Jeremiah 2:21

KJV

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

KJV (with Strong's)

Yet I had planted {H5193} thee a noble vine {H8321}, wholly a right {H571} seed {H2233}: how then art thou turned {H2015} into the degenerate plant {H5494} of a strange {H5237} vine {H1612} unto me?

Complete Jewish Bible

But I planted you as a choice vine of seed fully tested and true. How did you degenerate into a wild vine for me?

Berean Standard Bible

I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

American Standard Version

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 2:21 encapsulates God's profound lament over Israel's spiritual apostasy, expressed through the powerful metaphor of a vine. Having meticulously planted them as a "noble vine," a perfectly cultivated and true seed, God expresses His astonishment and sorrow at their inexplicable transformation into a "degenerate plant of a strange vine." This verse highlights the stark contrast between God's gracious, perfect provision and Israel's tragic, self-inflicted corruption, revealing the heartbreak of divine betrayal.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 2 opens a series of prophetic indictments against Judah, establishing the core theme of Israel's unfaithfulness to the covenant. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 2:1-20) recount God's past faithfulness and Israel's subsequent abandonment of Him, likened to a bride forgetting her husband or a people exchanging their glory for worthless idols. Verse 21, with its vivid vine imagery, serves as a poignant climax to this initial lament, emphasizing the depth of their spiritual degeneration. It sets the stage for further accusations of idolatry and the inevitable judgment that will follow if repentance does not occur, a theme that reverberates throughout the entire book of [Jeremiah](/jeremiah/1 "The Book of Jeremiah").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah prophesied during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period of immense political and spiritual upheaval for the Kingdom of Judah. Following a brief religious revival under King Josiah, Judah quickly reverted to idolatry and syncretism after his death. The people engaged in widespread worship of Baal and other foreign deities, adopting Canaanite religious practices that included child sacrifice and cultic prostitution. The imagery of the vine was deeply resonant in ancient Israel, as viticulture was a major agricultural activity. A "noble vine" (Hebrew: _soreq_) referred to a prized, high-quality grape variety, signifying the ideal state of Israel as God's chosen people. Conversely, a "strange vine" would imply a wild, uncultivated, or foreign variety, producing sour or poisonous fruit, directly reflecting their spiritual corruption and adoption of foreign religious practices.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. It underscores the theme of **Divine Election and Investment**, portraying God as the meticulous planter who chose and cultivated Israel with the highest care, expecting spiritual fruitfulness, as seen in [Psalm 80:8](/psalm/80-8 "Psalm 80:8 - God's Vine from Egypt"). Secondly, it highlights the theme of **Profound Spiritual Degeneration and Apostasy**, illustrating Israel's inexplicable rebellion and abandonment of their covenant relationship with Yahweh, turning to worthless idols (as described in [Jeremiah 2:5](/jeremiah/2-5 "Jeremiah 2:5 - Why did your fathers go far from me?")). Finally, the rhetorical question, "how then art thou turned?", emphasizes **God's Heartbroken Lament and Perplexity**. It reveals a God who is not distant or indifferent but deeply grieved by His people's betrayal, a divine sorrow evident throughout [Jeremiah's prophecies](/jeremiah/7 "Jeremiah 7 - The Temple Sermon").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **planted (Hebrew, _nâṭaʻ'_):** From H5193, this primitive root means "to strike in, i.e. fix; specifically, to plant (literally or figuratively)." In Jeremiah 2:21, it emphasizes God's deliberate, careful, and foundational act of establishing Israel. It speaks to the intentionality and precision with which God brought Israel out of Egypt and settled them in the promised land, providing everything necessary for their flourishing as His chosen people.
* **noble vine (Hebrew, _sôrêq'_):** From H8321, this term refers to a "vine stock (properly, one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety); choice(-st, noble) wine." The _soreq_ was a highly prized, superior quality vine known for producing the finest, dark-red grapes. Its use here underscores the perfection, purity, and high potential of God's original planting of Israel, highlighting the ideal state in which they were established—a people set apart for God's glory, capable of bearing abundant good fruit.
* **turned (Hebrew, _hâphak'_):** From H2015, this primitive root means "to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert." This word captures the drastic and unexpected transformation of Israel. It implies a complete reversal from their original, noble state. The shift from a "noble vine" to a "degenerate plant of a strange vine" is not a gradual decline but a radical, perverted change, indicating a willful deviation from their divine purpose and identity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed:"** This opening clause establishes God's perfect and intentional foundation for Israel. The "I" is emphatic, highlighting God's personal involvement and commitment. "Planted" signifies His sovereign act of choosing and establishing them. "Noble vine" (soreq) emphasizes their high quality and potential, while "wholly a right seed" (Hebrew: _zera' 'emeth_) reinforces their pure, true, and authentic origin. God provided them with every spiritual advantage and a flawless beginning, setting them apart as a covenant people destined for fruitfulness and righteousness.
* **"how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?"** This is God's heartbroken rhetorical question, expressing profound astonishment and sorrow. The "how then" conveys utter perplexity at such a radical and inexplicable transformation. "Turned" (haphak) signifies a perversion or reversal of their original nature. "Degenerate plant" (Hebrew: _çûwr_) denotes something corrupted or turned aside from its true nature, while "strange vine" (Hebrew: _gephen nokrîy_) refers to a foreign, wild, or inferior vine, producing bad fruit. The phrase "unto me" underscores the personal offense and betrayal against God Himself, who had invested so much in them. It highlights their spiritual adultery and adoption of foreign idolatry, which produced bitter fruit instead of righteousness.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 2:21 is rich in literary artistry, primarily employing **Metaphor** and **Rhetorical Question**. The central **Metaphor** is that of Israel as a vine. This imagery, common throughout the Old Testament, illustrates God's careful cultivation and expectation of fruitfulness from His people. The contrast between the "noble vine" and the "degenerate plant of a strange vine" is a powerful **Juxtaposition** that highlights Israel's radical spiritual decline. The **Rhetorical Question**, "how then art thou turned...?", serves to convey God's deep sorrow, bewilderment, and sense of betrayal, almost **Personifying** God's grief as a gardener lamenting the ruin of his prize vineyard. This question is not seeking an answer but expressing the profound tragedy of Israel's apostasy, emphasizing the inexplicable nature of their unfaithfulness despite God's perfect provision.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 2:21 profoundly illustrates the covenant relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing divine grace and human responsibility. God's initial act of planting Israel as a "noble vine" speaks to His sovereign election and meticulous care, providing them with everything necessary for spiritual flourishing. However, Israel's subsequent transformation into a "degenerate plant of a strange vine" underscores the tragic reality of human rebellion and the devastating consequences of spiritual apostasy. This verse serves as a powerful theological statement on the nature of faithfulness and betrayal, revealing God's deep emotional investment in His people and His heartbroken response to their unfaithfulness. It resonates with other prophetic passages that use similar vine imagery to depict Israel's relationship with God, often highlighting their failure to produce righteous fruit.

* [Psalm 80:8](/psalm/80-8 "Psalm 80:8 - God's Vine from Egypt")
* [Isaiah 5:1-7](/isaiah/5-1 "Isaiah 5:1-7 - The Song of the Vineyard")
* [Hosea 10:1](/hosea/10-1 "Hosea 10:1 - Israel, a Degenerate Vine")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 2:21 serves as a timeless mirror for individual believers and the church today. Just as God meticulously cultivated Israel, He also invests profoundly in each of us, planting us in His kingdom with every spiritual blessing and the potential to bear good fruit. The question for us is whether we are maintaining our identity as a "noble vine," rooted in Christ and His truth, or if we are allowing the influences of the world, false teachings, or personal compromises to transform us into a "degenerate plant of a strange vine." This verse calls us to vigilant self-examination, urging us to guard our hearts and minds against anything that would corrupt our spiritual purity or turn us away from our first love. It reminds us that true spiritual vitality comes from abiding in the True Vine and faithfully reflecting His character in a world that desperately needs to see His light.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be allowing "strange influences" to corrupt my spiritual "vine"?**
* **How does God's heartbroken question in this verse speak to His character and His desire for my faithfulness?**
* **What practical steps can I take to ensure I remain a "noble vine" that bears fruit for God's glory?**
* **How does my understanding of God's initial investment in Israel (planting a noble vine) deepen my appreciation for His grace in my own life?**

### FAQ
**Why does God use the vine imagery so often for Israel?**

Answer: The vine imagery is a rich and recurring metaphor in the Old Testament because it was deeply familiar to an agrarian society like ancient Israel. It effectively conveys several theological truths: God's role as the careful cultivator and provider, Israel's potential for fruitfulness (righteousness and obedience), and their responsibility to bear good fruit. It also highlights the intimate relationship between God and His people, as a vine is utterly dependent on its planter for life and sustenance. Passages like [Psalm 80:8-16](/psalm/80-8 "Psalm 80:8-16 - The Vine from Egypt") and [Isaiah 5:1-7](/isaiah/5-1 "Isaiah 5:1-7 - The Song of the Vineyard") vividly portray this relationship, often lamenting Israel's failure to live up to its divine calling.

**What does "degenerate plant of a strange vine" specifically mean?**

Answer: This phrase powerfully describes Israel's spiritual decline and apostasy. A "degenerate plant" (Hebrew: _çûwr_) implies a corruption or turning away from its original, pure nature. It's a plant that has gone bad, producing sour or worthless fruit instead of good fruit. A "strange vine" (Hebrew: _gephen nokrîy_) refers to a foreign, wild, or alien vine. Together, they signify that Israel, once pure and divinely cultivated, had become utterly corrupted by adopting foreign gods and pagan practices. They were no longer producing the fruit of righteousness and obedience to Yahweh but the bitter fruit of idolatry and unfaithfulness, completely alien to their true identity as God's chosen people.

**Does God give up on His people when they turn away?**

Answer: While Jeremiah 2:21 expresses God's profound grief and disappointment over Israel's turning away, it does not imply that God gives up on His people entirely. The lament itself suggests a desire for reconciliation and restoration. Throughout Jeremiah, despite severe judgments, there are also promises of future restoration and a new covenant (e.g., [Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31 "Jeremiah 31:31-34 - The New Covenant")). God's faithfulness is ultimately greater than human unfaithfulness. While He holds His people accountable for their sin, His ultimate plan for redemption and the establishment of His kingdom prevails, demonstrating His enduring love and commitment even in the face of rebellion.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 2:21, with its lament over Israel as a degenerate vine, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus, who declares Himself to be the "true vine" in [John 15:1](/john/15-1 "John 15:1 - Jesus, the True Vine"). Israel, the Old Testament vine, failed to bear the fruit of righteousness and instead became corrupt. Jesus, however, embodies the perfect, "noble vine" that Israel was meant to be. He is the perfectly obedient Son who fulfills all of God's expectations. Believers, through faith, are grafted into Him, becoming branches on this true vine (as seen in [John 15:5](/john/15-5 "John 15:5 - Abiding in the Vine")). This spiritual grafting, foreshadowed in passages like [Romans 11:17-24](/romans/11-17 "Romans 11:17-24 - The Olive Tree and Gentiles Grafted In"), means that our spiritual vitality and ability to bear fruit (the fruit of the Spirit, as described in [Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22 "Galatians 5:22-23 - Fruit of the Spirit")) come not from our own inherent goodness or lineage, but from our intimate, abiding union with Christ. He is the source of life, purity, and fruitfulness, offering redemption from the degenerate nature of humanity and transforming us into branches that bear fruit for God's glory.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 5:4

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

Exodus 15:17

Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, [in] the place, O LORD, [which] thou hast made for thee to dwell in, [in] the Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands have established.

Psalms 44:2

[How] thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; [how] thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

John 15:1

¶ I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Deuteronomy 4:37

And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;

Psalms 80:8

¶ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

Deuteronomy 32:32

For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their clusters [are] bitter: