The priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• did notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• askאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whereאַיֵּה'ayêh · where?H346
• is the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• The expertsתָּפַשׂtâphaώ · to captureH8610
• in the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• longer knew Meיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• and the leadersרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• rebelledפָּשַׁעpâsha‛ · to transgressH6586
• The prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• prophesiedנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
• by Baalבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168
• and followedאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• and followedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
• idolsיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:8

• Jeremiah 2:6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
• Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
• Jeremiah 2:9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
• 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
• Isaiah 28:7These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
• Isaiah 29:10For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.
• Isaiah 56:9Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest.
• Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
• Jeremiah 8:8How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?
• Deuteronomy 33:10He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
• Malachi 2:6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
• Luke 11:52Woe to you experts in the law! For you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
• John 8:55You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.
• John 16:3They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
• Romans 2:17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8They that handle the law - ותפשי vethophe shey, they that draw out the law; they whose office it is to explain it, draw out its spiritual meanings, and show to what its testimonies refer. The pastors also - Kings, political and civil rulers. Prophesied by Baal - Became his prophets, and were inspired with the words of lying spirits.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The guilt of this idolatry is ascribed to the four ruling classes: (a) The accusation brought against the priests is indifference. (b) “They that handle the law” belonged also to the priestly class Deuteronomy 33:10. Their offence was that “they knew not God.” Compare Micah 3:11. (c) The third class are “the pastors” or shepherds, that is the temporal rulers. Their crime is disobedience. (d) The fourth class are “the prophets.” It was their business to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The leaders taught the people about Baal instead of teaching them about the Lord.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The three leading classes, whose very office under the theocracy was to lead the people to God, disowned Him in the same language as the nation at large, "Where is the Lord?" (See Jr 2:6). priests--whose office it was to expound the law (Mal 2:6, 7). handle--are occupied with the law as the subject of their profession. pastors--civil, not religious: princes (Jr 3:15), whose duty it was to tend their people. prophets--who should have reclaimed the…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 2:8

• Baal
• Blindness
• Church
• Minister, Christian
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Baal
• Attire
• Bitter
• Cry
• Degenerate
• Handle
• Hold
• Holiness
• Noble
• Shepherd

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings