Jeremiah 9 2

Jeremiah 9:2 kjv

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

Jeremiah 9:2 nkjv

Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.

Jeremiah 9:2 niv

Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.

Jeremiah 9:2 esv

Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.

Jeremiah 9:2 nlt

Oh, that I could go away and forget my people
and live in a travelers' shack in the desert.
For they are all adulterers ?
a pack of treacherous liars.

Jeremiah 9 verses

Jeremiah 9 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 9:2 speaks of the extreme distress and devastation facing Judah. It paints a picture of wholesale destruction, so complete that no one remains. The intensity of this judgment is so severe that it's likened to an innkeeper leaving their dwelling, suggesting utter abandonment and desolation. The focus is on the utter lack of refuge or sanctuary for the people because of their sin.

Jeremiah 9 2 Context

Jeremiah 9 is part of Jeremiah's prophecy during a time of immense moral and spiritual decay in Judah. The preceding chapter describes God's sorrow over His people's sin and the coming judgment. Chapter 9 intensifies this by detailing the consequences of their unfaithfulness and hypocrisy. The nation had turned to idolatry and deception, leading God to decree severe punishment, including exile and destruction. This verse specifically captures Jeremiah's personal anguish and his desire for escape from the pervasive wickedness he witnesses, a wickedness that guarantees God's impending wrath upon Jerusalem and Judah. The chapter is set against the backdrop of Jerusalem's impending fall to the Babylonians.

Jeremiah 9 2 Word analysis

• Oh, that I had: Expresses a strong desire or wish.

• in the wilderness: A place of desolation, isolation, and often judgment or testing.

• a lodging place of wayfaring men: An inn or place where travelers stop temporarily.

• that I might leave my people: Jeremiah's desire to distance himself from the sinful nation.

• and go from them!: Reinforces the desire for separation due to their incorrigible nature.

• For all of them: Indicates a universal, encompassing corruption within the population.

• are adulterers: Refers to both literal and spiritual unfaithfulness; their betrayal of their covenant with God.

• an assembly of treacherous men: A group characterized by betrayal and unreliability.

• They bend their tongues: Figuratively means they prepare to speak or aim their speech, like archers bend their bows.

• like their bow: Their skill in using their tongues is compared to the proficiency of an archer with a bow.

• for lies: Their primary use of speech is for deceit and falsehood.

• They are not valiant for the truth: They lack courage or strength to stand up for what is right and true.

• on the earth: Refers to the land of Judah, their societal sphere.

• for they proceed from evil to evil: Their actions are consistently wicked, a progression of sinfulness.

• and know me not, says the LORD: They lack any real knowledge or recognition of God's presence and will.

• For lo, I begin: Signals the commencement of God's active intervention and judgment.

• to bring evil from the LORD: This "evil" is not inherent in God but is a righteous judgment sent by Him for sin.

• against Jerusalem: The specific target of this impending divine punishment.

• Adulterers, treacherous men: These terms highlight Judah's broken covenant relationship with God, reflecting both their spiritual infidelity and their untrustworthy nature towards Him and each other.

• Bend their tongues like their bow for lies: This powerful imagery depicts the deliberate and skilled use of deception and slander as weapons against truth and righteousness. It suggests a learned craftiness in their deceit.

• Not valiant for the truth: This points to a moral cowardice; the inability or unwillingness of the people, particularly leaders, to defend or stand for what is right and truthful in the face of societal corruption and divine command.

• Proceed from evil to evil: This phrase illustrates a downward spiral of sin, indicating that their transgressions were not isolated incidents but a continuous, deepening commitment to wrongdoing, showing no repentance or turning back.

• Know me not: This is the root cause of their trouble. It's not a lack of information about God, but a profound ignorance of His character, His ways, and His demands, resulting from their chosen path of rebellion.

Jeremiah 9 2 Bonus section

This verse exemplifies the concept of lament in prophetic literature, where the prophet’s emotional response to God’s word and people’s sin is vividly expressed. Jeremiah's longing for a solitary refuge highlights the isolating nature of true spirituality in a corrupt environment. The repeated emphasis on "evil" signifies not capricious divine anger, but a righteous consequence for breaking covenant with a holy God. The verse serves as a foundational lament before the specific pronouncements of judgment that follow, underscoring the weight of sin and the depth of God's sorrow over it. It illustrates how pervasive sin corrupts the very social fabric, making even the basic habitations of men feel insecure, anticipating a judgment so complete it resembles abandonment in a desolate wilderness.

Jeremiah 9 2 Commentary

Jeremiah expresses profound personal anguish, wishing for solitude amidst the rampant sin of Judah. The people are characterized by pervasive deceit and a failure to uphold truth. Their constant progression in evil stems from a fundamental ignorance of God. This verse announces the Lord's intention to initiate judgment upon Jerusalem. This "evil" is a consequence of their turning from God and a means for Him to confront their unfaithfulness. The desire for escape stems from the certainty of judgment on a nation steeped in spiritual adultery and deception, unwilling to stand for truth. The verse underscores the totality of sin that pervades the nation, leaving them exposed to God's justice.