King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ [Is] Israel a servant? [is] he a homeborn [slave]? why is he spoiled?
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Is Isra'el a slave, born into serfdom? If not, why has he become plunder?
Berean Standard Bible:
Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
American Standard Version:
Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born slave? why is he become a prey?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Is Israel{H3478} a servant{H5650}? is he a homeborn{H1004}{H3211} slave? why{H4069} is he spoiled{H957}?
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 4:22
- And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn:
Genesis 15:3
- And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Isaiah 50:1
- ¶ Thus saith the LORD, Where [is] the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors [is it] to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Ecclesiastes 2:7
- I got [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
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Commentary for Jeremiah 2:14
Jeremiah 2:14 is a verse that confronts the nation of Israel with a series of rhetorical questions, challenging their current state and status. The historical context of this verse is set during the time leading up to the Babylonian exile, a period when the prophet Jeremiah was active (circa 626-586 BCE). Israel, referred to here as the northern kingdom, had already been taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. However, Judah, the southern kingdom, remained, and it is to Judah that Jeremiah directs his prophetic message.
In this verse, Jeremiah is questioning the status of Israel, using the term "servant" to evoke the idea of being subject to another nation, and "homeborn slave" to suggest someone born into servitude within one's own household. The questions are meant to provoke thought and self-examination among the people of Judah. Jeremiah is essentially asking, "Has Israel become like a servant or a slave, and if so, why has this happened to a people who were meant to be free and dedicated to God?"
The themes of this verse include the consequences of disobedience, the loss of identity, and the broken relationship between God and His people. Jeremiah is highlighting the irony and tragedy of Israel's situation; they have become like slaves despite being God's chosen people, and this servitude is a direct result of their unfaithfulness and idolatry. The verse implies that Israel's current predicament is self-inflicted, brought about by their abandonment of their covenant with God. Jeremiah's message is a call to repentance, urging the people to return to the Lord before their condition worsens. This verse is part of a larger prophetic discourse that warns of impending judgment if Judah does not change its ways.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H5650
There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶבֶד
Transliteration: ʻebed
Pronunciation: eh'-bed
Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H3211
There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלִיד
Transliteration: yâlîyd
Pronunciation: yaw-leed'
Description: from יָלַד; born; (home-) born, child, son. - Strong's Number: H4069
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַדּוּעַ
Transliteration: maddûwaʻ
Pronunciation: mad-doo'-ah
Description: or מַדֻּעַ; from מָה and the passive participle of יָדַע; what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?; how, wherefore, why. - Strong's Number: H957
There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּז
Transliteration: baz
Pronunciation: baz
Description: from בָּזַז; plunder; booty, prey, spoil(-ed).