TRV
Translation
King James Version
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
KJV (with Strong's)
Thine own wickedness H7451 shall correct H3256 thee, and thy backslidings H4878 shall reprove H3198 thee: know H3045 therefore and see H7200 that it is an evil H7451 thing and bitter H4751, that thou hast forsaken H5800 the LORD H3068 thy God H430, and that my fear H6345 is not in thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635.
Complete Jewish Bible
Your own wickedness will correct you, your own backslidings will convict you; you will know and see how bad and bitter it was to abandon ADONAI your God, and how fear of me is not in you," says Adonai ELOHIM-Tzva'ot.
Berean Standard Bible
Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
American Standard Version
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
World English Bible Messianic
“Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backsliding shall reprove you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, the LORD of Hosts.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee, and thy turnings backe shall reprooue thee: know therefore and beholde, that it is an euil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not in thee, sayeth the Lord God of hostes.
Young's Literal Translation
Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing Is thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.
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Commentary on Jeremiah 2 verses 14–19
14 ¶ Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
The prophet, further to evince the folly of their forsaking God, shows them what mischiefs they had already brought upon themselves by so doing; it had already cost them dear, for to this were owing all the calamities their country was now groaning under, which were but an earnest of more and greater if they repented not. See how they smarted for their folly.
I. Their neighbours, who were their professed enemies, prevailed against them, and this was owing to their sin. 1. They were enslaved and lost their liberty (Jer 2:14): Is Israel a servant? No; Israel is my son, my first-born, Exo 4:22. They are children; they are heirs. Nay, their extraction is noble; they are the seed of Abraham, God's friend, and of Jacob his chosen. Is he a home-born slave? No; he is not the son of the bond-woman, but of the free. They were designed for dominion, not for servitude. Every thing in their constitution carried about it the marks of freedom and honour. Why then is he spoiled of his liberty? Why is he used as a servant, as a home-born slave? Why does he make himself a slave to his lusts, to his idols, to that which does not profit? Jer 2:11. What a thing is this, that such a birthright should be sold for a mess of pottage, such a crown profaned and laid in the dust! Why is he made a slave to the oppressor? God provided that a Hebrew servant should be free the seventh year, and that their slaves should be of the heathen, not of their brethren, Lev 25:44, Lev 25:46. But, notwithstanding this, the princes made slaves of their subjects, and masters made slaves of their servants (Jer 34:11), and so made their country mean and miserable, which God had made happy and honourable. The neighbouring princes and powers broke in upon them, and made some of them slaves even in their own country, and perhaps sold others for slaves into foreign countries. And how came they thus to lose their liberties? For their iniquities they sold themselves, Isa 50:1. We may apply this spiritually. Is the soul of man a servant? Is it a home-born slave? No, it is not. Why then is it spoiled? It is because it has sold its own liberty and enslaved itself to divers lusts and passions, which is a lamentation, and should be for a lamentation. 2. They were impoverished and had lost their wealth. God brought them into a plentiful country (Jer 2:7), but all their neighbours made a prey of it (Jer 2:15): Young lions roar aloud over him and yell; they are a continual terror to him. Sometimes one potent enemy, and sometimes another, and sometimes many in confederacy, fall upon him, and triumph over him. They carry off the fruits of his land, and make that waste, and burn his cities, when first they have plundered them, so that they remain without inhabitant, either because there are no houses to dwell in or because those that should dwell in them are carried into captivity. 3. They were abused, and insulted over, and beaten by every body (Jer 2:16): "Even the children of Noph and Tahapanes, despicable people, not famed for military courage nor strength, have broken the crown of thy head, or fed upon it. In all their struggles with thee they have been too hard for thee, and thou hast always come off with a broken head. The principal part of thy country, that which lay next Jerusalem, has been and is a prey to them." How calamitous the condition of Judah had been of late in the reign of Manasseh we find, Ch2 33:11, and perhaps it had not now much recovered itself. 4. All this was owing to their sin (Jer 2:17): Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? By their sinful confederacies with the nations, and especially their conformity to them in their idolatrous customs and usages, they had made themselves very mean and contemptible, as all those do that have made a profession of religion and afterwards throw it off. Nothing now appeared of that which, by their constitution, made them both honourable and formidable, and therefore nobody either respected them or feared them. But this was not all; they had provoked God to give them up into the hands of their enemies, and to make them a scourge to them and give them success against them; and "thus thou hast procured it to thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, revolted from thy allegiance to him and so thrown thyself out of his protection; for protection and allegiance go together." Whatever trouble we are in at any time we may thank ourselves for it; for we bring it upon our own head by our forsaking God: "Thou hast forsaken thy God at the time that he was leading thee by the way" (so it should be read); "Then when he was leading thee on to a happy peace and settlement, and thou wast within a step of it, then thou forsookest him, and so didst put a bar in thy own door."
II. Their neighbours, that were their pretended friends, deceived them, distressed them, and helped them not, and this also was owing to their sin. 1. They did in vain seek to Egypt and Assyria for help (Jer 2:18): "What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? When thou art under apprehensions of danger thou art running to Egypt for help, Isa 30:1, Isa 30:2; Isa 31:1. Thou art for drinking the waters of Sihor," that is, Nilus. "Thou reliest upon their multitude, and refreshest thy self with the fair promises they make thee. At other times thou art in the way of Assyria, sending or going with all speed to fetch recruits thence, and thinkest to satisfy thyself with the waters of the river Euphrates; what hast thou to do there? What wilt thou get by applying to them? They shall help in vain, shall be broken reeds to thee, and what thou thoughtest would be to thee as a river will be but a broken cistern." 2. This also was because of their sin. The judgment shall unavoidably come upon them which their sin has deserved; and then to what purpose is it to call in help against it? Jer 2:19. "Thy own wickedness shall correct thee, and then it is impossible for them to save thee; know and see therefore, upon the whole matter, that it is an evil thing that thou hast forsaken God, for it is that which makes thy enemies enemies indeed, and thy friends friends in vain." Observe here, (1.) The nature of sin; it is forsaking the Lord as our God; it is the soul's alienation from him and aversion to him. Cleaving to sin is leaving God. (2.) The cause of sin; it is because his fear is not in us. It is for want of a good principle in us, particularly for want of the fear of God; this is at the bottom of our apostasy from him; men forsake their duty to God because they stand in no awe of him nor have any dread of his displeasure. (3.) The malignity of sin; it is an evil thing and a bitter. Sin is an evil thing, only evil, an evil that has no good in it, an evil that is the root and cause of all other evil; it is evil indeed, for it is not only the greatest contrariety to the divine nature, but the greatest corruption of the human nature. It is bitter; a state of sin is the gall of bitterness, and every sinful way will be bitterness in the latter end; the wages of it is death, and death is bitter. (4.) The fatal consequences of sin; as it is in itself evil and bitter, so it has a direct tendency to make us miserable: "Thy own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee, not only destroy and ruin thee hereafter, but correct and reprove thee now; they will certainly bring trouble upon thee; and punishment will so inevitably follow the sin that the sin shall itself be said to punish thee. Nay, the punishment, in its kind and circumstances, shall so directly answer to the sin, that thou mayest read the sin in the punishment; and the justice of the punishment shall be so plain that thou shalt not have a word to say for thyself; thy own wickedness shall convince thee and stop thy mouth for ever and thou shalt be forced to own that the Lord is righteous." (5.) The use and application of all this: "Know therefore, and see it, and repent of thy sin, that so the iniquity which is thy correction may not be thy ruin."
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 14–19. Public domain.
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IrenaeusAD 202
AGAINST HERESIES 4:37.7
The Lord has therefore endured all these things on our behalf, in order that we, having been instructed by means of them all, may be in all respects judicious for the time to come. He endured that, having been rationally taught to love God, we may continue in his perfect love. God has displayed patience in the case of humankind’s apostasy. While humankind has been instructed by means of it, as also the prophet says, “Your own apostasy shall heal you.” God thus determined all things beforehand in order to bring people to perfection, to edify them and to reveal God’s dispensations, that goodness may both be made apparent, and that righteousness be perfected, and that the church may be fashioned after the image of his Son and that humankind may finally be brought to maturity at some future time, becoming mature through such privileges to see and comprehend God.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 1:4.27
When he does not convince with his word, God many times permits the experience of things to be the teaching, something that he also said to the Jews. When he expended myriads of words though the prophets, he neither persuaded nor embraced the Jews. Allowing them to be educated through punishment, he said to them, “Your apostasy shall correct you, and wickedness shall reprove you.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 19.) Your wickedness will reprove you, and your apostasy will rebuke you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to have forsaken the Lord your God, and that you have no fear of me, says the Lord of hosts. It should be noted that after wickedness or apostasy has fully satisfied the one who commits it, and has come to the point of being nauseating like the quails, it instructs the one who does penance: commanding them to see what they have left behind, and what they have followed; and how, spurning what is good and sweet, they have chosen what is evil and bitter. But all this has happened because he has forsaken his Lord God, and his fear is not with him. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. IX): and because he did not have it, he is delivered to evil and bitterness.
John CassianAD 435
CONFERENCE 3:23.16
This then is that body of death from which we cannot escape, confined in those who are perfect, who have tested “how gracious the Lord is,” daily feel with the prophet “how bad for himself and bitter it is for a man to depart from the Lord his God.”
John CassianAD 435
CONFERENCE 3:23.9
So also that unwearied goodness of God and his unchanging nature hurt no one indeed, but we ourselves by falling from on high and tending to the depths are the authors of our own death, or rather the very fall becomes death to the one who falls.… For “your own wickedness shall reprove you, and your apostasy shall rebuke you. Know and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for you to have left the Lord your God”; for “everyone is bound by the cords of his sins.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 2:19 serves as a stark divine indictment against Judah, powerfully declaring that their impending suffering and judgment are not arbitrary, but the direct, painful, and bitter consequences of their spiritual rebellion. The verse reveals that their own persistent wickedness and repeated turning away from God will function as their severe disciplinarian and convincing accuser, ultimately exposing the inherent evil and profound bitterness of abandoning the LORD, their true source of life and security, and revealing a critical absence of reverential awe for Him, as affirmed by the sovereign Lord GOD of hosts.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 2:19 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent and severe message. Personification is strikingly evident in the declarations that "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee." Here, abstract concepts of "wickedness" and "backslidings" are imbued with human-like agency, acting as active agents of discipline and conviction. This powerful device emphasizes the inherent, self-inflicted nature of Judah's suffering, making it clear that their pain is a direct consequence of their own actions. The verse also utilizes strong Imagery through the terms "evil" and "bitter," appealing directly to sensory and emotional experience to describe the profoundly unpleasant and painful consequences of their spiritual abandonment. This vivid language helps the audience viscerally grasp the severity and unpleasantness of their spiritual state. Furthermore, effective Parallelism is employed in the opening clauses ("Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee"), reinforcing the message through a balanced repetition of ideas and emphasizing the two intertwined aspects of their rebellion and its inevitable, painful consequences.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 2:19 articulates a fundamental and enduring biblical principle: sin carries inherent, self-inflicted consequences. It is not merely that God punishes sin, but that sin, by its very nature, is destructive, corrosive, and brings about its own bitter fruit. This verse vividly highlights the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, where faithfulness leads to abundant blessing and disobedience to severe curses, demonstrating both God's unwavering justice and His persistent desire for His people to return to Him. The absence of the "fear of the LORD" is presented as the root spiritual malady, indicating a broken relationship and a catastrophic failure to acknowledge God's rightful place of supreme authority and reverential awe. This principle extends far beyond ancient Israel, serving as a timeless and universal warning that turning away from God, the ultimate source of all life, truth, and well-being, inevitably leads to emptiness, pain, and spiritual desolation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 2:19 serves as a timeless and sobering mirror for individuals and communities today, compelling us to honestly examine the profound cause-and-effect relationship between our choices and our lived experiences. When we find ourselves in "evil and bitter" circumstances—experiencing pain, emptiness, or distress—the verse challenges us to look inward with spiritual discernment, recognizing that such suffering may well be the direct, self-inflicted consequence of our own "wickedness" or "backslidings"—our deliberate acts of rebellion or our gradual, subtle drift from God. This is not a call to debilitating self-condemnation, but rather to humble introspection and radical honesty, understanding that God, in His profound mercy and unwavering love, often allows the natural consequences of sin to serve as a painful but absolutely necessary form of correction, designed to awaken us to our desperate need for Him. Cultivating a genuine "fear of the LORD"—a profound reverence, awe, and obedient submission that deeply shapes our decisions, desires, and entire way of life—is therefore of paramount importance. It is this healthy, biblical fear that motivates true obedience, fosters divine wisdom, and powerfully protects us from the destructive path of forsaking the One who is our true "fountain of living waters." The bitterness we experience, then, is ultimately an invitation: an urgent call to acknowledge our error, to genuinely repent, and to wholeheartedly return to the Lord, who alone offers true life, lasting peace, and abundant grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that "wickedness shall correct" and "backslidings shall reprove"?
Answer: This powerful statement means that the negative consequences Judah experiences are directly and inherently caused by their own sinful actions and their persistent turning away from God. Their "wickedness" (immoral behavior, idolatry, injustice) will act as a harsh teacher or disciplinarian, bringing painful lessons and necessary discipline. Simultaneously, their "backslidings" (apostasy, spiritual rebellion, unfaithfulness to the covenant) will serve as a convicting witness against them, exposing their profound guilt and demonstrating the utter folly of their choices. It is a profound declaration that sin possesses an inherent, self-destructive power, and God, in His sovereignty, allows its natural fruit to manifest as a form of divine discipline, intended to bring about repentance and a genuine return. It's not merely an external punishment, but the painful, inevitable outworking of their own chosen path.
What is the "fear of the LORD" mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The "fear of the LORD" (Hebrew: yirah) in biblical context does not primarily mean terror or cowering dread, though it can include a healthy respect for God's power. Instead, it signifies a profound reverence, awe, and respect for God's holiness, infinite power, and supreme authority. It is a deep, heartfelt recognition of who God truly is—His majestic character, His just nature, and His covenant faithfulness—which naturally leads to humility, obedient submission to His will, and a fervent desire to live in accordance with His commands. Its absence, as explicitly stated in Jeremiah 2:19, indicates a casual disregard for God's commands and a dangerous spiritual blindness that prevents one from recognizing the true path to well-being, wisdom, and blessing. As Proverbs 9:10 famously declares, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Is God punishing Judah, or are these just natural consequences of their actions?
Answer: Jeremiah 2:19 presents both aspects in profound theological harmony. While the consequences are indeed the "natural" and inherent outcome of their choices (sin is intrinsically destructive and leads to ruin), these natural consequences are simultaneously an integral part of God's divine discipline. God, in His perfect sovereignty and justice, allows the outworking of their wickedness and backslidings to serve as a corrective and reproving force. This is not arbitrary or vindictive punishment but a just, loving, and covenantal response from a God who seeks to bring His wayward people back to Himself. The "evil and bitter" pain is intended to reveal the devastating reality of forsaking Him, prompting genuine repentance and a heartfelt return to the "fountain of living waters" (Jeremiah 2:13). It is a demonstration of God's righteous governance over His creation and His desire for His people's ultimate good.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 2:19 vividly portrays the devastating consequences of humanity's rebellion and the inherent bitterness of forsaking God, highlighting the self-inflicted nature of sin's painful fruit. In the New Testament, we witness how Jesus Christ perfectly fulfills and gloriously reverses this tragic narrative. While Israel's wickedness and backslidings led to their correction and reproof, Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the full, crushing weight of humanity's wickedness and backslidings on the cross. He experienced the ultimate "evil and bitter" separation from God—the very wrath due to sin—so that all who believe in Him might never have to endure it. He is the true and eternal "fountain of living waters" that Israel tragically forsook, as He Himself declared to the Samaritan woman John 4:10-14. Through His perfect sacrifice and glorious resurrection, Jesus offers not only forgiveness for sin but also complete restoration, enabling a genuine and lasting return to God. Furthermore, where Israel repeatedly lacked the "fear of the LORD," Christ perfectly embodied reverential obedience to His Father, even to the point of agonizing death on the cross Philippians 2:8. Through faith in Him, believers are given a new heart and the indwelling Holy Spirit, enabling them to walk in Spirit-empowered obedience and cultivate a true, profound, and abiding "fear of the LORD" Ezekiel 36:26-27. Thus, the bitter consequences described in Jeremiah find their ultimate resolution, hope, and transformation in the redemptive work of Christ, who turns the path of rebellion into a glorious way of reconciliation, abundant life, and eternal communion with God.