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 expresses the prophet Jeremiah's profound grief, despair, and fervent wish for escape from his deeply corrupt people. He longs for a secluded resting place in the wilderness, away from the nation, to isolate himself from their pervasive spiritual adultery, deceit, and treachery. This verse highlights his intense emotional burden and moral revulsion at Judah's pervasive sinfulness, which has rendered them estranged from God. His desire to depart signifies the overwhelming nature of their wickedness, which had become unbearable for him.

Jeremiah 9 2 Context

Jeremiah chapter 9 falls within a section (chapters 7-10) where Jeremiah confronts Judah with their persistent rebellion against God's covenant, predicting imminent judgment. The immediate preceding verse (Jer 9:1) introduces Jeremiah's deep anguish, expressing a wish that his eyes were "a fountain of tears" to mourn for the slain of his people. Verse 2 amplifies this personal suffering, pivoting from sorrow over judgment to profound exasperation with the cause of that judgment: the people's pervasive sin. Historically, Judah was in a state of political instability and moral decline, teetering on the edge of Babylonian exile. They had engaged in widespread idolatry, covenant-breaking, social injustice, and religious hypocrisy despite repeated prophetic warnings. Jeremiah's yearning to escape to the wilderness underscores the complete spiritual rot within society, where the very atmosphere was contaminated by treachery and apostasy. The wilderness, traditionally a place of God's presence, testing, and provision for Israel, here becomes a symbol of refuge from a defiled people, rather than a place for them to encounter God.

Jeremiah 9 2 Word analysis

• Oh that I had (מִי יִתְּנֵנִי, mi yittenēni): This is a powerful interjection expressing a deep, sorrowful wish or lament. It conveys intense longing and frustration, a plea to a seemingly impossible reality, typical of prophetic lament literature when faced with overwhelming societal evil. It signals a strong emotional state, almost despair.
• in the wilderness (בַמִּדְבָּר, bammiḏbār): The "wilderness" is the midbar, often an untamed, desolate region. In Israel's history, it was both a place of testing, hunger, and danger (e.g., Exod 16:3) and a place of intimacy with God, divine provision, and spiritual renewal (e.g., Exod 19:1). Here, it is desired as a sanctuary from the people's corruption, a place of isolation, rather than communal renewal. It represents escape from contamination.
• a lodging place (מְלוֹן, məlōn): This refers to a temporary dwelling, a caravanserai, or a travelers' inn—a place for passing through. It implies not a permanent home, but a brief respite, highlighting the urgent need for even a temporary escape from Judah's sin. It suggests a desire for immediate, albeit short-term, relief.
• for travelers (אֹרְחִים, ʾorḥim): These are wayfarers, sojourners, those without a permanent home or those simply passing through. Jeremiah sees himself identifying with these transient individuals, seeking passage away from the defiled spiritual state of his "home." It implies a sense of alienation from his own people, seeing them as alien in their behavior to God.
• that I might leave my people (וְאֶעֶזְבָה אֶת עַמִּי, wəʾeʿezvāh ʾeṯ ʿammī): This expresses a definitive break, a strong desire to forsake or abandon. For a prophet, whose calling is to be with the people, this is a profound statement of despair. It is not just about physical distance but emotional and spiritual separation from their ways.
• and go from them (וְאֵלְכָה מֵאִתָּם, wəʾēlḵāh mêʾittām): This phrase reinforces the act of separation. "Go from them" indicates not merely distancing himself, but moving away completely, departing from their presence due to their unacceptable conduct. It highlights the unbearable nature of their wickedness.

• my people and go from them: The prophet, divinely called to minister to his people, is so overwhelmed by their unrighteousness that he wishes to sever all connection. This paradox highlights the depth of their depravity, forcing a spiritual leader to contemplate abandoning his God-given mission for personal integrity. It signifies a profound spiritual crisis for Jeremiah and a dire state for the nation.
• For they are all adulterers (כִּי כֻלָּם מְנָאֲפִים, kî ḵullām mənaʾăfîm): The word mnaʾăfîm describes both literal adultery (e.g., Jer 5:8) and, more importantly in this prophetic context, spiritual adultery – infidelity to the covenant with YHWH through idolatry and pursuing other gods (e.g., Ezek 16; Hos 1-3). The pronouncement "all" emphasizes the pervasiveness of this sin, signifying a comprehensive breakdown of the people's relationship with God, tainting every segment of society. This spiritual unfaithfulness is a betrayal of the most sacred relationship, provoking God's righteous anger.
• a company of treacherous men (עֲצֶרֶת בּוֹגְדִים, ʿăṣereṯ bôḡədîm): "Company" (atzarat) can denote an assembly or a gathering, often implying a congregation or organized body, which ironically highlights that treachery has become systemic. "Treacherous men" (bogdim) refers to those who deal faithlessly, betraying trust and breaking covenants. This implies not just individual acts of deceit but a collective characteristic—a society steeped in disloyalty towards God and each other, making truthful and just living impossible. Their treachery is organized and pervasive, making social and spiritual life unsustainable.

Jeremiah 9 2 Bonus section

Jeremiah, known as "the weeping prophet" (Jer 9:1), exemplifies the profound personal cost of a divine calling in a hostile environment. His despair in 9:2 echoes prophetic figures like Elijah (1 Kgs 19:4), who also sought solace in the wilderness after confronting a deeply corrupt society. This yearning for escape illustrates the spiritual fatigue that can affect even the strongest messengers of God when faced with unyielding defiance. The paradox of the wilderness being a place of retreat from instead of encounter with one's people highlights the extent to which Judah had strayed. The widespread nature of their "adultery" and "treachery" speaks to a complete breakdown of covenant fidelity, impacting both their vertical relationship with God and their horizontal relationships within society. This verse serves as a powerful testament to the severity of human sin and the immense suffering it inflicts upon those who strive to remain faithful to God amidst it.

Jeremiah 9 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 9:2 is a profound lament born from a prophet's crushing burden of witnessing universal spiritual and moral decay. Jeremiah’s longing for a solitary dwelling in the wilderness—a place often associated with divine judgment or encounter, yet here desired for escape from a people polluted by sin—underscores the unbearable spiritual contamination he faced. His desire to abandon "my people" is not a renunciation of his prophetic duty, but a visceral expression of anguish at their comprehensive rebellion. He characterizes them as "all adulterers," primarily signifying spiritual unfaithfulness to God through idolatry and covenant-breaking, and "a company of treacherous men," highlighting their systemic betrayal of trust, both divine and human. This verse captures the prophet's personal agony as his life and message are inextricably linked to a nation determined to walk in defiance of God, creating an overwhelming atmosphere of depravity that makes faithfulness almost unbearable. It reflects the heavy price of bearing God's truth to a rebellious generation, yearning for solitude over forced fellowship with persistent sin.