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;
• 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,
• 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

21I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? 22Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign Lord. “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, 24a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her. 25Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, ‘It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after 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 2:34On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this
• Genesis 3:12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
• 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
• Psalms 36:2In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.
• Proverbs 28:13Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
• Proverbs 30:12those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
• Luke 10:29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
• 1 John 1:8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
• Revelation 3:17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
• Jeremiah 3:2“Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
• Psalms 50:21When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you.
• Ezekiel 16:1The word of the Lord came to me:
• Ezekiel 23:1The word of the Lord came to me:
• Jeremiah 7:31They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.
• Isaiah 57:5You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags.

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