Jeremiah 17 2

Jeremiah 17:2 kjv

Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.

Jeremiah 17:2 nkjv

While their children remember Their altars and their wooden images By the green trees on the high hills.

Jeremiah 17:2 niv

Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles beside the spreading trees and on the high hills.

Jeremiah 17:2 esv

while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills,

Jeremiah 17:2 nlt

Even their children go to worship
at their pagan altars and Asherah poles,
beneath every green tree
and on every high hill.

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 17:2 illustrates the ingrained and generational nature of Judah's idolatry. It reveals that the pagan altars and Asherim, found in places associated with nature worship like green trees and high hills, were not just temporary transgressions but had become so fundamental that they were passed down and actively remembered by successive generations, including "their children." This deep-seated unfaithfulness signifies a persistent rebellion against the Lord and explains the coming divine judgment.

Jeremiah 17 2 Context

Jeremiah 17:2 sits within a severe indictment of Judah's unfaithfulness and persistent sin. Chapter 17 opens with the declaration that Judah’s sin is deeply inscribed upon their hearts and the horns of their altars (v. 1), indicating an ingrained rebellion that manifests physically in their worship practices. Verse 2 elaborates on this, illustrating how idolatry is not just current but intergenerational and culturally embedded. It forms part of the Lord's justification for the impending judgment of exile by the Babylonians, described immediately in verses 3-4, which details the removal of their substance and high places due to their sin. The larger prophetic context of Jeremiah focuses on the Lord’s unwavering covenant, Judah’s repeated apostasy, and the call for repentance before inevitable divine punishment for their pervasive spiritual corruption. Historically, Judah had a long legacy of syncretism, worshipping Yahweh alongside Canaanite deities like Baal and Asherah, particularly at "high places" (Bamah) and under sacred trees. Even reforms by kings like Josiah often failed to eradicate this deep-seated polytheism, as implied by this verse that suggests a resurgence or hidden persistence.

Jeremiah 17 2 Word analysis

• their children: (Hebrew: bneihem, בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם) - Literally "their sons," but often used for descendants or posterity, encompassing children. This highlights the trans-generational aspect of idolatry, implying that the parents' sin is either passed on through teaching or tradition, or that the memory of these illicit practices is sustained by successive generations. It emphasizes continuity and the profound entrenchment of apostasy within the family unit and broader society.
• remember: (Hebrew: zokrim, זֹֽכְרִים֙) - More than simple recollection, this verb implies a conscious mindful awareness, recognition, or observance of something. Here, it suggests that the practice and location of idolatry were actively maintained and acknowledged by the younger generation, not forgotten or repudiated. It underlines a failure to remember Yahweh's commands and instead, remembering and adhering to false worship.
• their altars: (Hebrew: mizbechotam, מִזְבְּחֽוֹתָם֙) - Refers to structures for pagan sacrifices. The plural "altars" contrasts sharply with the singular, legitimate altar dedicated to Yahweh in Jerusalem. The possessive "their" stresses that these altars belong to the people and their false gods, signifying worship directed away from the Lord, likely to Baal or other local deities.
• and their Asherim: (Hebrew: v'asherim, וַֽאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶם֙) - Asherim were wooden cult objects, often poles or stylized trees, associated with the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah (consort of Baal or El). Their presence explicitly represents pagan fertility cults, which involved illicit sexual rituals, prostitution, and infant sacrifice, all strictly forbidden by Yahweh.
• by the green trees: (Hebrew: 'al-etsim ra'anannim, עַל־עֵצִים֙ רַֽעֲנַנִּ֔ים) - "Green" or "flourishing" trees were commonly used as sites for pagan worship due to their natural beauty and symbolic association with fertility and life. This natural setting contrasts with the consecrated holiness of the Temple, indicating worship "outside the camp" of God's prescribed worship. It was a common feature of Canaanite worship that syncretized Israelites adopted.
• on the high hills: (Hebrew: al g'va'ot ha'g'vohim, עַל֙ גְּבָע֤וֹת הַגְּבֹהִֽים) - "High hills" or "high places" (often bamot) were prevalent locations for pagan altars. Their elevated position was thought to bring worshippers closer to their deities. For Judah, these sites represented the desecration of the land God had given them and were focal points for persistent idolatry, specifically condemned throughout the Mosaic Law and the Prophets.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• their children remember: This phrase profoundly illustrates the enduring legacy of sin. It is not just the parents who sin, but the practice of idolatry has become so ingrained that even the younger generation continues to acknowledge, perpetuate, and possibly partake in it. It suggests a lack of faithful teaching and adherence to God's covenant within the family unit, resulting in spiritual memory of false worship instead of divine truth.
• their altars and their Asherim: This pairing specifically identifies the objects of Judah's forbidden worship. The "altars" denote places of illicit sacrifice, and "Asherim" pinpoint the explicit veneration of pagan deities, often associated with fertility rites. Together, they represent a complete turning away from Yahweh, embracing foreign gods and practices.
• by the green trees, on the high hills: These phrases describe the typical locations for idolatrous worship. They signify that idolatry was widespread, often practiced openly in nature, visible and accessible. These natural settings symbolize Judah's regression to pre-Mosaic, animistic or polytheistic practices, neglecting the exclusive worship prescribed by God in His tabernacle/temple.

Jeremiah 17 2 Bonus section

• The 'memory' referred to in this verse is not one of remorse or repentance but a collective cultural memory that actively sustains illicit practices, thereby becoming a memory of sin that perpetuates judgment.
• The emphasis on "their altars" and "their Asherim" (using the possessive plural) highlights that these cultic items were firmly adopted by the people, standing in direct contrast to "the altar of the Lord," to which Judah should have directed its exclusive worship.
• This verse provides further evidence of the deep root of the "sin of Judah" described in Jeremiah 17:1, suggesting that idolatry wasn't superficial but profoundly etched into the fabric of society, impacting familial and communal identity.
• The specific mention of natural settings—"green trees" and "high hills"—connects to broader biblical polemics against fertility cults and the 'high places' that consistently enticed Israel away from Yahweh. It emphasizes how Judah embraced paganism fully, adopting its locations and symbols.

Jeremiah 17 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:2 is a lamentable portrait of Judah's profound and persistent apostasy. It follows the striking declaration of Judah's sin being etched on their hearts (v.1) by explaining how this indelible mark is practically manifested. The verse underscores that idolatry was not a transient lapse but a deeply embedded cultural memory, actively preserved and transmitted across generations. The "children" here signify not mere youthful innocence but the continuation of the idolatrous legacy, where the forbidden "altars and Asherim" were remembered as central to their worship. These pagan objects, frequently erected "by the green trees" and "on the high hills," signify Judah's syncretistic practices and open rebellion, favoring Canaanite nature worship over exclusive devotion to Yahweh. The widespread visibility and intergenerational memory of these idolatrous sites illustrate the national spiritual corruption, forming a crucial justification for God's impending severe judgment and exile. This continuous memory of sin, rather than of God's covenant, signifies Judah's catastrophic spiritual failure.