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,
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)“You say, ‘That’s not true! I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’ But how can you say that? Go and look in any valley in the land! Face the awful sins you have done. You are like a restless female camel desperately searching for a mate.

Context of Jeremiah 2:23

21Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? 22Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord God. 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, 24a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her. 25Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, 'It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.'

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 2:34Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things
• Genesis 3:12The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."
• 1 Samuel 15:13And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord."
• Psalms 36:2For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
• Proverbs 28:13Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
• Proverbs 30:12There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.
• Luke 10:29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
• 1 John 1:8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• Revelation 3:17For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
• Jeremiah 3:2Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see! Where have you not been ravished? By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers like an Arab in the wilderness. You have polluted the land with your vile whoredom.
• Psalms 50:21These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
• Ezekiel 16:1Again the word of the Lord came to me:
• Ezekiel 23:1The word of the Lord came to me:
• Jeremiah 7:31And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.
• Isaiah 57:5you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under 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