New King James Version
Jeremiah 2:8
8The 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who taught my word ignored me, the rulers turned against me, and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal, wasting their time on worthless idols.
Context of Jeremiah 2:8
6Neither did they say, ‘Where is the Lord, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’ 7I brought you into a bountiful country, To eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land And made My heritage an abomination. 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. 9“Therefore I will yet bring charges against you,” says the Lord, “And against your children’s children I will bring charges. 10For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing.
Read all of Jeremiah 2Jeremiah 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 2:6Neither did they say, ‘Where is the Lord, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’
- Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?
- Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
- Jeremiah 2:9“Therefore I will yet bring charges against you,” says the Lord, “And against your children’s children I will bring charges.
- 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord.
- Isaiah 28:7But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
- Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.
- Isaiah 56:9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest.
- Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
- Jeremiah 8:8“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
- Deuteronomy 33:10They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
- Malachi 2:6The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
- Luke 11:52“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”
- John 8:55Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
- John 16:3And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.
- Romans 2:17Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries