Jeremiah 2:23

Jeremiah 2:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
• New International Version (NIV)“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
• English Standard Version (ESV)How can you say, 'I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals'? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done— a restless young camel running here and there,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“How can you say, ‘I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,

Context of Jeremiah 2:23

21I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine? 22Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of bleach, the stain of your iniquity is still in front of me. This is the Lord God’s declaration. How can you protest, “I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals”? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way, 24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become weary; they will find her in her mating season. 25Keep your feet from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you say, “It’s hopeless; I love strangers, and I will continue to follow them.”

Jeremiah 2:23 word by word

אֵ֣יךְ תֹּאמְרִ֞י לֹ֣א נִטְמֵ֗אתִי אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבְּעָלִים֙ לֹ֣א הָלַ֔כְתִּי רְאִ֤י דַרְכֵּךְ֙ בַּגַּ֔יְא דְּעִ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑ית בִּכְרָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• How canst thou sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I am not pollutedטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
• I have not goneהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• Baalimבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168
• seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• thy wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• in the valleyגַּיְאgay' gay · valleyH1516
• knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• what thou hast doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• a swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• dromedaryבִּכְרָהbikrâh · young camelH1072
• traversingשָׂרַךְώârak · to twistH8308

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:23

• Jeremiah 2:34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor. You did not catch them breaking and entering. But in spite of all these things
• Genesis 3:12The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
• 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
• Psalms 36:2For with his flattering opinion of himself, he does not discover and hate his iniquity.
• Proverbs 28:13The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
• Proverbs 30:12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.
• Luke 10:29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.
• 1 John 1:8If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• Revelation 3:17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
• Jeremiah 3:2Look to the barren heights and see. Where have you not been immoral? You sat waiting for them beside the highways like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
• Psalms 50:21You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But I will rebuke you and lay out the case before you.
• Ezekiel 16:1The word of the Lord came to me again:
• Ezekiel 23:1The word of the Lord came to me again:
• Jeremiah 7:31They have built the high places of Topheth in Ben Hinnom Valley in order to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, a thing I did not command; I never entertained the thought.
• Isaiah 57:5who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter children in the wadis below the clefts of the rocks?

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23See thy way in the valley - The valley of Hinnom, where they offered their own children to Moloch, an idol of the Ammonites. A swift dromedary traversing her ways - Dr. Blayney translates, "A fleet dromedary that hath taken to company with her." Dr. Dahler rather paraphrases, thus: - Semblable a une dromedaire en chaleur, Qui court d'une tote a l'autre. "Like to a dromedary in her desire for the male, Which runs hither and thither." This is an energetic…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23In their defense of themselves (compare Jeremiah 2:35), the people probably appealed to the maintenance of the daily sacrifice, and the Mosaic ritual: and even more confidently perhaps to Josiah‘s splendid restoration of the temple, and to the suppression of the open worship of Baal. All such pleas availed little as long as the rites of Moloch were still privately practiced. Thy way in the valley - i. e., of Hinnom (see 2 Kings 23:10 note). From the time…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 Notwithstanding all their advantages, Israel had become like the wild vine that bears poisonous fruit. Men are often as much under the power of their unbridled desires and their sinful lusts, as the brute beasts. But the Lord here warns them not to weary themselves in pursuits which could only bring distress and misery. As we must not despair of the mercy of God, but believe that to be sufficient for the pardon of our sins, so neither must we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The people denied being Baal worshipers (compare Jeremiah 2:25). Archaeologists have found small plaques depicting Asherah, a female goddess, and a male god resembling Baal. However, the inscriptions on these plaques bear the name of the Lord (Yahweh). Sometimes, Baal worship was disguised as worship of Israel's God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. (Pr 30:12). Baalim--plural, to express manifold excellency: compare Elohim. see--consider. the valley--namely, of Hinnom, or Tophet, south and east of Jerusalem: rendered infamous by the human sacrifices to Moloch in it (compare Jr 19:2, 6, 13, 14; 32:35; see on Is 30:33). thou art--omit. The substantive that follows in this verse (and also that in Jr 2:24) is in apposition with the preceding "thou." dromedary--rather, a "young she-camel."…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 2:23

• Baal
• Camel
• Church
• Confidence
• Self-Righteousness
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Attire
• Baal
• Bitter
• Camel
• Cry
• Degenerate
• Dromedary
• Handle
• Hold
• Holiness

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