Jeremiah 2:32

Can a maid forget her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Can a maid {H1330} forget {H7911} her ornaments {H5716}, or a bride {H3618} her attire {H7196}? yet my people {H5971} have forgotten {H7911} me days {H3117} without number {H4557}.

Does a girl forget her jewellery, or a bride her wedding sash? Yet my people have forgotten me, days beyond numbering.

Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.

Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Jeremiah 2:32 presents a poignant divine lament, contrasting the natural human inclination to cherish valuable possessions with the unnatural spiritual forgetfulness of God's people, Judah. Through a vivid analogy, God expresses His astonishment and grief over their abandonment of Him.

Context

This verse is part of Jeremiah's early prophetic messages to the kingdom of Judah, delivered before its fall to Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah was called by God to confront a nation that had largely abandoned its covenant relationship with Him, turning instead to idolatry and false gods. Chapters 1 and 2 establish God's charges against Judah, highlighting their spiritual apostasy despite His unwavering faithfulness.

The Lord here speaks as a spurned husband, using a powerful analogy to express His deep hurt and astonishment at His people's neglect of Him, who is their true source of life and identity.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Forgetfulness: The core theme is the profound and shocking forgetfulness of God by His chosen people. The metaphor of a maid forgetting her ornaments or a bride her attire emphasizes how utterly unnatural and grievous this spiritual amnesia is. These items are deeply personal, cherished, and essential to identity, yet God, who is infinitely more vital, was forgotten "days without number."
  • God's Lament and Astonishment: The verse reveals God's emotional response – not just anger, but a deep lament and astonishment. He marvels at their capacity to disregard Him after all He had done for them, particularly in light of their covenant relationship established at Sinai.
  • Israel's Unfaithfulness vs. God's Faithfulness: It starkly contrasts the persistent unfaithfulness of Judah with the enduring faithfulness of God. Despite their repeated wanderings and idolatry, God remained constant, yet they continually turned away, as seen throughout Jeremiah 2, where Judah is accused of forsaking the fountain of living waters.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for 'forgotten' (shakach) implies not just a momentary lapse of memory but a deliberate disregard or neglect. It suggests a turning away of the heart, a failure to acknowledge and honor what should be paramount. The phrase 'days without number' (yamim le'ein mispar) underscores the prolonged and habitual nature of this forgetfulness, indicating a deep-seated spiritual condition rather than an isolated incident.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 2:32 serves as a powerful call for self-examination for believers today. Do we, like ancient Judah, allow the cares and allurements of the world to cause us to forget God's presence, His commands, and His past faithfulness in our lives?

Just as a bride cherishes her attire, we are called to cherish our relationship with God above all else. Spiritual devotion requires intentional remembrance and valuing God's Word and presence in our daily lives. Neglecting our spiritual 'ornaments' – prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship – can lead to a gradual but profound spiritual amnesia. Even in this divine lament, there's an implicit reminder of God's enduring love and desire for His people to return to Him, echoing His constant call for repentance throughout the prophetic books.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 106:21

    They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

  • Jeremiah 13:25

    This [is] thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

  • Jeremiah 3:21

    A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God.

  • Jeremiah 2:11

    Hath a nation changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit.

  • Isaiah 17:10

    Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:

  • Isaiah 61:10

    ¶ I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels.

  • Psalms 9:17

    The wicked shall be turned into hell, [and] all the nations that forget God.

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