English Standard Version
Jeremiah 2:31
31And you, O generation, behold the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, 'We are free, we will come no more to you'?
Jeremiah 2:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)O generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
- New International Version (NIV)“You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“O generation, see the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’?
- New Living Translation (NLT)“O my people, listen to the words of the Lord! Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been to them a land of darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God! We don’t need him anymore!’
Context of Jeremiah 2:31
29"Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the Lord. 30In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. And you, O generation, behold the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, 'We are free, we will come no more to you'? 32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. 33"How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways.
Read all of Jeremiah 2Jeremiah 2:31 word by word
הַדּ֗וֹר אַתֶּם֙ רְא֣וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הָיִ֙יתִי֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֛ם אֶ֥רֶץ מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑ה מַדּ֜וּעַ אָמְר֤וּ עַמִּי֙ רַ֔דְנוּ לֽוֹא־נָב֥וֹא ע֖וֹד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- O generationדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
- ye the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Have I been a wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- unto Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- a landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of darknessמַאְפֵּלְיָהma'ăphêleyâh · darknessH3991
- wherefore sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- We are lordsרוּדrûd · to roamH7300
- we will comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:31
- Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
- Micah 6:9The voice of the Lord cries to the city— and it is sound wisdom to fear your name: "Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it!
- Jeremiah 2:5Thus says the Lord: "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
- 2 Samuel 12:7Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
- 2 Chronicles 31:10Azariah the chief priest, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, "Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left."
- Nehemiah 9:21Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
- Hosea 2:7She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
- Malachi 3:9You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
- Deuteronomy 8:12lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them,
- Deuteronomy 31:20For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.
- Deuteronomy 32:15"But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
- Psalms 10:4In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God."
- Psalms 12:4those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?"
- Proverbs 30:9lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
- Hosea 13:6but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!
Commentaries on Jeremiah 2:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? - Have I ever withheld from you any of the blessings necessary for your support? A land of darkness - Have you, since you passed through the wilderness, and came out of the darkness of Egypt, ever been brought into similar circumstances? You have had food and all the necessaries of life for your bodies; and my ordinances and word to enlighten and cheer your souls. I have neither been a wilderness nor a land of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Or, “O generation” that ye are! An exclamation Of indignation at their hardened resistance to God. A land of darkness - This word is written in Hebrew with two accents, as being a compound, signifying not merely darkness, but the darkness of Yahweh, i. e., very great darkness. We are lords - Others render it: We rove about, wander about at our will, go where we like.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-37Verses 29-37 The nation had not been wrought upon by the judgements of God, but sought to justify themselves. The world is, to those who make it their home and their portion, a wilderness and a land of darkness; but those who dwell in God, have the lines fallen to them in pleasant places. Here is the language of presumptuous sinners. The Jews had long thrown off serious thoughts of God. How many days of our lives pass without suitable remembrance of him!…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31The Lord's anger became a plea. He asked why the Israelites saw life in obedience to him as a barren wasteland of death and lack (Numbers 21:5), filled with evil and the fear of darkness (Job 24:17; 1 John 1:5–6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. The Hebrew collocation is, "O, the generation, ye," that is, "O ye who now live." The generation needed only to be named, to call its degeneracy to view, so palpable was it. wilderness--in which all the necessaries of life are wanting. On the contrary, Jehovah was a never-failing source of supply for all Israel's wants in the wilderness, and afterwards in Canaan. darkness--literally, "darkness of Jehovah," the strongest Hebrew term for "darkness; the…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 2:31
In the dictionaries
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
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