Jeremiah 2 2

Jeremiah 2:2 kjv

Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Jeremiah 2:2 nkjv

"Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.

Jeremiah 2:2 niv

"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: "?'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.

Jeremiah 2:2 esv

"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, "I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

Jeremiah 2:2 nlt

"Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the LORD says: "I remember how eager you were to please me
as a young bride long ago,
how you loved me and followed me
even through the barren wilderness.

Jeremiah 2 verses

Jeremiah 2 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 2:2 conveys God's profound remembrance of Israel's initial faithfulness and unreserved devotion. He nostalgically recalls their foundational "devotion" and "love as a bride" when they committed solely to Him during the formative wilderness wandering period. This era, marked by hardship and complete reliance on God in an uncultivated land, represented Israel's pure, undivided loyalty to the Lord before they succumbed to widespread idolatry and apostasy after settling in Canaan. It stands as a divine appeal and a poignant reflection, sharply contrasting their original commitment with their present spiritual degradation.

Jeremiah 2 2 Context

Jeremiah 2 initiates a profound indictment against the nation of Judah for its profound spiritual decline, marked by widespread idolatry and abandonment of the Lord. Jeremiah's prophetic ministry was primarily active in the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, leading up to the Babylonian exile. While initially serving under King Josiah's period of reform, subsequent kings reversed these positive changes, plunging the nation into deeper apostasy. Jeremiah 2:2 serves as a pivotal introduction, a divinely expressed lament. Before detailing the nation's specific transgressions, God first recalls the foundational period of His covenant with Israel during the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. This nostalgic remembrance sharply contrasts Israel's initial devotion with their current unfaithfulness, amplifying the severity of their betrayal. Historically, Judah was rapidly approaching divine judgment, and Jeremiah's message was a final, fervent appeal for national repentance.

Jeremiah 2 2 Word analysis

• Go and proclaim: Emphasizes the urgent, public, and authoritative nature of Jeremiah's message, as it is a direct divine commission.
• in the hearing of Jerusalem: Directs the message to the spiritual and political heart of Judah, the capital city, indicating it is a warning for the entire covenant community.
• saying, 'Thus says the Lord: The powerful prophetic formula (Hebrew: koh amar YHWH) affirming that the subsequent words are a direct, authoritative declaration from God Himself.
• “I remember: (Hebrew: zakhar) - More than just cognitive recall, it signifies an active, faithful, and enduring covenant memory. God actively brings to mind their past loyalty, in contrast to their present disloyalty.
• concerning you: Specifically addresses the nation of Israel, and in Jeremiah's time, primarily Judah, as the direct recipient of God's covenant and subsequent disappointments.
• the devotion: (Hebrew: ḥesed) - A crucial covenantal term, often translated as "steadfast love," "loyal love," or "covenant faithfulness." Here, it describes Israel's active loyalty and commitment to God in their early history.
• of your youth: (Hebrew: ne'urim) - Denotes the fresh, vibrant, and foundational period of Israel as a nation, immediately following the Exodus from Egypt and during the wilderness journey. It refers to a time of national purity and uncorrupted zeal.
• your love as a bride: (Hebrew: ahavat kallah) - Powerful marriage imagery symbolizing the pure, exclusive, and unreserved affection and commitment expected at the very beginning of a marital relationship. It paints a picture of Israel's initial, undivided love for God immediately after the Sinai covenant.
• how you followed me: Implies Israel's intentional obedience, trust, and single-minded pursuit of God, signifying their journey and reliance on Him during the wilderness period.
• in the wilderness: (Hebrew: bamidbar) - The desert or desolate region. While a place of hardship and testing, it was also a unique period of profound intimacy with God, where Israel was entirely dependent on His miraculous provision, free from the idolatrous influences of other nations.
• in a land not sown: (Hebrew: eretz lo zeru'ah) - Emphasizes the barren, uncultivated, and wild nature of the wilderness. This reinforces Israel's utter dependence on God for survival, highlighting that they had nothing and relied solely on His divine provision.

Words-group analysis:

• "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the Lord': This powerful introductory sequence establishes the solemn and divine authority of Jeremiah's message. It ensures that God's forthcoming lament is not perceived as mere human sentiment but as a direct pronouncement from the sovereign Lord, delivered to the heart of His covenant people.
• "I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride": This deeply personal and nostalgic phrase highlights God's grief over a broken relationship. The "remembrance" of initial "devotion" (covenant faithfulness) and "love as a bride" evokes the purest, most uncorrupted stage of Israel's relationship with God, establishing a rhetorical contrast with their present infidelity and magnifying the tragedy of their departure.
• "how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown": This paints a vivid picture of absolute dependence and obedience. The "wilderness" symbolizes a crucible of forming the nation, where God's people learned to rely solely on Him for all needs in a "land not sown." It underscores that their early faith was born from necessity and a deep awareness of God's sole sufficiency.

Jeremiah 2 2 Bonus section

The marriage analogy established in this verse forms a foundational motif throughout much of the prophetic literature, notably in Hosea and Ezekiel. It transforms the abstract theological concept of the covenant into a deeply relatable and emotionally charged relationship, making Israel's idolatry synonymous with spiritual adultery. This rich imagery also subtly introduces the concept of God's jealousy for His covenant people, yearning for their exclusive worship. The contrast between God's "remembrance" of their initial devotion and Israel's "forgetting" of God (Jer 2:32) highlights the vast relational chasm that has developed, setting the stage for divine judgment, yet always preserving the hope rooted in God's faithful character.

Jeremiah 2 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 2:2 serves as a deeply poignant and rhetorically powerful introduction to God's case against Judah. It's a lament of divine disappointment, where God, as a grieved Husband, recounts the cherished memory of Israel's initial, unspoiled covenant fidelity. The "devotion of your youth" (ḥesed) points to their loyal commitment during the formative years following the Exodus, while "love as a bride" emphasizes the purity and exclusivity of their worship before settling in Canaan. The "wilderness" symbolizes a period of raw intimacy and absolute dependence, a time when Israel followed God unreservedly in a land where there was no sustenance but His provision. By reminding Judah of this pristine past, God accentuates the profound depth of their current apostasy and ingratitude. It is an appeal, questioning how a people so intimately led and blessed could stray so far from their foundational allegiance. This verse encapsulates God's yearning for the genuine, undivided affection He once shared with His chosen people.

• Practical usage: This verse prompts believers to reflect on their own spiritual journey, encouraging a return to the zeal, purity, and singular devotion they had when they first encountered Christ. It underscores that God values steadfast, heartfelt commitment and warns against the subtle drifting away that can occur when initial "love" is forgotten amidst life's comforts or distractions.