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Commentary on Jeremiah 2 verses 1–8
Here is, I. A command given to Jeremiah to go and carry a message from God to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He was charged in general (Jer 1:17) to go and speak to them; here he is particularly charged to go and speak this to them. Note, It is good for ministers by faith and prayer to take out a fresh commission when they address themselves solemnly to any part of their work. Let a minister carefully compare what he has to deliver with the word of God, and see that it agrees with it, that he may be able to say, not only, The Lord sent me, but, He sent me to speak this. He must go from Anathoth, where he lived in a pleasant retirement, spending his time (it is likely) among a few friends and in the study of the law, and must make his appearance at Jerusalem, that noisy tumultuous city, and cry in their ears, as a man in earnest and that would be heard: "Cry aloud, that all may hear, and none may plead ignorance. Go close to them, and cry in the ears of those that have stopped their ears."
II. The message he was commanded to deliver. He must upbraid them with their horrid ingratitude in forsaking a God who had been of old so kind to them, that this might either make them ashamed and bring them to repentance, or might justify God in turning his hand against them.
1.God here puts them in mind of the favours he had of old bestowed upon them, when they were first formed into a people (Jer 2:2): "I remember for thy sake, and I would have thee to remember it, and improve the remembrance of it for thy good; I cannot forget the kindness of thy youth and the love of thy espousals."
(1.)This may be understood of the kindness they had for God; it was not such indeed as they had any reason to boast of, or to plead with God for favour to be shown them (for many of them were very unkind and provoking, and, when they did return and enquire early after God, they did but flatter him), yet God is pleased to mention it, and plead it with them; for, though it was but little love that they showed him, he took it kindly. When they believed the Lord and his servant Moses, when they sang God's praise at the Red Sea, when at the foot of Mount Sinai they promised, All that the Lord shall say unto us we will do and will be obedient, then was the kindness of their youth and the love of their espousals. When they seemed so forward for God he said, Surely they are my people, and will be faithful to me, children that will not lie. Note, Those that begin well and promise fair, but do not perform and persevere, will justly be upbraided with their hopeful and promising beginnings. God remembers the kindness of our youth and the love of our espousals, the zeal we then seemed to have for him and the affection wherewith we made our covenants with him, the buds and blossoms that never came to perfection; and it is good for us to remember them, that we may remember whence we have fallen, and return to our first love, Rev 2:4, Rev 2:5; Gal 4:15. In two things appeared the kindness of their youth: - [1.] That they followed the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness; and though sometimes they spoke of returning into Egypt, or pushing forward into Canaan, yet they did neither, but for forty years together went after God in the wilderness, and trusted him to provide for them, though it was a land that was not sown. This God took kindly, and took notice of it to their praise long after, that, though much was amiss among them, yet they never forsook the guidance they were under. Thus, though Christ often chid his disciples, yet he commended them, at parting, for continuing with him, Luk 22:28. It must be the strong affection of the youth, and the espousals, that will carry us on to follow God in a wilderness, with an implicit faith and an entire resignation; and it is a pity that those who have so followed him should ever leave him. [2.] That they entertained divine institutions, set up the tabernacle among them, and attended the service of it. Israel was then holiness to the Lord; they joined themselves to him in covenant as a peculiar people. Thus they began in the spirit, and God puts them in mind of it, that they might be ashamed of ending in the flesh.
(2.)Or it may be understood of God's kindness to them; of that he afterwards speaks largely. When Israel was a child, then I loved him, Hos 11:1. He then espoused that people to himself with all the affection with which a young man marries a virgin (Isa 62:5), for the time was a time of love, Eze 16:8. [1.] God appropriated them to himself. Though they were a sinful people, yet, by virtue of the covenant made with them and the church set up among them, they were holiness to the Lord, dedicated to his honour and taken under his special tuition; they were the first fruits of his increase, the first constituted church he had in the world; they were the first-fruits, but the full harvest was to be gathered from among the Gentiles. The first-fruits of the increase were God's part of it, were offered to him, and he was honoured with them; so were the people of the Jews; what little tribute, rent, and homage, God had from the world, he had it chiefly from them; and it was their honour to be thus set apart for God. This honour have all the saints; they are the first-fruits of his creatures, Jam 1:18. [2.] Having espoused them, he espoused their cause, and became an enemy to their enemies, Exo 23:22. Being the first-fruits of his increase, all that devoured him (so it should be read) did offend; they trespassed, they contracted guilt, and evil befel them, as those were reckoned offenders that devoured the first-fruits, or any thing else that was holy to the Lord, that embezzled them, or converted them to their own use, Lev 5:15. Whoever offered any injury to the people of God did so at their peril; their God was ready to avenge their quarrel, and said to the proudest of kings, Touch not my anointed, Psa 105:14, Psa 105:15; Exo 17:14. He had in a special manner a controversy with those that attempted to debauch them and draw them off from being holiness to the Lord; witness his quarrel with the Midianites about the matter of Peor, Num 25:17, Num 25:18. [3.] He brought them out of Egypt with a high hand and great terror (Deu 4:34), and yet with a kind hand and great tenderness led them through a vast howling wilderness (Jer 2:6), a land of deserts and pits, or of graves, terram sepulchralem - a sepulchral land, where there was ground, not to feed them, but to bury them, where there was no good to be expected, for it was a land of drought, but all manner of evil to be feared, for it was the shadow of death. In that darksome valley they walked forty years; but God was with them; his rod, in Moses's hand, and his staff, comforted them, and even there God prepared a table for them (Psa 23:4, Psa 23:5), gave them bread out of the clouds and drink out of the rocks. It was a land abandoned by all mankind, as yielding neither road nor rest. It was no thoroughfare, for no man passed through it - no settlement, for no man dwelt there. For God will teach his people to tread untrodden paths, to dwell alone, and to be singular. The difficulties of the journey are thus insisted on, to magnify the power and goodness of God in bringing them, through all, safely to their journey's end at last. All God's spiritual Israel must own their obligations to him for a safe conduct through the wilderness of this world, no less dangerous to the soul than that was to the body. [4.] At length he settled them in Canaan (Jer 2:7): I brought you into a plentiful country, which would be the more acceptable after they had been for so many years in a land of drought. They did eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof, and were allowed so to do. I brought you into a land of Carmel (so the word is); Carmel was a place of extraordinary fruitfulness, and Canaan was as one great fruitful field, Deu 8:7. [5.] God gave them the means of knowledge and grace, and communion with him; this is implied, Jer 2:8. They had priests that handled the law, read it, and expounded it to them; that was part of their business, Deu 33:8. They had pastors, to guide them and take care of their affairs, magistrates and judges; they had prophets to consult God for them and to make known his mind to them.
2.He upbraids them with their horrid ingratitude, and the ill returns they had made him for these favours; let them all come and answer to this charge (Jer 2:4); it is exhibited in the name of God against all the families of the house of Israel, for they can none of them plead, Not guilty. (1.) He challenges them to produce any instance of his being unjust and unkind to them. Though he had conferred favours upon them in some things, yet, if in other things he had dealt hardly with them, they would not have been altogether without excuse. He therefore puts it fairly to them to show cause for their deserting him (Jer 2:5): "What iniquity have your fathers found in me, or you either? Have you, upon trial, found God a hard master? Have his commands put any hardship upon you or obliged you to any thing unfit, unfair, or unbecoming you? Have his promises put any cheats upon you, or raised your expectations of things which you were afterwards disappointed of? You that have renounced your covenant with God, can you say that it was a hard bargain and that which you could not live upon? You that have forsaken the ordinances of God, can you say that it was because they were a wearisome service, or work that there was nothing to be got by? No; the disappointments you have met with were owing to yourselves, not to God. The yoke of his commandments if easy, and in the keeping of them there is great reward." Note, Those that forsake God cannot say that he has ever given them any provocation to do so: for this we may safely appeal to the consciences of sinners; the slothful servant that offered such a plea as this had it overruled out of his own mouth, Luk 19:22. Though he afflicts us, we cannot say that there is iniquity in him; he does us no wrong. The ways of the Lord are undoubtedly equal; all the iniquity is in our ways. (2.) He charges them with being very unjust and unkind to him notwithstanding. [1.] They had quitted his service: "They have gone from me, nay, they have gone far from me." They studied how to estrange themselves from God and their duty, and got as far as they could out of the reach of his commandments and their own convictions. Those that have deserted religion commonly set themselves at a greater distance from it, and in a greater opposition to it, than those that never knew it. [2.] They had quitted it for the service of idols, which was so much the greater reproach to God and his service; they went from him, not to better themselves, but to cheat themselves: They have walked after vanity, that is, idolatry; for an idol is a vain thing; it is nothing in the world, Co1 8:4; Deu 32:21; Jer 14:22. Idolatrous worships are vanities, Act 14:15. Idolaters are vain, for those that make idols are like unto them (Psa 115:8), as much stocks and stones as the images they worship, and good for as little. [3.] They had with idolatry introduced all manner of wickedness. When they entered into the good land which God gave them they defiled it (Jer 2:7), by defiling themselves and disfitting themselves for the service of God. It was God's land; they were but tenants to him, sojourners in it, Lev 25:23. It was his heritage, for it was a holy land, Immanuel's land; but they made it an abomination, even to God himself, who was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel. [4.] Having forsaken God, though they soon found that they had changed for the worse, yet they had no thoughts of returning to him again, nor took any steps towards it. Neither the people nor the priests made any enquiry after him, took any thought about their duty to him, nor expressed any desire to recover his favour. First, The people said not, Where is the Lord? Jer 2:6. Though they were trained up in an observance of him as their God, and had been often told that he brought them out of the land of Egypt, to be a people peculiar to himself, yet they never asked after him nor desired the knowledge of his ways. Secondly, The priests said not, Where is the Lord? Jer 2:8. Those whose office it was to attend immediately upon him were in no concern to acquaint themselves with him, or approve themselves to him. Those who should have instructed the people in the knowledge of God took no care to get the knowledge of him themselves. The scribes, who handled the law, did not know God nor his will, could not expound the scriptures at all, or not aright. The pastors, who should have kept the flock from transgressing, were themselves ringleaders in transgression: They have transgressed against me. The pretenders to prophecy prophesied by Baal, in his name, to his honour, being backed and supported by the wicked kings to confront the Lord's prophets. Baal's prophets joined with Baal's priests, and walked after the things which do not profit, that is, after the idols which can be no way helpful to their worshippers. See how the best characters are usurped, and the best offices liable to corruption; and wonder not at the sin and ruin of a people when the blind are leaders of the blind.
The prophets say, “And the Word of the Lord came to me.” … All these messages proscribe in every light the Arian heresy and signify the eternity of the Word, and that he is not foreign but proper to the Father’s essence.
Consider by how many testimonies the Word of the Lord urges us to recite the Holy Scriptures in order that we may possess through faith what we have repeated with our mouth.… And elsewhere it is written, I remembered the mercy of your youth.
(Verse 3.) Holy is Israel to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest: all who devour him shall be guilty; evil shall come upon them, says the Lord. When Israel speaks of the first fruits of the Lord's harvest, it shows that the people are gathered from the nations after the first fruits; according to what is written in another place: Remember your congregation, whom you have possessed from the beginning (Psalm 73:2). However, the first fruits are always owed to the priests, not to the enemies. What follows is this: All those who devour him will sin: evil will come upon them, says the Lord. This is its meaning: Just as those who devour the offerings (Numbers 5) are not from the priestly lineage, they are guilty of a sinful act, so those who defile Israel will be subjected to great evil: as it is written in the twenty-sixth psalm by the holy David: While evil men approach me to consume my flesh, my enemies who trouble me have become weak and fallen (Psalm 26:3-4). For indeed, those who carry out the sentence of God will not be exempt from punishment, and evils come upon them; for scandals must come, but woe to him through whom the scandals come (Mat. XVIII).
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 2:3 encapsulates the profound, covenantal relationship between Yahweh and ancient Israel, portraying the nation as uniquely consecrated to Him, akin to the sacred firstfruits of a harvest. This divine election established Israel as a distinct people, set apart for God's purposes and under His special protection. Consequently, the verse issues a stern warning: any nation or entity that would "devour" or harm Israel would incur divine guilt and face severe judgment from the LORD, underscoring God's unwavering commitment to His chosen people.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 2 opens with a poignant lament from the LORD, recalling Israel's early devotion and faithfulness during their wilderness journey, likening it to the honeymoon period of a newlywed bride, as seen in Jeremiah 2:2. This verse, Jeremiah 2:3, immediately follows, establishing the unique, consecrated status Israel held in God's eyes from the very beginning. It sets the stage for the subsequent indictment against Judah's later apostasy, highlighting the stark contrast between their initial fidelity and their subsequent spiritual adultery, as described throughout Jeremiah 2. The divine protection articulated here serves as a powerful reminder of God's steadfastness, even as He prepares to judge His unfaithful people, emphasizing the gravity of their departure from such a privileged relationship.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, primarily in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, leading up to the Babylonian exile. This era was marked by political instability, religious syncretism, and a decline in covenant faithfulness after the death of the righteous King Josiah. The imagery of "firstfruits" (Hebrew: rêʼshîyth) is deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern agricultural societies and Israelite religious practice. The first and best of the harvest were consecrated to God as an offering, acknowledging His sovereignty and provision over the entire yield, as commanded in passages like Exodus 23:19. Culturally, this practice signified ownership, dedication, and the expectation of blessing. For Israel to be called God's "firstfruits" underscored their unique status as a consecrated nation, personally chosen and owned by Yahweh, distinct from all other peoples, and set apart for His exclusive purposes.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Jeremiah and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Election and Sanctification, emphasizing God's sovereign choice of Israel and their consequent status as "holiness unto the LORD," set apart for His exclusive purposes. Secondly, it underscores God's Ownership and Covenantal Loyalty, portraying Israel as His precious "firstfruits," signifying His rightful claim over them and His unwavering commitment to their well-being. This theme is foundational to understanding the covenant relationship established at Sinai, where Israel was declared a "treasured possession" (see Exodus 19:5-6). Thirdly, the verse introduces the theme of Divine Protection and Retributive Justice. The declaration that "all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them" serves as a potent warning against those who would harm God's chosen people, echoing earlier promises of blessing those who bless Israel and cursing those who curse them, as found in Genesis 12:3. This foreshadows the judgment that will fall upon nations like Babylon, who, though used by God for discipline, ultimately incur guilt for their excessive cruelty against His people.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 2:3 is rich in Imagery, particularly the agricultural metaphor of "firstfruits," which vividly portrays Israel's precious and consecrated status before God. This image evokes concepts of ownership, dedication, and the expectation of blessing, drawing on a cultural understanding of sacred offerings and God's sovereignty over creation. The phrase "all that devour him" employs a powerful Metaphor of consumption, personifying nations or entities that seek to destroy Israel as ravenous beasts or destructive forces. This is coupled with a clear principle of Retributive Justice, where the act of "devouring" directly leads to the consequence of "offending" and "evil coming upon them," illustrating a direct cause-and-effect relationship in divine judgment. The concluding phrase, "saith the LORD," is a classic prophetic Formulaic Declaration (or "oracle formula"), lending absolute authority and divine certainty to the pronouncement, emphasizing that this is not merely Jeremiah's word but the infallible decree of Yahweh Himself. The verse also employs a form of Parallelism in its structure, linking Israel's sacred identity ("holiness," "firstfruits") with the inevitable judgment upon those who violate that sacredness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 2:3 profoundly illustrates the enduring theological truth of God's covenantal faithfulness and His protective sovereignty over His chosen people. Israel's identity as "holiness unto the LORD" and "the firstfruits of his increase" underscores their unique status, not earned but graciously bestowed by divine election. This election established a special relationship where God committed to defending His people, viewing any aggression against them as an affront to Himself. This principle highlights God's justice: while He might use nations to discipline Israel, He holds those nations accountable for their malicious intent and excessive cruelty. The verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's covenant promises are inviolable, and His protective hand extends over those He has set apart for Himself, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His redemptive plan.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 2:3, while rooted in ancient Israel's experience, offers profound reflections for believers today. It reminds us that God initiates relationships, choosing and setting apart a people for Himself. As New Testament believers, we are called to be a "holy nation, a people for God's own possession," echoing Israel's original calling, as articulated in 1 Peter 2:9. This verse encourages us to embrace our identity in Christ as those who are "in Christ" and therefore set apart for God's purposes. It assures us of God's protective care; just as He guarded ancient Israel, He watches over His spiritual children. While we do not seek physical retribution, we trust that God is ultimately sovereign over all who oppose His kingdom and His people, and that justice, in His time, will prevail. Our call is to live out our consecrated identity, trusting in His steadfast love and protection, and to remember that our lives are a "firstfruits" offering of worship and service to Him, dedicated to His glory.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Israel was holiness unto the LORD" truly mean?
Answer: This phrase signifies Israel's unique and consecrated status. It means that God Himself set Israel apart from all other nations, dedicating them exclusively to Himself for His divine purposes. They were considered sacred, distinct, and belonging to Yahweh, reflecting His own holy character. This was not a status they earned, but one graciously bestowed by God as part of His covenant with them, making them a special people and a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation," as described in Exodus 19:6.
How does the "firstfruits of his increase" imagery apply to Israel?
Answer: The "firstfruits" imagery draws from ancient agricultural practices where the first and best of the harvest were offered to God as a sign of dedication and gratitude. For Israel to be called God's "firstfruits" means they were His initial, most precious, and consecrated yield among all humanity. It highlights God's ownership of them, His blessing upon their existence, and their role as a special offering to Him, signifying His claim over them and the expectation of a greater spiritual harvest through them. It underscores their unique position as the initial recipients of His covenant blessings.
Who are "all that devour him" and what does it mean that "evil shall come upon them"?
Answer: "All that devour him" refers to any nation, entity, or individual who would oppress, harm, or seek to destroy Israel. Historically, this included nations like Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, who acted with malicious intent against God's chosen people. The declaration that "evil shall come upon them" signifies divine judgment and retribution. It means that those who unjustly attack or consume God's consecrated people will incur guilt before Him and face severe consequences, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to protect His own, as seen in His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. This "evil" is not merely misfortune but a divinely ordained calamity.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 2:3, with its declaration of Israel as "holiness unto the LORD" and "the firstfruits of his increase," finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ and His Church. While ancient Israel was God's chosen nation, their ultimate purpose was to point to the Messiah. Jesus himself is the true and ultimate "firstfruits"—the firstborn from the dead, as proclaimed in Colossians 1:18, and the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, assuring our resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:20. Through His perfect obedience, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, Christ consecrated humanity to God in a way Israel could not fully achieve. Believers, united with Christ, become part of this spiritual "firstfruits," a new people "holy and blameless before him" in love, as taught in Ephesians 1:4. The divine protection promised to Israel now extends to the Church, the body of Christ, as those who "devour" or oppose Christ's kingdom will ultimately incur God's wrath, for the gates of hell will not prevail against it, as Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 16:18. Thus, Jeremiah 2:3 foreshadows God's ultimate plan of redemption and consecration realized in Christ, establishing a new covenant people who are truly set apart for His glory and eternally secure in His protective hand.