Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 2:14-19

"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? And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts." — Jeremiah 2:14-19 (ASV)

1. Here, the prophet magnifies their guilt by noting the stubbornness of their minds.

He does this for two reasons: first, because they do not recognize their sin; and second, because they add to it, as it says, from of old you have broken my yoke (Jeremiah 2:20).

Regarding the first point—that they do not recognize their sin—there are three further points to consider.

1. He deduces the proof of their guilt from their punishments, excluding their servile condition so that they would not seem to have been justly led into slavery because of it. The term ‘My home-born slave’ refers to a slave born in the master’s house; it is as if he were saying, “She is not one of these.” This counters their claim, We are of the seed of Abraham and we have never served anyone (John 8:33). Speaking of the variety of punishments regarding the exile of the people, the prophet asks, why therefore have you become prey?

   The ‘lions’ are the princes of the Chaldeans; ‘their voice’ refers to commands or war. Regarding the devastation of the country, the text says, they have made your land desolate. And as Isaiah writes, your cities have been pulled down (Isaiah 1:7). Regarding the violation of the women, ‘the sons of Memphis and Taphnis’ refers to the cities of Egypt. The phrase to the top of your head means they abused her unnaturally, sparing no part of her body. Or, spiritually, it means contaminating even the strong through idolatry, as it is written, They have humbled the women in Zion, and the virgins in the cities of Judah (Lamentations 5:11).

   He then concludes with the true reason: was this not done to you because you abandoned the Lord your God? He had led you prosperously. For He did not abandon you, but you abandoned Him. As Daniel confesses, Because we have turned away from you, and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his Law which he gave us through his servants the prophets . . . a curse has fallen upon us (Daniel 9:10).

2. He discusses the useless remedy they had employed against such punishments. From this, it is clear that they did not recognize their sin, but instead hoped for help from the nations. For this reason, he asks about their remedy: and now what do you wish for yourself? It is as if he were saying, “You should not try to avoid punishment in this way, but rather by pleasing God.”

   Their supposed remedies are found in the way of Egypt, to drink the water of the Nile, or the water of the river (the Euphrates, which belongs to the Assyrians). This is why God says, You who walk that you may go down to Egypt, yet have not asked at my mouth (Isaiah 30:2). Their own wickedness will reprove them for not having recognized their guilt, as they will suffer punishment for it. As Isaiah says, The expression of their face will give judgment against them, for they have proclaimed their sin like Sodom (Isaiah 3:9).

3. He offers useful advice to bring them to recognize their guilt: know . . . an evil. This means to understand that it is a disgraceful thing, and a bitter and painful one. As Zephaniah says, The sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, then shall the strong man be troubled (Zephaniah 1:14).