John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 2:9

"Wherefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children`s children will I contend." — Jeremiah 2:9 (ASV)

The particle עוד (oud, meaning 'yet' or 'still'), is not without significance; for the Prophet implies that even if God had already punished the treachery and wickedness of the people, He still fully retained His right to do so, as if He had said, “Do not think that you have suffered all your punishment, even though I have already severely punished your fathers for their wickedness and obstinacy; for as you continue in the same course, and as there is no moderation or limit to your sins, I will not cease from what I have a right to do, but will punish to the end both you and your children, and all succeeding generations.” We now understand, then, what the Prophet means.

Indeed, it is typical for hypocrites foolishly to cast off all fear, especially after having been chastised once by the Lord; for they think it is enough that they have suffered punishment for their sins. They do not consider that God moderately punishes the sins of people to invite them to repentance, and that He is sharp and severe in such a way as still to restrain Himself, so that there may be room for hope, and that those who have sinned, while waiting for pardon, may thus more readily and willingly return to the right way.

This is what hypocrites do not consider. Instead, they think that God expends all His severity on the first occasion, and so they promise themselves impunity for the future. For instance, when God chastises a city or a country with war, pestilence, or famine, dread and anxiety persist while the evils continue. Most of those whom God thus afflicts sigh, groan, and even howl. But as soon as some relief occurs, they shake off the yoke and, having no concern for their wickedness, return again like dogs to their vomit.

Therefore, it is necessary to declare to hypocrites what we see Jeremiah has done here: that God so punishes people for their sins that in the future He does not cease to pursue the same course when He sees them so rebellious as not to benefit from His disciplines.

Still, therefore, He says. This threat no doubt exasperated the minds of the nation, for since they dared to protest against God (as we find in many places, where they said His ways were thorny), they did not spare the prophets, and this we shall see later. Indeed, they gave the prophets a hateful reputation. And what did they say? “These prophets,” they said, “chatter about nothing else but burdens, burdens, as though God always fulminated against us. It would be better to close our ears than to be continually frightened by their words.” It must then have been a harsh thing for the Jews when the Prophet said, Still God will contend with you. But it was necessary to do so.

Let us then learn from this passage that whenever God reproves us, not only in words but also in reality, and reminds us of our sins, we do not suffer for one fault in such a way as to be free for the future. Instead, until we repent from the heart, He continually sounds these words in our ears: Still God will contend with you: and a real contention is meant, for Jeremiah is not speaking of mere doctrine but implies that the Jews were to be brought before God’s tribunal because they did not cease to provoke His wrath. And He declares the same thing concerning their children and the third generation.