Jeremiah 2:31

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’?
• English Standard Version (ESV)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'?
• 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’?

Context of Jeremiah 2:31

29“Why do you contend with Me? You have all revolted against Me,” declares the Lord. 30“In vain I have struck your sons; They did not accept discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion. You generation, look to the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; We will no longer come to You’? 32Can a virgin forget her jewelry, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me For days without number. 33How well you prepare your way To seek love! Therefore even to the wicked women You have taught your ways.

Jeremiah 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

• You generationדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
• lookרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• to the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Have I beenהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• Orאִם'im · if: surely noH518
• landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of thickמַאְפֵּלְיָהma'ăphêleyâh · darknessH3991
• Whyמַדּוּעַmaddûa‛ maddûa‛ · why?H4069
• do My peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• roamרוּדrûd · to roamH7300
• We will noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• longerעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:31

• Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
• Micah 6:9The voice of the Lord will call to the city-- And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name: “Hear, you tribe. Who has designated its time?
• Jeremiah 2:5This is what the Lord says: “What injustice did your fathers find in Me, That they went far from Me, And walked after emptiness and became empty?
• 2 Samuel 12:7Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul.
• 2 Chronicles 31:10Azariah, the chief priest of the house of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions started coming into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”
• Nehemiah 9:21Indeed, for forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not lacking; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell up.
• Hosea 2:7And she will pursue her lovers, but she will not reach them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, Because it was better for me then than now!’
• Malachi 3:9You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you!
• Deuteronomy 8:12otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, and you build good houses and live in them,
• Deuteronomy 31:20For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant.
• Deuteronomy 32:15“But Jeshurun became fat and kicked-- You have become fat, thick, and obstinate-- Then he abandoned God who made him, And rejected the Rock of his salvation.
• Psalms 10:4The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him. There is no God in all his schemes.
• Psalms 12:4Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
• Proverbs 30:9So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” And that I will not become impoverished and steal, And profane the name of my God.
• Hosea 13:6As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And as they became satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me.
• 1 Corinthians 4:8You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign 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

• Backsliders
• Church
• Infidelity
• Ingratitude

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Attire
• Bitter
• Cry
• Degenerate
• 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