Jer 2:20-25 | JFB | STEP | 20. I-- the Hebrew should be pointed as the second person feminine, a form common in Jeremiah: "Thou hast broken," &c. So the Septuagint, and the sense requires it. thy yoke ... bands-- the yoke and bands which I laid on thee, My laws ( ). transgress-- so the Keri, and many manuscripts read. But the Septuagint and most authorities read, "I will not serve," that is, obey. The sense of English Version is, "I broke thy yoke (in Egypt)," &c., "and (at that time) thou saidst, I will not transgress; whereas thou hast (since then) wandered (from Me)" ( ). hill ... green tree-- the scene of idolatries ( ; , ). wanderest-- rather, "thou hast bowed down thyself" (for the act of adultery: figurative of shameless idolatry, , ; compare ).

‏ Jeremiah 2:20-25

20. I--the Hebrew should be pointed as the second person feminine, a form common in Jeremiah: "Thou hast broken," &c. So the Septuagint, and the sense requires it.

thy yoke ... bands--the yoke and bands which I laid on thee, My laws (Jr 5:5).

transgress--so the Keri, and many manuscripts read. But the Septuagint and most authorities read, "I will not serve," that is, obey. The sense of English Version is, "I broke thy yoke (in Egypt)," &c., "and (at that time) thou saidst, I will not transgress; whereas thou hast (since then) wandered (from Me)" (Ex 19:8).

hill ... green tree--the scene of idolatries (De 12:2; Is 57:5, 7).

wanderest--rather, "thou hast bowed down thyself" (for the act of adultery: figurative of shameless idolatry, Ex 34:15, 16; compare Job 31:10).

21. The same image as in De 32:32; Psa 80:8, 9; Is 5:1, &c.

unto me--with respect to Me.

22. nitre--not what is now so called, namely, saltpeter; but the natron of Egypt, a mineral alkali, an incrustation at the bottom of the lakes, after the summer heat has evaporated the water: used for washing (compare Job 9:30; Pr 25:20).

soap--potash, the carbonate of which is obtained impure from burning different plants, especially the kali of Egypt and Arabia. Mixed with oil it was used for washing.

marked--deeply ingrained, indelibly marked; the Hebrew, catham, being equivalent to cathab. Others translate, "is treasured up," from the Arabic. Maurer from a Syriac root, "is polluted."

23. (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."

traversing--literally, "enfolding"; making its ways complicated by wandering hither and thither, lusting after the male. Compare as to the Jews' spiritual lust, Ho 2:6, 7.

24. (Jr 14:6; Job 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (Jr 2:23).

at her pleasure--rather, "in her ardor," namely, in pursuit of a male, sniffing the wind to ascertain where one is to be found [Maurer].

occasion--either from a Hebrew root, "to meet"; "her meeting (with the male for sexual intercourse), who can avert it?" Or better from an Arabic root: "her heat (sexual impulse), who can allay it?" [Maurer].

all they--whichever of the males desire her company [Horsley].

will not weary themselves--have no need to weary themselves in searching for her.

her month--in the season of the year when her sexual impulse is strongest, she puts herself in the way of the males, so that they have no difficulty in finding her.

25. Withhold, &c.--that is, abstain from incontinence; figuratively for idolatry [Houbigant].

unshod, &c.--do not run so violently in pursuing lovers, as to wear out thy shoes: do not "thirst" so incontinently after sexual intercourse. Hitzig thinks the reference is to penances performed barefoot to idols, and the thirst occasioned by loud and continued invocations to them.

no hope--(Jr 18:12; Is 57:10). "It is hopeless," that is, I am desperately resolved to go on in my own course.

strangers--that is, laying aside the metaphor, "strange gods" (Jr 3:13; De 32:16).