Jeremiah 2 12

Jeremiah 2:12 kjv

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:12 nkjv

Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate," says the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:12 niv

Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:12 esv

Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,

Jeremiah 2:12 nlt

The heavens are shocked at such a thing
and shrink back in horror and dismay,"
says the LORD.

Jeremiah 2 verses

Jeremiah 2 12 Meaning

Jeremiah 2:12 expresses God's profound horror and dismay at Judah's unparalleled spiritual apostasy. It is a divine appeal to the heavens, personified as witnesses, to be utterly appalled and desolate in response to the extraordinary sin of God's people. The verse precedes the specific declaration of Judah's two evils: forsaking the Lord, the fountain of living waters, and hewing out broken cisterns that can hold no water (Jer 2:13). The intensity of the language underscores the severity and unnaturalness of Judah's betrayal of their covenant relationship with God.

Jeremiah 2 12 Context

Jeremiah chapter 2 initiates a profound prophetic indictment against the kingdom of Judah. It forms part of God's "covenant lawsuit" (Hebrew: rib), where God, through His prophet, presents His case against His people for violating their covenant relationship.

In the preceding verses (Jer 2:1-3), God recalls His past devotion to Israel in her youth, comparing their relationship to that of a devoted newlywed bride, highlighting His constant provision and love. He remembers their initial faithfulness in the wilderness.

Verse 12 comes immediately before Jeremiah articulates the specific, grave charges against Judah: abandoning God, the true source of spiritual sustenance, for worthless idols and false securities (Jer 2:13). The call to the heavens in verse 12 sets the stage for the unveiling of this cosmic-level offense, emphasizing its extraordinary and appalling nature. Historically, Jeremiah prophesied during a period of rampant idolatry and moral decline in Judah, prior to the Babylonian exile, a time when syncretism and political alliances often took precedence over faithful worship of Yahweh.

Jeremiah 2 12 Word Analysis

• שֹׁמּוּ (shommu) / Be appalled: Derived from the Hebrew root shamem, meaning "to be desolate," "to be astonished," "to be horrified," or "to be dumbfounded." In this context, it is an imperative verb, calling the heavens to a state of profound shock and astonishment, bordering on desolate horror. It signifies that the sin described is so grievous and unnatural that it should drain the life out of existence itself.
• שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) / O heavens: Refers to the celestial realm. In biblical thought, the heavens, along with the earth, are often personified as witnesses to significant events, especially covenant dealings and transgressions (Deut 32:1; Isa 1:2). Their invoked reaction underscores the universal gravity of Judah's offense and that even creation itself stands in bewildered judgment.
• עַל־זֹאת (al-zot) / at this: A demonstrative phrase, pointing to the specific, unprecedented sin of Judah which is articulated in the very next verse (Jer 2:13): forsaking God, the living fountain, for broken, futile cisterns. This "this" is the core cause of the cosmic shock.
• וְשַׂעֲרוּ (v'sa'aru) / be shocked: From the Hebrew root sa'ar, meaning "to shudder," "to bristle," "to be deeply distressed," or "to have one's hair stand on end." It intensifies the reaction conveyed by shommu, depicting an almost physical, visceral horror and repulsion. It implies a deeply unsettling and disturbing experience, highlighting the repugnance of Judah's action.
• חָרְבוּ (charvu) / be utterly desolate: From the root harev, meaning "to dry up," "to be ruined," "to be laid waste." This word speaks of extreme devastation and emptiness. When applied to the heavens' reaction, it suggests a profound, unrepairable ruin or a deep void created by the horror of the sin. It reinforces the severity to the utmost degree, moving from initial shock to an enduring state of utter emptiness or dismay.
• מְאֹד (me'od) / utterly / very: An intensifying adverb, meaning "very much," "exceedingly," "mightily." It magnifies the preceding verb charvu, emphasizing that the desolation is not just present but of the most extreme degree possible.
• נְאֻם יְהוָה (ne'um YHWH) / declares the Lord: This is a characteristic divine oracle formula, emphatically affirming that the preceding statement comes directly and authoritatively from Yahweh, the sovereign God of Israel. It authenticates the divine source and underscores the divine pathos—God Himself is stating the cosmic horror of Judah's rebellion.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Be appalled, O heavens, at this": This opening establishes a profound rhetorical device, personifying the heavens and calling them to witness Judah's sin. It lifts the human transgression to a cosmic scale, implying that the apostasy is so flagrant that even the non-human creation recoils from it in horror. This form of address is typically found in legal contexts where God calls the cosmos to testify against Israel's covenant breaking.
• "be shocked, be utterly desolate": This triad of verbs—shommu (appalled), sa'aru (shocked/shudder), charvu (desolate)—represents an escalating sequence of reaction. It builds from an initial astonished horror to a deeper, more physical revulsion, culminating in an extreme state of spiritual emptiness or utter dismay. The progression signifies the incomprehensible and foundational disruption caused by Judah's sin, impacting the very order of things. The inclusion of me'od (utterly) emphasizes the apex of this horrified desolation.
• "declares the Lord": This concluding formula firmly asserts the divine origin and authority of the statement. It is not merely Jeremiah's lament but God's own distraught declaration, underscoring His profound personal anguish and absolute authority in judging His people's unparalleled betrayal. It lends undeniable weight to the cosmic reaction called for.

Jeremiah 2 12 Bonus Section

• Unparalleled Sin: Jeremiah will further emphasize the uniqueness of Judah's sin in verse 11, where God challenges the heavens to show if any other nation has ever abandoned its false gods, yet Judah abandoned the true and living God. This makes their sin utterly unparalleled and devoid of any rational precedent.
• God's Personal Anguish: The verse deeply reflects God's emotional involvement. The language is not one of detached legal accusation but of pained disbelief and astonishment. It gives insight into the depth of God's sorrow over human unfaithfulness, presenting God not just as judge but as the heartbroken spouse of His unfaithful people.
• Symbolic Language: The imagery of the heavens reacting highlights the covenant-breaking aspect. Just as the heavens and earth witnessed the making of the covenant (Deut 4:26), they are now called upon to witness its grotesque violation, indicating a reversal of order and an affront to the cosmic covenant itself.

Jeremiah 2 12 Commentary

Jeremiah 2:12 serves as a dramatic exclamatory prelude to God's specific accusations against Judah. The call for the heavens to be appalled, shocked, and utterly desolate is a hyperbolic rhetorical device intended to magnify the egregious nature of Judah's spiritual idolatry and abandonment of God. It highlights that their sin is not merely a human failing but an affront so monumental it shatters the cosmic order and evokes horror in creation itself. Even lifeless creation, in its adherence to God's design, is invoked to react more faithfully and astutely than God's chosen people.

The language evokes profound divine grief and exasperation. God, who had lavished His covenant faithfulness on Israel, now calls the cosmos to witness the depths of their ingratitude and senseless betrayal. This is not simply a detached judgment but an expression of divine pathos, reflecting the Creator's heartbreak over the spiritual suicide of His people. The sin is truly unnatural—an unheard-of phenomenon even among pagan nations who, unlike Judah, at least held to their "no-gods" with a perverse consistency. Judah's two great evils—forsaking the source of life and exchanging it for worthlessness—are presented as utterly illogical and deeply offensive. The verse effectively sets the somber and shocking tone for the divine lawsuit that follows, underlining the dire consequences of turning away from the living God.