©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
source of spiritual salvation and sustenance (cf. 17:8; Ps. 36:9; John 4:14). Second, Israel turned to idolatrous objects of trust; Jeremiah compared these with underground water storage devices for rainwater, which were broken and let water seep out, thus proving useless.
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:14 How is it that a people under God's special care are left at the mercy of an enemy, like a worthless slave?
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:15 lions. The figure represents invading soldiers that burned cities (cf. 4:7), perhaps a reference to the disaster from the Babylonians during Jehoiakim's fourth year, and again three years later when he relied on Egypt (cf. 20:4; 46:2; 2 Kings 24:1–2).
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:16 Memphis . . . Tahpanhes. These two cities in Egypt stood for the country itself.
Major Trials of Jeremiah
Major Trials of Jeremiah 1. Trial By Death Threats (11:18–23) 2. Trial By Isolation (15:15–21) 3. Trial By Stocks (19:14–20:18) 4. Trial By Arrest (26:7–24) 5. Trial By Challenge (28:10–16) 6. Trial By Destruction (36:1–32) 7. Trial By Violence and Imprisonment (37:15) 8. Trial By Starvation (38:1–6) 9. Trial By Chains (40:1) 10. Trial By Rejection (42:1–43:4) ©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:18 Dependence on alliances with Egypt and Assyria was part of national undoing, a source of shame (vv. 36–37).
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:19 apostasy. Cf. 3:6, 8, 11–12, 14, 22; 8:5; 31:22; 49:4; Isa. 57:17; Hos. 11:7; 14:4. For clarification of the meaning, see note on Prov. 14:14.
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON 2:23 the Baals. An inclusive term referring collectively to