Jeremiah 2:8

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Jeremiah 2:8

6They did not ask ‘Where is Adonai, who brought us up from the land of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, through a land of drought and distress, through a land where no one travels, where no one lives?’ 7Yet I brought you into a fertile land, to eat of its fruit and goodness. When you came, you defiled My land. You made My heritage an abomination. The kohanim did not ask, ‘Where is Adonai?’ The Torah experts did not know Me. The shepherds rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and went after unprofitable things. 9Therefore I will plead with you again!” It is a declaration of Adonai. “I will contend with your children’s children. 10Cross to the coasts of Kittim and see! Send to Kedar, and observe carefully. See if there has been anything like this.

Jeremiah 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 2:6They did not ask ‘Where is Adonai, who brought us up from the land of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, through a land of drought and distress, through a land where no one travels, where no one lives?’
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, the kohanim rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way! But what will you do in the end?”
• Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to new owners. For from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for gain. From the prophet even to the kohen everyone practices deceit.
• Jeremiah 2:9Therefore I will plead with you again!” It is a declaration of Adonai. “I will contend with your children’s children.
• 1 Samuel 2:12Now Eli’s sons were worthless men; they did not acknowledge Adonai.
• Isaiah 28:7But these also reel from wine and stagger from strong drink —the kohen and the prophet reel from strong drink— are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink, they are muddled in vision, they stumble in judgment.
• Isaiah 29:10For Adonai has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has shut your eyes—the prophets, and covered your heads—the seers.
• Isaiah 56:9All you beasts of the field, come to eat, all you beasts in the forest.
• Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My kohen. Since you forgot the Torah of your God, just so I will forget your children.
• Jeremiah 8:8How can you say, ‘We are wise! The Torah of Adonai is with us’? In fact, it is the lying pen of the scribes that have made it a lie.
• Deuteronomy 33:10They will teach Jacob Your judgments and Israel Your Torah. They will put incense in your nose and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
• Malachi 2:6Instruction of truth was in his mouth. Injustice was not found on his lips. In shalom and uprightness he walked with Me, and he turned many from iniquity.
• Luke 11:52“Woe to you, Torah lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you stood in the way of those entering.”
• John 8:55Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him. If I say I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you. Yet I do know Him and keep His Word.
• John 16:3They will do these things because they have never known the Father or Me.
• Romans 2:17But if you call yourself Jewish and rely upon the Torah and 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

• Baal
• Blindness
• Church
• Minister, Christian
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Baal
• Attire
• Bitter
• Cry
• Degenerate
• Handle
• Hold
• Holiness
• Noble
• Shepherd

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