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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 2:1–8. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“What transgression have your fathers found in me?” … showing their thankless disposition, and that when in the enjoyment of all things, they requited it by the contraries; but here God expresses it with yet greater force.
Again, elsewhere he says, “What fault have your fathers found in me?” That which is said is great and marvelous, because what he says means, “What wrong have I done?” God tells human beings, “What sin have I committed?”—something that not even slaves tolerate that their master utter.
(Verse 7) And I led you into the land of Carmel, that you may eat its fruit and its goodness; and when you entered, you polluted my land and made my inheritance an abomination. For the labor of a very hard journey, I gave you abundance of all things. Indeed, Carmel, which is called Chermel in Hebrew, signifies this, and in our language it means the knowledge of circumcision. Just as that people defiled and violated the holy land and the fertile land of all things with idolatry, so we, receiving the knowledge of true circumcision, eat its fruits; and with negligence creeping in, we pollute God's land and make his inheritance abominable.
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Summary
Jeremiah 2:7 serves as a profound lament from the Lord, delivered through the prophet Jeremiah, exposing the stark dichotomy between divine grace and human ingratitude. It vividly recounts God's benevolent act of bringing Israel into a land of unparalleled abundance and provision, only to be met with their subsequent and deliberate defilement of that very land and His sacred heritage through idolatry and spiritual apostasy. This verse encapsulates the foundational covenant relationship, its blessings, and Israel's tragic betrayal, setting the stage for Jeremiah's prophetic message of judgment and call to repentance.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 2 opens with a direct appeal from the Lord to Israel, recalling their initial faithfulness in the wilderness (Jeremiah 2:2-3) before transitioning into a sharp rebuke for their subsequent spiritual adultery. Verse 7 specifically harks back to the Exodus and the entry into the Promised Land, serving as a pivotal point in God's historical dealings with His people. It immediately precedes a series of rhetorical questions and accusations against Israel's priests, prophets, and rulers (Jeremiah 2:8), further emphasizing their collective failure to uphold the covenant. The verse functions as a foundational premise for the ensuing indictment, highlighting the depth of Israel's sin in light of God's immense goodness.
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse references the foundational event of Israel's national identity: their deliverance from Egyptian bondage and their settlement in Canaan. The "plentiful country" refers to the land of Canaan, described elsewhere as "a land flowing with milk and honey" in Exodus 3:8. By Jeremiah's time (late 7th to early 6th century BCE), centuries had passed since the conquest. Judah, the southern kingdom, was deeply entrenched in syncretistic practices, blending Yahweh worship with the idolatry of Baal and other Canaanite deities. This spiritual corruption manifested in child sacrifice, prostitution, and social injustice, all of which were considered "abominations" in the eyes of the Lord. The concept of "defiling the land" was deeply rooted in Mosaic Law, where moral and ceremonial impurity, especially idolatry and bloodshed, were believed to pollute the land itself, leading to its "vomiting out" its inhabitants, as seen in Leviticus 18:25. Jeremiah's prophecy underscores the culmination of generations of such defilement.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 2:7 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it highlights Divine Benevolence and Provision, emphasizing God's unmerited grace in giving Israel a rich inheritance. Secondly, it starkly contrasts this with Human Ingratitude and Covenant Breach, revealing Israel's persistent rebellion despite God's goodness. The phrase "defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination" underscores the theme of Spiritual Apostasy and Idolatry, which is the primary charge against Judah throughout Jeremiah. This defilement was not merely external but deeply spiritual, polluting the very essence of their relationship with God and the land He had consecrated for them. This concept of the land as God's "heritage" also speaks to the theme of Divine Ownership and Holiness, implying that Israel's actions were a direct affront to God's sacred possession and His character. The verse sets the stage for the warnings of judgment and exile, which are consequences of such profound unfaithfulness, echoing the curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "a planted field (garden, orchard, vineyard or park); by implication, garden produce; full (green) ears (of corn), fruitful field (place), plentiful (field)." This word paints a vivid picture of lush fertility and abundance, emphasizing the generous and bountiful nature of the land God provided for Israel. It evokes images of a cultivated paradise, rich with produce, contrasting sharply with the barren wilderness from which they came and highlighting the sheer graciousness of God's gift.
A primitive root meaning "to be foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly." This term signifies a profound act of moral and spiritual corruption. It implies a deliberate act of rendering something pure and holy into something impure and profane. In this context, Israel's actions made God's holy land ceremonially and morally unclean, violating its sacred character and desecrating the very space where God's presence was meant to dwell.
Meaning "properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol; abominable (custom, thing), abomination." This is a strong term in the Old Testament, denoting something utterly detestable and repugnant to God, particularly in the context of idolatry, pagan practices, and severe moral transgressions. Its use here highlights the extreme offense Israel's actions caused God, transforming His cherished inheritance into something utterly repulsive and abhorrent to His holy character.
Verse Breakdown
"And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof"
This opening clause highlights God's initiative and boundless generosity. The "plentiful country" (Canaan) was a divine gift, a land of extraordinary abundance, intended to provide sustenance and prosperity for His people. The phrases "fruit thereof and the goodness thereof" underscore the richness, quality, and sheer delight of the provision, emphasizing that God's intention was for Israel to thrive, flourish, and enjoy the manifold blessings of the land He had prepared for them, thereby fulfilling His covenant promises.
"but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination"
This second clause introduces a stark contrast and a tragic turning point, marked by the emphatic conjunction "but." Upon entering the land, instead of stewarding it faithfully and worshiping the Giver, Israel "defiled" it through their idolatry, immoral practices, and persistent covenant breaking. The land is explicitly called "my land" and "mine heritage," emphasizing God's personal ownership and the sacredness of His gift. By their actions, they transformed this holy possession into an "abomination," something utterly detestable and repugnant to God, reflecting the profound severity of their spiritual rebellion and ingratitude.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 2:7 masterfully employs Contrast to highlight the profound disjunction between God's benevolent actions and Israel's rebellious response. The initial depiction of God's lavish provision ("plentiful country," "fruit," "goodness") is sharply juxtaposed with Israel's destructive actions ("defiled," "abomination"). This creates a powerful rhetorical effect, emphasizing the depth of Israel's ingratitude and the tragic irony of their behavior. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Personification by describing the land as "my land" and "mine heritage," imbuing it with a sense of personal value and sacredness to God. This makes Israel's defilement not merely an act against a physical space, but a direct affront to God's personal possession and holiness. The strong terms "defiled" and "abomination" also contribute to a sense of Hyperbole, underscoring the extreme nature of Israel's spiritual corruption in God's eyes, conveying God's deep anguish and revulsion.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 2:7 profoundly articulates the theological principle of divine grace met with human unfaithfulness, a recurring motif throughout biblical history. God's act of bringing Israel into a "plentiful country" is a testament to His covenant faithfulness and boundless generosity, providing for His people beyond their deserts. However, Israel's subsequent defilement of this sacred gift through idolatry and moral corruption reveals the deep-seated human propensity for rebellion and ingratitude, even in the face of overwhelming blessing. This verse underscores the sanctity of God's gifts and the serious consequences of profaning what He has consecrated. It serves as a stark reminder that blessings come with responsibilities, and the misuse of divine provision leads to spiritual decay and divine judgment.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 2:7 is a timeless mirror reflecting the human condition and God's enduring character. It challenges us to honestly assess our own lives: Have we recognized the "plentiful country" God has brought us into—the spiritual blessings, material provisions, and opportunities He has graciously bestowed? Do we steward these gifts with gratitude and reverence, or do we, like ancient Israel, defile our "land" (our lives, our bodies, our relationships, our influence, our communities) through spiritual apathy, idolatry (anything that takes God's rightful place), or moral compromise? This verse calls us to a profound self-examination, urging us to consider the seriousness of sin and its capacity to turn God's precious gifts into an "abomination." It compels us to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving and a commitment to holiness, ensuring that our lives reflect the honor due to the Giver of all good things, rather than profaning His sacred trust and inviting His righteous displeasure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "defiled my land" specifically refer to in this context?
In Jeremiah 2:7, "defiled my land" primarily refers to Israel's spiritual defilement through idolatry and the associated immoral practices that permeated their society. According to Mosaic Law, the land itself was considered holy because God dwelt among His people there. Practices such as worshiping false gods, child sacrifice, sexual immorality, and bloodshed were seen as polluting the land, making it ceremonially and morally unclean. This defilement was so severe that the land was said to "vomit out" its inhabitants, as described in Leviticus 18:25 and Numbers 35:33-34. Thus, Israel's actions were not just a sin against God's commands, but an actual desecration of the physical space He had given them as a sacred trust.
How is the concept of "heritage" (H5159, nachălâh') used here, and why is its defilement so serious?
The term "heritage" (Hebrew: nachălâh') refers to something inherited, an estate, patrimony, or portion. In the context of Israel, the land of Canaan was God's direct inheritance to them, a fulfillment of His covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:7). It was not merely a piece of real estate but a sacred trust, a tangible sign of God's faithfulness and their unique relationship with Him. Its defilement was so serious because it represented a direct affront to God's ownership and holiness. By turning this divine gift into an "abomination" through their idolatry and sin, Israel was not only breaking the covenant but also desecrating God's personal property and profaning His very presence among them. This act of defilement was an ultimate betrayal of the Giver of the heritage.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 2:7, with its poignant portrayal of God's generous provision met with human defilement, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. While Israel defiled a physical land, humanity, in its fallen state, has defiled the spiritual "land" of God's image within us and the perfect relationship intended for us. Jesus, however, is the true and ultimate "plentiful country," the source of all spiritual fruit and goodness (John 15:1-5). He came not to condemn the defiled heritage but to redeem it. Through His sinless life, sacrificial death on the cross, and glorious resurrection, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the covenant that Israel continually broke. He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, cleansing us from the defilement of sin and making us a "holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (1 Peter 2:9). In Him, believers receive a new, undefiled spiritual inheritance (Ephesians 1:11) and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives that honor God, transforming what was once an "abomination" into a dwelling place for His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Thus, where Israel failed to steward God's physical heritage, Christ perfectly stewards His spiritual heritage, bringing about a new creation that is forever consecrated to God.