Jeremiah 2 9

Jeremiah 2:9 kjv

Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

Jeremiah 2:9 nkjv

"Therefore I will yet bring charges against you," says the LORD, "And against your children's children I will bring charges.

Jeremiah 2:9 niv

"Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children.

Jeremiah 2:9 esv

"Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children's children I will contend.

Jeremiah 2:9 nlt

Therefore, I will bring my case against you,"
says the LORD.
"I will even bring charges against your children's children
in the years to come.

Jeremiah 2 verses

Jeremiah 2 9 Meaning

Jeremiah 2:9 signifies God's determined and continued intent to bring a legal case or "plead" against Israel due to their deep-seated unfaithfulness and covenant violations. This judicial contention is not limited to the current generation but extends to their descendants, underscoring the severe and lasting consequences of their spiritual idolatry and rejection of Him. It highlights God's justice, His refusal to overlook sin, and His persistent pursuit of accountability for breaking the covenant.

Jeremiah 2 9 Context

Jeremiah chapter 2 marks a significant turning point from initial reflections to direct accusation against Judah and Israel. Verses 1-3 recall Israel's honeymoon period of early faithfulness and devotion to Yahweh during the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. However, this nostalgic recollection is immediately contrasted by verses 4-8, where God expresses bewilderment at their inexplicable turning away from Him, the "fountain of living water," to "cisterns that can hold no water." They followed worthless idols, making His inheritance detestable. It highlights a covenant breach: the people forsook their unique relationship with the LORD, worshipped foreign gods (Baals, Ashtoreths), and failed to ask "Where is the LORD?" This unfaithfulness, led by their priests, prophets, and rulers, provokes God's indignation and His determination to initiate legal proceedings against them, not only in their lifetime but across generations. The context also implicitly carries a polemic against the impotence of idols (compared to Yahweh's living power) and against the deceptive security in religious rituals while neglecting genuine devotion and justice.

Jeremiah 2 9 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן - lakhen): This strong connective adverb indicates consequence or inference, signaling that what follows is a direct result of the unfaithfulness and covenant violation described in the preceding verses (2:5-8). It ties the people's rebellion to God's ensuing action.
• I will again bring charges / I will yet plead (אָרִיב - ariv, from root רוּב - ruv):
  • Rûb is a technical legal term often used for a "covenant lawsuit" or "controversy." It means to contend, litigate, plead, or strive in a legal sense. God is depicted as the divine plaintiff or judge.
  • The King James Version's "plead" can be misunderstood as appealing or begging; however, in this context, it is a formal, judicial plea or dispute, accusing them of wrongdoing.
  • "Again" (עוֹד - od): This particle emphasizes persistence and recurrence. It suggests that God has initiated such "charges" before (through prophets or historical judgments) and will continue to do so. It highlights His long-suffering patience mixed with unwavering justice, giving repeated chances or warnings before final judgment.
• against you (אִתְּכֶם - ittekhem): Direct second-person plural pronoun, addressing the contemporary generation of Judah. It signifies the immediate accountability and direct target of God's legal complaint.
• declares the LORD (נְאֻם יְהוָה - ne'um YHVH): A common and powerful prophetic formula. Ne'um signifies a solemn, authoritative declaration or oracle, often used for divine pronouncements. YHVH (Yahweh), the covenant name of God, underscores that this is a word from the faithful covenant-maker who is now holding His people accountable to that very covenant. It lends ultimate authority and certainty to the pronouncement.
• and I will bring charges against your children's children:
  • "children's children" (וְעִם בְּנֵי בְנֵיכֶם - w’im b’nei b’neikhem): This phrase emphasizes the intergenerational reach of God's judicial action. It signifies that the consequences of persistent sin and covenant breaking will extend beyond the immediate generation, impacting their descendants.
  • This highlights the corporate solidarity of Israel and the enduring nature of their unfaithfulness, as well as God's persistent pursuit of justice across generations until His purposes are met, or ultimate judgment falls.

Words-group analysis

• "I will again bring charges": This phrase captures God's role as a righteous, patient, yet resolute judge. "Again" shows His consistent efforts and long-suffering with Israel over centuries, providing repeated warnings through prophets. "Bring charges" reveals His engagement in a legal confrontation based on Israel's documented covenant violations, treating their unfaithfulness not merely as a personal slight but a legal breach with severe consequences.
• "against you... and against your children's children": This extension signifies the profound and long-lasting nature of Israel's apostasy and its societal impact. It underscores the concept of corporate responsibility within the covenant, where the actions of one generation could lead to consequences inherited by the next, especially in persistent, unrepented sin. It's a statement of God's persistent truth-telling and judgment over time, which eventually led to the exile.

Jeremiah 2 9 Bonus section

The concept of a "covenant lawsuit" (Rib-case) is central to understanding Jeremiah 2:9. Many Old Testament prophets (e.g., Hosea, Micah, Isaiah) employ this judicial framework, wherein Yahweh acts as the plaintiff, judge, and executioner, using the prophetic oracle to formally accuse Israel of breaking their covenant obligations, particularly the covenant established at Sinai. The structure often parallels ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal treaties, where the suzerain (God) lays out the charges against the vassal (Israel) for breaking the treaty stipulations (the Law). This particular verse, by extending the charge to "children's children," suggests that Israel's apostasy has become systemic and entrenched, not merely an isolated incident, requiring God's long-term legal and historical intervention through warnings, judgments, and eventual exile, all with the ultimate goal of restoring them to Himself.

Jeremiah 2 9 Commentary

Jeremiah 2:9 encapsulates the core message of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry: God's covenant with Israel has been severely violated, and He is prepared to act as their divine Prosecutor. The verse establishes God's unwavering resolve to engage in a formal "covenant lawsuit" (Hebrew: riv) against His people, presenting evidence of their persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. The emphasis on "again" signifies His patient yet firm historical engagement, having brought charges before, but now intensifying them due to Israel's chronic rebellion. This legal confrontation is deeply serious, extending beyond the present rebellious generation to their "children's children," highlighting the grievous, lasting impact of their sin and the generational nature of divine judgment and consequence in the covenant. It is a declaration of impending justice that reverberates through time, affirming God's holiness and His refusal to condone persistent sin within His chosen people, while also calling for their return.