What does Jeremiah 2:20 mean?
"¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot." - Jeremiah 2:20
Jeremiah 2:20 in the King James Version of the Bible reads: "For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot."
This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Jeremiah where the prophet is delivering a message from God to the people of Judah. In this passage, God is accusing his people of forsaking him and turning to idols and false gods. He uses the metaphor of a wife who has been unfaithful to her husband to illustrate the unfaithfulness of the people.
The verse begins with a reminder from God that he has been faithful to his people in the past, breaking their yoke and freeing them from bondage. This is a reference to the Exodus, when God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Despite this history of deliverance, the people have strayed from God and turned to other gods.
The imagery in this verse is powerful and evocative. The breaking of the yoke and bursting of bands symbolize God's liberation of his people, but this is juxtaposed with the image of the people wandering and playing the harlot under every high hill and green tree. This symbolizes the idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness of the people, as they turn to false gods and engage in immoral practices.
One of the key themes in this verse is the idea of spiritual unfaithfulness. The metaphor of a wife being unfaithful to her husband is used throughout the Old Testament to illustrate the relationship between God and his people. God had chosen the people of Judah to be his own, but they had turned away from him and worshipped other gods. This unfaithfulness is likened to adultery, a grave sin in the eyes of God.
Another important theme in this verse is the contrast between God's faithfulness and the unfaithfulness of his people. God had always been faithful to his people, delivering them from bondage and providing for them, yet they had turned their backs on him. This demonstrates the depth of God's love and the seriousness of the people's unfaithfulness.
The context of this verse is also significant. The book of Jeremiah was written during a time of great political and social upheaval in Judah. The people had turned away from God and embraced the worship of false gods, leading to moral decay and social injustice. Jeremiah was called by God to deliver a powerful message of warning and judgment to the people, urging them to repent and turn back to God.
The symbolism in this verse is powerful and multi-faceted. The yoke and bands represent the oppression and bondage that the people had experienced in the past, but also serve as a metaphor for the freedom and deliverance that God had provided for them. The image of wandering and playing the harlot under every high hill and green tree symbolizes the idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness of the people, as they turn to false gods and engage in immoral practices.
In conclusion, Jeremiah 2:20 is a powerful and evocative verse that highlights the unfaithfulness of God's people and the contrast between God's faithfulness and their unfaithfulness. The imagery and symbolism used in this verse convey the depth of God's love and the seriousness of the people's sin. It serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the need for repentance and spiritual renewal.
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Jeremiah 2:20 - "¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot."
"¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot." - Jeremiah 2:20
Jeremiah 20:2 - "Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD."
"Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD." - Jeremiah 20:2
Jeremiah 20:4
Jeremiah 20:3 - "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib."
Jeremiah 20:1 - "Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things."
Jeremiah 44:20 - "¶ Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,"
Jeremiah 5:20 - "Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,"
Jeremiah 8:20 - "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
Jeremiah 16:20 - "Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?"
Jeremiah 26:20 - "And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:"
Jeremiah 46:20 - "Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north."
Jeremiah 48:20 - "Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled,"
Jeremiah 38:20 - "But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live."
Jeremiah 20:14 - "¶ Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed."
Jeremiah 20:16 - "And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;"
Jeremiah 20:13 - "Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers."
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." - Jeremiah 8:20
Jeremiah 36:20 - "¶ And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king."
Jeremiah 14:20 - "We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee."
Jeremiah 20:18 - "Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?"
Jeremiah 30:20 - "Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them."
Jeremiah 4:20 - "Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment."
"Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying," - Jeremiah 5:20
Jeremiah 29:20 - "¶ Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:"
Jeremiah 51:20 - "Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;"
Jeremiah 25:20 - "And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,"
Jeremiah 13:20 - "Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?"
Jeremiah 33:20 - "Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;"