Jeremiah 8:2 kjv
And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
Jeremiah 8:2 nkjv
They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth.
Jeremiah 8:2 niv
They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped. They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like dung lying on the ground.
Jeremiah 8:2 esv
And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground.
Jeremiah 8:2 nlt
They will spread out their bones on the ground before the sun, moon, and stars ? the gods my people have loved, served, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up again or buried but will be scattered on the ground like manure.
Jeremiah 8 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 8:2 | "And cause them to lie down under the sun, both the moon and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved..." | Judgment for idolatry |
| Deut 4:19 | "And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven..." | Warning against idolatry of celestial bodies |
| Jer 19:13 | "...and to the host of heaven, and have said, 'These are your gods'..." | Practice of astral worship |
| 2 Kin 21:3 | "For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed..." | King Manasseh’s idolatry |
| Neh 9:6 | "You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth..." | God as creator of all |
| Ps 33:6 | "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all the host of them." | God’s creative power |
| Acts 7:42 | "Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven..." | Israel's apostasy in the wilderness |
| Rom 1:25 | "who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..." | Worship of created things |
| Jer 7:18 | "The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven..." | Worship of the "Queen of Heaven" |
| Isa 47:13 | "You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you..." | Futility of astrology |
| Jer 8:3 | "And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this wicked house..." | Despair resulting from judgment |
| Ps 89:37 | "It shall be established forever, like the moon, like a faithful witness in the sky.” | Celestial bodies as faithful witnesses |
| Lev 26:13 | "I will break your bands of pride of power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like brass." | Consequences of disobedience |
| Jer 2:24 | "as a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her desire, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not be weary..." | Description of idol worship |
| Eze 8:16 | "So he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord..." | Visions of idolatry within the temple |
| Hos 2:5 | "For their mother has played the harlot; she who conceived them has acted shamelessly..." | Spiritual adultery |
| Rev 18:5 | "For her sins have reached up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." | Heavenly record of sin |
| Ps 106:38 | "And shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan..." | Sacrificing to idols |
| Jer 32:29 | "And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set on fire this city and burn it with its houses..." | Fire as instrument of judgment |
| Zeph 1:5 | "And those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, and those who worship and swear by the Lord and by Malcham..." | Syncretistic worship |
| Isa 14:12 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!" | Fall of proud, likely Lucifer's rebellion |
Jeremiah 8 verses
Jeremiah 8 2 Meaning
This verse describes the consequence of rejecting God's covenant and wisdom. It signifies the scattering and demise of God's people due to their persistent disobedience and sin, particularly their turning away from the teachings of the prophets and the Law.
Jeremiah 8 2 Context
Jeremiah chapter 8 continues the prophet's pronouncements of judgment upon Judah. The previous chapter detailed God's disappointment with the superficiality of their worship, which lacked genuine repentance and obedience. Chapter 8 begins by extending this judgment to encompass even the lifeless, reinforcing the pervasive nature of the sin that has corrupted the land. The "residue" refers to the remaining population after the initial waves of judgment and exile, implying that even those left behind will not escape the consequences of their national apostasy. The worship of celestial bodies was a prevalent form of idolatry in the ancient Near East, and Judah had increasingly adopted these practices, which directly violated the Mosaic Covenant.
Jeremiah 8 2 Word Analysis
wə-‘eṯ-tôṯ•hêm (וְאֶת־תּוֹתָם): Literally "and their revealing" or "their exposure." This signifies being brought out into the open, being exhibited in a state of shame or judgment.
lə·hō•rî·dêm (לְהוֹרִידֶם): From the root yardah, meaning "to cause to go down" or "to bring down." This emphasizes a descent into ruin, destruction, or ignominy.
ṯā·ḥeṯ (תַּחַת): "Under." Indicates being subjected to or overwhelmed by something.
hă·’ō·reḇ (הָעֹרֵב): "the raven" or "the dawn." In this context, it likely refers to being exposed under the open sky, particularly under the sun at its peak, signifying a complete and undeniable exposure to divine judgment. Some interpretations link it to the sun, which would expose them nakedly.
šemeš (שֶׁמֶשׁ): "sun." A primary source of light, here representing the unobstructed, revealing light of God’s judgment.
wə·ya·re·aḥ (וְיָרֵחַ): "and the moon." Both sun and moon represent celestial bodies, powerful forces in the ancient cosmology. Their presence highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting all aspects of existence.
wə·ḵāl (וְכָל): "and all." Emphasizes the totality of the elements involved in their former worship.
hêm• ‘ê•šev (הֵם אָהֲבוּ): "whom they loved." This phrase points to the objects of their affection and devotion—the celestial bodies—which were actually idols that had led them away from God.
Words-group analysis: "lie down under the sun, both the moon and all the host of heaven, whom they loved" — This entire phrase vividly illustrates the ultimate consequence of idolatry. Instead of the celestial bodies bringing them favor and prosperity, as their idolaters believed, these very bodies would bear witness to their downfall. Their love for these pagan deities leads to their exposure and subjugation to a judgment that leaves them utterly defenseless and humiliated under the unmitigated light of day and the night.
Jeremiah 8 2 Bonus Section
The practice of worshipping the "host of heaven" (the sun, moon, stars, and possibly the planets and constellations) was deeply embedded in the religious landscape of the ancient Near East. Nations like Babylon, Egypt, and Canaanite cultures all practiced forms of astral religion. Judah's adoption of these practices was seen by God as a profound betrayal, an infidelity to the covenant relationship established at Sinai. The prophetic message consistently condemned this syncretism, viewing it not just as religious error but as a social and spiritual cancer that weakened the nation and invited divine retribution. The complete scattering and subjugation described in this verse reflects the judgment promised for breaking the covenant, where even the natural order seems to turn against the disobedient. The mention of "loved" emphasizes the seductive nature of idolatry; it offers what appears to be desirable, but ultimately leads to ruin.
Jeremiah 8 2 Commentary
Jeremiah 8:2 describes the pathetic end of those who turned from the Lord to worship the sun, moon, and stars. Their worship was not private; it was often done in public, on rooftops or in open spaces, as noted in Zephaniah 1:5. God's judgment, like the blazing sun or the constant moon, would expose their sin for all to see. The very objects of their misplaced devotion would become instruments or witnesses of their condemnation. They "loved" these idols, a misplaced affection that led to their destruction. This verse serves as a stark warning against any form of worship that deviates from the true God and elevates created things above the Creator, which is a recurrent theme throughout Scripture.