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 think to themselves, “Where is the Lord? We should ask him to help us. He brought us safely out of Egypt. He led us through the wilderness. It was a place with dry sand and deep holes. There was no water there and it was dangerous. Nobody lives in that desert, and nobody even travels through it.” 7But I, the Lord, brought you to a good land. It was a place where fruit grew on trees. You could eat all those good things, as well as the crops that you grew there. You came into the land that I had promised to give to you. But you spoiled it with your sins. You made it a disgusting place. Your priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” The people who taught my laws did not know me. Your leaders turned against me. Your prophets spoke messages from Baal. They worshipped useless idols.’ 9So the Lord says this: ‘Because of your sins, I will speak against you in court. I will show that you are guilty, as well as your children and your grandchildren. 10No other nation has done what you have done! Send people across the sea to islands in the west. Or send them to the deserts in the east. Let them find out if any other people have done this terrible thing.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• The priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and they that handleתָּפַשׂtâphaώ · to captureH8610
• the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• me not: the pastorsרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• also transgressedפָּשַׁעpâsha‛ · to transgressH6586
• against me, and the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• prophesiedנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
• by Baalבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168
• and walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• do not profitיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:8

• Jeremiah 2:6They did not think to themselves, “Where is the Lord? We should ask him to help us. He brought us safely out of Egypt. He led us through the wilderness. It was a place with dry sand and deep holes. There was no water there and it was dangerous. Nobody lives in that desert, and nobody even travels through it.”
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets speak messages that are not true. The priests make their own rules for people to obey. And my people love to live like this! But when all this comes to an end, my people will be helpless!’
• Jeremiah 8:10I will give their wives to other men. Their fields will belong to other men. They all cheat other people to get what they want. Important people and ordinary people do that. Prophets and priests do that. They love to deceive people.
• Jeremiah 2:9So the Lord says this: ‘Because of your sins, I will speak against you in court. I will show that you are guilty, as well as your children and your grandchildren.
• 1 Samuel 2:12Eli's sons were wicked men. They did not respect the Lord.
• Isaiah 28:7But now wine causes the leaders in Ephraim to become drunk. They cannot walk in a straight line because they drink too much beer. Beer causes the priests and the prophets to fall over. Wine confuses their minds. When they see visions, they cannot understand them. When they judge people, they cannot decide what is right.
• Isaiah 29:10It is the Lord who has caused you to be like that. He has caused you to be completely asleep. He has shut the eyes of your prophets and he has covered the heads of your seers.
• Isaiah 56:9‘Come here, you wild animals! Come, you wild animals that live in the forest! Come and eat my people!
• Hosea 4:6The people do not know me. Because of that, they will come to an end. You refuse to respect my authority, so I will remove you as my priests. You refuse to obey the law of your God, so I will refuse to accept your children as my priests.
• Jeremiah 8:8You say, “We are wise because we have the law of the Lord.” But I tell you, your teachers have changed my laws. They teach you lies instead.
• Deuteronomy 33:10They teach your rules and your laws to Jacob's descendants, the Israelites. They offer incense to you, as a sweet smell. They burn offerings on your altar.
• Malachi 2:6He taught my true message. He did not teach people anything that was bad. He lived in a good and honest way as he served me. He helped many people to stop doing wrong things.
• Luke 11:52It will be very bad for you teachers of God's Law! You have studied God's message. But you do not then accept it. You have also stopped people who really wanted to know God's message. Then they could not go on to accept it and go into God's kingdom.’
• John 8:55You have never known him, but I know him. I might say, “I do not know him.” But then I would be telling a lie. So I would be like you. But I do know him, and I obey his words.
• John 16:3They will do these things to you because they have never known either the Father or me.
• Romans 2:17Do you say that you are a Jew? Maybe you trust in the Law that God gave to Moses. You are proud that you belong to 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