Tree of Life Version
Jeremiah 2:31
31You, generation, heed Adonai’s word! “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam. We won’t come to You any more’?
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
29Why do you strive with Me? You have all rebelled against Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai. 30“In vain I struck your children. They took no correction. Your sword devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.” You, generation, heed Adonai’s word! “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam. We won’t come to You any more’? 32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number. 33How clever are your ways of seeking love. Therefore you even taught wicked women 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 from Tekoa. He perceived these words concerning Israel during the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
- Micah 6:9The voice of Adonai calls to the city— it is wisdom to fear Your Name— “Pay attention to the rod and to the One who appointed it.”
- Jeremiah 2:5Thus says Adonai: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me? They walked after worthless things, becoming worthless themselves?
- 2 Samuel 12:7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says Adonai, God of Israel: It is I who anointed you king over Israel, and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.
- 2 Chronicles 31:10Azariah the chief kohen from the house of Zadok, replied to him saying, “Ever since the gifts began to be brought into the House of Adonai, we have had enough to eat and more than enough, for Adonai has blessed His people with plenty left over.”
- Nehemiah 9:21For forty years You sustained them in the desert: they lacked nothing, their garments did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
- Hosea 2:7For their mother has practiced prostitution. She who conceived them has been shameful. For she said, ‘Let me go after my lovers, who are giving me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’
- Malachi 3:9You have been cursed with the curse, yet you keep robbing Me—the whole nation!
- Deuteronomy 8:12Otherwise, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and lived in them,
- Deuteronomy 31:20“For when I bring them to the land flowing with milk and honey that I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and grow fat—then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and they will spurn Me and break My covenant.
- Deuteronomy 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— you got fat, you grew thick, you gorged! He forsook God who made him. He mocked the Rock of his salvation.
- Psalms 10:4The wicked one, with his nose in the air, never seeks Him. All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”
- Psalms 12:4May Adonai cut off all flattering lips— a tongue bragging big things.
- Proverbs 30:9lest I become satisfied and deny You and say, “Who is Adonai?” Or lest I become poor, and steal and profane the Name of my God.
- Hosea 13:6While they were fed, they were satisfied. Filled, their hearts became haughty. Therefore they forgot Me.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8Already you are full! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish you were kings, so we also might be kings 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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