John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 2:3

"Israel [was] holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 2:3 (ASV)

God here more clearly condemns the ingratitude of the people. First, He enumerates His favors by which He had bound the people forever to Himself; and secondly, He shows how wickedly the people responded to the many blessings they had received.

In saying, then, that Israel was holy, He intends this not as a mark of honor. It was indeed in itself an illustrious testimony to their praise that God had consecrated that people to Himself, that He designed them to be the firstfruits of His increase. But we must remember that there is here an implied contrast between this great and incomparable favor of God and the wickedness of the people, who afterwards fell away from that God who had been so liberal and gracious to them. According to this view, then, Jeremiah says that Israel was holiness to God; that is, that they were separated from all other nations, so that the glory of God shone only among them.

He then adds that they were the firstfruits of His produce. For though whatever produce the earth may bring forth ought to be consecrated to God, by whose power it grows, yet we know that the firstfruits were gathered and set on the altar as a sacred food.

As, then, God had commanded under the Law for the firstfruits to be offered to Him and then given to the priests, He says here, in accordance with that rite, that Israel was the firstfruits of His produce. The nations, who then lived everywhere, were not removed from under God’s government, as He is the Creator of all and shows Himself to all as the Father and supporter. However, He passed by other nations and chose the race of Abraham for this purpose: that He might protect them by His power and aid.

Since, then, God had so bound the nation to Himself, how great and how strong was the obligation under which that people was to Him? Hence, the more base and the more detestable was their treachery when the people despised the unique favors God had conferred on them. We now see why the Prophet says that Israel was holy to God and the firstfruits of His increase.

He also intimates that the time would come when God would gather to Himself other nations. For the firstfruits represent the whole produce of the year, which the people dedicated and offered to God. So then, Israel was like the firstfruits because God afterwards took to Himself other nations, which for many ages were considered profane. But yet his special object was to show that the guilt of the people was extreme, as they did not acknowledge the great favors God had bestowed on them.

He then adds, Whosoever will devour him shall be punished. I approve of this meaning because the explanation immediately follows: evil shall come on them. God then means not that those who devour the firstfruits should only be guilty of a crime, but He refers rather to punishment. It is as if He had said, “The profane who devour the firstfruits dedicated to Me shall not go unpunished.” For if anyone had stolen the firstfruits, God would have executed a vengeance such as sacrilege deserved.

If, however, anyone prefers the other explanation—that it would be a crime to injure Israel or to do him any harm because he was under God’s protection—I will not oppose him. But the wording of the sentence leads me to the other view: that those who would injure Israel would not only be guilty but would also be unable to escape God’s vengeance.

And why? Because evil will come upon them, says Jehovah. He afterwards explains more clearly the import of his doctrine.