Jeremiah 2:7
5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
- KJV
- And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
- WEB
- I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
- ASV
- And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
- DARBY
- And I brought you into a fruitful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; and ye entered and defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
- BLB
- “And I brought you⁺ into a land of fertility, to eat its fruit and its goodness; and you⁺ came [in], and you⁺ defiled My land and made My inheritance into an abomination!
- ÅB
- Og jeg førte dere inn i et land med fruktbare marker, så dere fikk spise av dets frukt og dets gode ting; men da dere kom inn, gjorde dere mitt land urent og min arv til en styggedom.
- OTB
- Jeg førte dere inn i et fruktbart land for å spise dets frukt og gode ting. Men dere kom og vanhelliget mitt land og gjorde min arv avskyelig.
- B1930
- Og jeg førte eder inn i et land med fruktbare marker, så I fikk ete av dets frukt og dets gode ting; men da I kom inn, gjorde I mitt land urent og min arv til en vederstyggelighet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 8:7–9
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills;
Read in contextJeremiah 16:18
And I will first repay them double their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and they have filled My inheritance with their abominations.”
Read in contextNumbers 13:27
And they gave this account to Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit!
Read in contextEzekiel 36:17
“Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds. Their behavior before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman’s impurity.
Read in contextJeremiah 3:9
Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
Read in contextPsalms 106:38–39
They shed innocent blood— the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
Read in contextJeremiah 3:1
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers— and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.
Read in contextLeviticus 18:24–28
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.
Read in context