Jeremiah 17:2

Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.

Whilst their children {H1121} remember {H2142} their altars {H4196} and their groves {H842} by the green {H7488} trees {H6086} upon the high {H1364} hills {H1389}.

As they remember their children, so they remember their altars and their sacred poles by the green trees on the high hills.

Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles by the green trees and on the high hills.

whilst their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees upon the high hills.

Commentary

Jeremiah 17:2 vividly portrays the deep-seated idolatry that permeated the Kingdom of Judah during the prophet Jeremiah's time. This verse highlights the enduring nature of their spiritual rebellion, showing how the practices of pagan worship had become so ingrained that they were passed down through generations.

Context

The prophet Jeremiah ministered in a period of spiritual decline and impending judgment for Judah, primarily in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. The people had consistently turned away from the worship of the one true God, Yahweh, embracing the idolatrous practices of surrounding Canaanite nations. This verse, following a declaration of Judah's sin being "graven upon the table of their heart" (Jeremiah 17:1), emphasizes that their children were not merely aware of, but actively "remembered" and participated in, these illicit forms of worship.

The "altars" refer to sacrificial sites, while "groves" translates the Hebrew word asherim (אֲשׁ֡רִים), which were sacred poles or images dedicated to Asherah, a Canaanite goddess of fertility. These pagan rituals often took place "by the green trees upon the high hills," common locations for Canaanite cults known as "high places" (Deuteronomy 12:2). This widespread practice stood in direct defiance of God's commands to worship Him alone.

Key Themes

  • Pervasive Idolatry: The verse underscores how deeply entrenched pagan worship was in Judah, not just among adults but also among the youth.
  • Generational Sin: It illustrates the tragic legacy of unfaithfulness, where the sins of one generation are perpetuated by the next. The children "remember" not the Lord, but the altars of false gods. This stands in stark contrast to the divine principle of teaching God's ways to future generations (Deuteronomy 6:7).
  • Consequences of Apostasy: This deep-seated spiritual corruption was a primary reason for God's impending judgment on Judah, including exile.

Linguistic Insights

The term "groves" is a crucial linguistic insight. The Hebrew word asherim (אֲשׁ֡רִים) specifically refers to the cultic objects or wooden poles used in the worship of Asherah. These were often erected next to altars, symbolizing the pagan fertility cults that seduced Israel away from the Lord. Their placement "upon the high hills" and "by the green trees" points to the common, public, and visually prominent nature of this forbidden worship, which was a constant affront to God.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 17:2 serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of spiritual choices. It highlights:

  • The Influence of Environment: What we expose our children and future generations to, whether godly principles or worldly compromises, shapes their spiritual memory and practice.
  • Breaking Cycles of Sin: For believers today, it's a call to identify and break any generational patterns of sin or spiritual lukewarmness, seeking God's transformative power.
  • The Importance of True Worship: The verse implicitly calls us to recommit to exclusive worship of the one true God, ensuring our spiritual practices are pure and not diluted by cultural idols or syncretism. Our legacy should be one of faithfulness to the Lord, not a remembrance of false gods.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 24:18

    And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

  • Jeremiah 2:20

    ΒΆ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:3

    For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

  • Isaiah 1:29

    For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

  • Isaiah 17:8

    And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect [that] which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

  • Judges 3:7

    And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

  • Psalms 78:58

    For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
← Back