Jeremiah 2:4 kjv
Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
Jeremiah 2:4 nkjv
Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.
Jeremiah 2:4 niv
Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.
Jeremiah 2:4 esv
Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.
Jeremiah 2:4 nlt
Listen to the word of the LORD, people of Jacob ? all you families of Israel!
Jeremiah 2 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Call to Hear God's Word | ||
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." | Call to listen & obey (Shema) |
| Isa 1:10 | "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear..." | Prophetic call to heed divine message |
| Eze 3:10 | "Son of man, receive all My words... and hear them with your ears." | Prophet commanded to hear and relay |
| Hos 4:1 | "Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel, for the Lord has a case..." | God's lawsuit beginning with a summons |
| Amos 7:16 | "Now therefore hear the word of the Lord..." | Prophetic declaration preceded by summons |
| Matt 11:15 | "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | Jesus' call to attentive spiritual hearing |
| Rev 2:7 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says..." | Emphasis on hearing divine communication |
| Identity of God's People (Israel/Jacob) | ||
| Isa 41:8 | "But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen..." | God's covenant relationship with Israel/Jacob |
| Mic 1:5 | "For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel." | Blaming the whole nation for apostasy |
| Rom 9:6 | "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." | Spiritual versus physical Israel |
| Gal 6:16 | "And as for all who walk by this rule... to the Israel of God." | New Covenant people as true Israel |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | Church as spiritual heir to Israel's identity |
| God's Word and Covenant | ||
| Psa 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." | Guidance and authority of God's Word |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..." | Power and nature of divine revelation |
| Jer 1:9 | "Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth... 'I have put My words in your mouth.'" | God putting His word into His prophet's mouth |
| Deut 28:1 | "If you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments..." | Blessings conditioned on obedience to His word |
| Covenant Unfaithfulness & Idolatry (Jeremiah 2 Context) | ||
| Jer 2:5 | "What wrongdoing did your fathers find in Me that they went far from Me and went after worthless idols and became worthless?" | Immediate context: Israel abandoning God for idols |
| Jer 3:6-8 | "Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill... and played the whore there." | Analogy of Israel as an unfaithful wife |
| Deut 32:15-18 | "But Jeshurun grew fat... abandoned the God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation." | Describes Israel's apostasy |
| Isa 44:9-10 | "All who fashion idols are nothing, and their treasured things do not profit..." | Critique of the worthlessness of idols |
| Rom 1:21-23 | "They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man..." | Man's suppression of truth leading to idolatry |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | Exhortation to flee idol worship |
Jeremiah 2 verses
Jeremiah 2 4 Meaning
Jeremiah 2:4 is an imperative divine summons from the Lord to His entire covenant people, Israel. It commands them to attentively listen and heed His authoritative message. This verse serves as the formal prologue to God's "rib" (covenant lawsuit) against the nation, setting the stage for the detailed indictment of their unfaithfulness and idolatry presented throughout the rest of Jeremiah chapter 2. It underscores God's persistent attempt to call His people back to Himself despite their wanderings.
Jeremiah 2 4 Context
Jeremiah 2:4 serves as a pivotal introduction within Jeremiah's opening address to Judah. The preceding verses (Jer 2:1-3) recall Israel's initial devotion to the Lord in the wilderness, portraying it as a pristine period akin to honeymoon love. This verse then sharply shifts tone, acting as a formal summons for the nation—encompassing all of God's covenant people—to stand before God as if in a courtroom. It ushers in the core message of chapter 2, which outlines God's charges against Israel for their profound apostasy and idolatry. Historically, Jeremiah prophesied during a period of spiritual decline in Judah, shortly before the Babylonian exile, where idolatry was rampant despite previous reforms. The "house of Jacob" and "house of Israel" references encompass both the Southern Kingdom (Judah), to whom Jeremiah directly prophesied, and metaphorically the entire historical people of God, including the already exiled Northern Kingdom, implying that their shared history of rebellion led to their downfall.
Jeremiah 2 4 Word analysis
Hear ye (שִׁמְעוּ - shim'u): This is a plural imperative command, directly addressing multiple recipients. It implies not just the act of listening with one's ears, but a deeper call to attend, obey, and respond. It echoes the foundational "Shema" (Hear!) in Deut 6:4, emphasizing obedience as fundamental to the covenant relationship. This call demands careful attention because the message is from a supreme authority.
the word (דְּבַר - dvar): More than a mere utterance or sound, "dvar" refers to an active, powerful, and authoritative communication from God. It carries the weight of God's decree, purpose, and will. It is a message that requires not just comprehension but action.
of the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): This is the sacred, covenant name of God, often translated "LORD" (in small capitals). Its use here highlights that the message originates from the faithful, covenant-keeping God who has historically bound Himself to Israel and delivered them. It imbues the "word" with absolute divine authority and reliability, signifying that this is a direct revelation from their sovereign God.
O house of Jacob (בֵּית יַעֲקֹב - beit Ya'akov): This refers to the collective descendants of Jacob (Israel). It emphasizes their historical and covenantal identity, connecting them to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's a foundational term for the nation, underscoring their unique relationship as God's chosen people.
and all the families: This phrase broadens and reinforces "house of Jacob," ensuring the address is comprehensive and excludes no one. It signifies that the message is intended for every segment, tribe, clan, and individual within the nation of Israel. No one is exempt from hearing this divine communication.
of the house of Israel (בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל - beit Yisrael): Synonymous with "house of Jacob," this term reiterates and further specifies the audience. While "Israel" sometimes referred specifically to the Northern Kingdom, in contexts like this in Jeremiah, it often serves as a comprehensive term for the entire twelve-tribe nation, descended from Jacob/Israel, reinforcing their unified identity as God's people.
Words-group analysis:
- "Hear ye the word of the Lord": This phrase functions as a solemn, authoritative summons. It establishes the divine origin and crucial nature of the impending message, demanding that the covenant people pay heed to their sovereign God. It frames the subsequent divine indictment as an undeniable and binding revelation.
- "O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel": This redundant, synonymous parallelism underscores the all-encompassing nature of God's address. It emphasizes that this message is for the entire nation—every individual, tribe, and family—stressing that none are exempt from their covenant obligations or from facing the consequences of their unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 2 4 Bonus section
- This verse signals a crucial shift in Jeremiah's prophecy from God's affectionate remembrance of Israel's early faithfulness (Jer 2:2-3) to a formal and severe confrontation over their later rebellion.
- The use of both "House of Jacob" and "House of Israel" in the address is a rhetorical device that stresses the corporate identity and unified responsibility of the entire covenant community, irrespective of internal divisions.
- The concept of the "word of the Lord" being "heard" (שמע - shema) carries deep significance in biblical thought, implying a covenantal hearing that involves obedience and action, not just passive reception.
- The subsequent chapters will unveil the charges and the consequences for failing to "hear the word of the Lord," ultimately leading to judgment but also opening the door for future restoration rooted in a new covenant.
Jeremiah 2 4 Commentary
Jeremiah 2:4 serves as the authoritative legal summons for God's covenant lawsuit against His people. The imperative "Hear ye" commands the complete attention of "the house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel," highlighting that the forthcoming message is not mere human opinion but the very "word of the Lord"—a potent and binding declaration from their covenant God, YHWH. This verse establishes the divine plaintiff, the human defendants, and the binding nature of the divine communication. It sets the formal stage for the Lord's poignant rebuke of Israel's illogical and devastating spiritual infidelity, as they had abandoned the true and living God, the "Fountain of living waters," for worthless, broken idols, which is elaborated upon in the subsequent verses. This summons is an invitation, even a demand, for a listening heart that leads to a repentant response.