John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 2:14-17

"Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born [slave]? why is he become a prey? The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled; and they have made his land waste: his cities are burned up, without inhabitant. The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, when he led thee by the way?" — Jeremiah 2:14-17 (ASV)

These verses are to be read together, for the Prophet first shows that Israel was not originally miserable, but that this happened through a new cause, and then he mentions the cause. He then first asks, whether Israel was a servant or a slave? God had adopted them as His people and had promised to be so bountiful to them as to make them happy in every way; and what was more, as a proof of their happiness, He said, In thee shall all nations be blessed (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 28:14). We then see what the original condition of Israel was: they excelled all other nations because they were God’s peculiar people, they were His heritage, they were a royal priesthood.

Therefore, the Prophet, as if astonished at something new and strange, asks this question: Is Israel a servant? He was free beyond all nations, for he was the first-born son of God. It was therefore necessary to inquire why he was so miserable; for he says afterwards, that lions roared against him, and sent forth their voice; he says, that their cities were burnt, or destroyed; he says, that their land was reduced to desolation; and at length he adds, Has not this done these things to thee? This again is put as a question, but it is doubly affirmative, for it takes away every doubt: “What do you say is the cause why you are so miserable? For all are hostile to you, and you are exposed to the wrongs of all. From where can you say all this has proceeded, except from your own wickedness?” We now see what the Prophet means.

But to make what he says clearer, we must remember that he reminds the people, by way of reproach, of the benefits which God had conferred on them. Since the children of Abraham had been honored with so many exceptional favors that they had preeminence over all the world, this dignity is now referred to, but only for the purpose of exposing their base conduct, as if he had said, “God did not deceive you when He promised to be bountiful to you; His adoption is not deceptive nor in vain. Therefore, you would have been happier than all other nations had not your own wickedness made you miserable.” We now see for what purpose the Prophet asked, “Is Israel a servant or a slave?” They were indeed on an equal footing with other people by nature; but as they had been chosen by God, and as He had favored them with that peculiar privilege, the Prophet asks whether they were servants, as if he had said, “What is it that prevents that blessedness, which God has promised, from appearing among you? For it was not God’s design to disappoint you; it therefore follows that you are miserable through your own fault.”

And by saying, Why is he become a prey, he intimates that unless Israel had been deprived of God’s protection, they would not have been thus exposed to the caprice of their enemies. They had not then become a prey except for this reason: because God had forsaken them, according to what is said in the song of Moses:

How should one chase a thousand, and ten should put to flight as many thousands, except God had given us up as captives, except we had been shut up by His hand.
(Deuteronomy 32:30)

For Moses in that passage also indirectly reminds the people how often and how wonderfully God had given them victories over their enemies. Thus he leaves it to their posterity, when in distress, to consider how the change came about that one should chase a thousand; that is, how could it be that they, possessing great forces, should yet be put to flight by their enemies? For they were not accustomed to turn their backs but to conquer their enemies. It therefore follows that they were made captives by God, and not by the men who chased them. So also here the Prophet shows that Israel would not have been made a prey had they not been deprived of God’s assistance.

He afterwards adds, Over him roar the lions. The Prophet seems not simply to compare the enemies of Israel to lions on account of their cruelty, but also by way of contempt, as if he had said that Israel found that not only men were incensed against them, but also wild beasts. And it is more degrading when God permits us to be torn by the beasts of the field. It is then the same as if he had said that Israel were so miserably treated that they were not only slain by the hands of enemies but were also exposed to the beasts of prey. And then he adds, they have sent forth their voice; which is the same as saying that Israel, whom God was accustomed to protect by His powerful hand, had become the food of wild beasts, and that lions, as if in troops, were roaring against them.

He then adds, without a metaphor, that his land was laid waste, and his cities burnt without an inhabitant. This language cannot be suitably applied to lions or to any other wild beasts; but what he had figuratively said before, he now explains plainly, and says that the land was desolate, and that the cities were cut off or burnt up. Now this, as we have said, could not have occurred unless Israel had departed from God and, on this account, been deprived of His help.

By way of amplification he adds, Also the sons of Noph and of Tephanes shall for thee break the head, or, the crown of the head. We will see later that the Israelites were accustomed to seek help from the Egyptians. The particle גם (gam) may be thus explained: “Not only those who have until now been professed enemies to you, but even your friends, in whose help you confided, shall turn their power against you and break your head for you.”

Some think that their degradation is here enhanced because the Egyptians were an unwarlike people; ancient historians say that men there followed the occupations of women. But as this is not mentioned in Scripture, and as the Egyptians are not spoken of in this way in it, I prefer to follow the usual explanation: that the Egyptians, though confederate with Israel, would yet be adverse to them, and had been so already. By the head, some understand the chief men among the people of Israel. But we may render it thus: they will break for thee the head, as we say in our language, Ils te romperont la tête, or, Ils te frotteront la tête; and this, in my judgment, is the real meaning.

Now follows the cause: the Prophet, after having shown that Israel were forsaken by God, now mentions the reason why it so happened, Has not this done it for thee? Some read in the second person, “Have you not done this for yourself?” but the meaning is still nearly the same.

More probable, however, is the rendering which others have given: “Has not this happened to you, because you have forsaken Jehovah your God?” Jeremiah, in short, teaches us that the cause of all the evils was the defection of the people, as if he had said, “You have concocted for yourself all this evil; then you must swallow it and know that the blame cannot be cast on God, for He would have been faithful to you, except your impiety had prevented Him.”

God has not, indeed, chosen you in vain, nor has He in vain preferred you to other nations; but you have rejected His kindness. Your condition then would never have been as it is, had you not procured your own ruin. How so? “Because you have departed from your God.”

And he further exaggerates this sin by saying, At the time when he led thee in the way. To lead “in the way” means to govern rightly, so as to make people happy.

The Prophet then shows that the people’s perfidy and defection in rejecting the worship of their God were without excuse, for they were happy during the time they served Him. Had they been tempted or tried in various ways, they might have had some pretense.

“We thought ourselves deceived in hoping in the true God, for He concealed His favor from us; we were therefore compelled by necessity. Some indulgence at least ought to be shown to our levity, for we could have formed no other conjecture than that God had removed far from us.”

The Prophet meets this objection, as he does in the fifth verse, What iniquity have your fathers found in me? and, as is done in another place:

My people, what have I done to thee, or in what have I been troublesome to thee?
(Micah 6:4)

For God in that passage shows that He was prepared to defend His own cause and to clear Himself from whatever the people might object to Him. So also He does in this place. “I have led thee,” He says, “in the way.” That is, “Thou didst live happily under My government, and yet I could not retain thee by My goodness while I kindly treated thee. Thou knewest that nothing could be better for thee than to continue under My protection; but thou hast determined to go over into the service of idols. Now what excuse hast thou, or what pretense is left thee?”

We therefore see that the sin of the people is greatly enhanced, for they were induced by no temptation or trial to forsake God, but through mere perfidy gave themselves up to idols.