Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 11:10
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
10. The Northern kingdom’s apostasy and consequent punishment were already of long standing. Now Judah has followed their example in faithlessness to Jehovah, and has “turned back” after an interval of well doing under Josiah’s reforms.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Their forefathers – literally, their fathers, the first ones: in allusion to the idolatries committed in the wilderness, and by the generations whose history is given in the Book of Judges.
And they went after – Rather, yea! they have walked after other gods to serve them. The they refers to the men of Jeremiahs day.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers] A great reformation had taken place under the reign of Josiah, and the public worship of idols had been abolished, and most of the high places destroyed; but under the reign of his son and his successors, they had turned back again to idolatry, and were become worse than ever. It required a captivity to cure them of this propensity: and God sent one: after that, there was no idolatry among the Jews.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They are turned back from me, or they are turned back from their own better courses in the time of David, to the sins of their forefathers that worshipped the golden calf, or the many idols which they worshipped in the time of the judges. They are all alike, both the ten tribes, which were
the house of Israel, and the two tribes, which made the kingdom of Judah, they have all broken the covenant which I made with their forefathers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers,…. According to Kimchi, this prophecy was delivered out in the times of Jehoiakim. There had been a reformation in the reign of Josiah, but now they had rebelled against the Lord, and had returned to their former idolatries that had been practised in the times of Amon, Manasseh, and Ahaz:
which refused to hear my words; sent unto them by the prophets, Isaiah, and others:
and they went after other gods to serve them; not their forefathers, though it was true of them; but the then present generation, that were in the conspiracy and rebellion against God; they put their schemes into execution, and worshipped and served the gods of the nations:
the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers; by their many transgressions, and especially by their idolatry; the house of Israel, or the ten tribes, had done so, many years ago, and were carried captive; and the house of Judah, or the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, committing the same iniquities, might justly expect the like treatment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He also adds, that they had returned, etc. He shews for what purpose they had conspired, even to return to the vices of their fathers, who had been before them Some render the word “ancestors;” but the meaning of the Prophet is not thus sufficiently expressed, for what he means is, that the Israelites had been refractory from the very beginning, so that God could never subdue their wayward dispositions. It must however be observed, that he speaks not of the most ancient, as הרשנים , erashnim are the ancient who were before them; (38) but as there had been a continued succession or series of impiety, the Prophet calls them here, the former fathers, who had first begun to shake off the yoke of God even to that day. And he again mentions what we have before noticed, that they were unwining to hear Though ignorance does not wholly clear or absolve us, it yet extenuates a crime; but God shews that the Israelites had been disobedient from the beginning. Though he had by Moses sufficiently taught them, we yet find that they often rose up against Moses. If we inquire of their origin, it appears to have been marked with resolute impiety; they were unwining to obey God.
He then adds, that they walked after alien gods that they might serve them There is ever an implied contrast between God and idols. God had given them evidences enough of his power and glory, and we may justly say, that he had sufficiently proved himself to he the only true God. How then was it that the; Israelites had given the preference to fictitious gods? Doubtless no unwining error could have been pretended. We hence see that they had rejected the true God and wilfully followed their own devices. He then says, that they might serve them But God had already bound them to himself, as he had redeemed them; when, therefore, they devoted themselves to alien gods, was not their ingratitude thus most fully proved?
He at length subjoins, by way of explanation, Therefore the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dissolved my covenant He confirms what I have just said, — that they had not erred because the way was unknown, but because they were refractory and untameable in their disposition, and would not bear to hear God, thought he kindly shewed to them what they were to do. But the word covenant expresses more than this, — that God had not only delivered them his precepts by Moses, but had also adopted them as his own people, and at the same time pledged his faith to them,
“
I shall be your God, be ye my people,” (Jer 11:4)
Since then God had so kindly allured them to himself, how monstrous was their rebellion, When they refused to hear his voice! With reference to this the word ברית, berit, is used; for God had not only delivered to them a rule of life, but also adopted them as his people, that they might be obedient to him.
By saying that he made a covenant with their fathers, he refers to that time when he brought the people out of Egypt, for then was the race of Abraham united. They were indeed twelve distinct tribes; but there was one head over the people, there was one priesthood, and they formed afterwards one kingdom. God then shews, that though the ten tribes made for themselves in after time another king, and the tribe of Judah was then divided, and there were in this separation some special causes of enmity, they yet had always been of the same disposition, and proved how like their fathers they were, as though he i had said, “They were formerly one people, they are now two, yet they have conspired together; their iniquity is the same, in this they are united; and there is among them a binding together.” It follows —
(38) The Sept. have “ τῶν πρότερον — who were before:” the Vulg. improperly joins it with “iniquities,” — “the former iniquities of the fathers;” the Syriac renders it “ancient,” and the Targum, “former,” both connecting it with “fathers.” The word means the “first,” rather than the “former.” If we take it as connected with “fathers,” then the first fathers with whom the covenant, after they came out of Egypt, was made, are meant; but it may be taken as in apposition with “fathers;” then the first who refused to hear God, are referred to. Taking this view, we may render the verse thus —
10. They have turned to the iniquities of their fathers — The first who refused to hearken to my words; And they have walked after alien gods to serve them: Annulled have the house of Israel and the house of Judah My covenant, which I made with their fathers.
The word for “iniquities” means perversions, distortions, the turning of things to purposes not intended. These are the kinds of iniquities which are meant. Perverting the truth rather than denying or renouncing it, had ever been the sin of the Jews. Instead of worshipping God himself, they worshipped him by means of idols, and through the mediation of inferior gods. This was the perversion. Alien gods were mediators; hence they never renounced God’s worship. But God deemed this as an annulment of his covenant, by which they were required to worship him alone. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Their forefathers.The Hebrew is more specifictheir first fathers (as in Isa. 43:27), with special reference to the idolatries of the forty years wandering and the first settlement in Canaan.
They went after other gods.The Hebrew pronoun is emphatically repeated, as pointing back to the subject of the first clause of the verse, the men of Jeremiahs own timethey have gone after other gods.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Iniquities of their forefathers The original is more definite, and makes the allusion specific as to the idolatries of the wilderness.
Have broken my covenant These words, when placed by the side of that passage which sets forth the solemn and formal covenant of the people, given in Deuteronomy 27, have something of the awfulness of the judgment day itself.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 11:10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Ver. 10. They are turned away to the iniquities of their forefathers. ] Showing themselves herein to be a race of rebels, as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever their fathers were, and are therefore justly chargeable with their iniquities, which needeth not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
iniquities. Hebrew. ‘avah. App-44.
went = are gone.
the house of Israel. See note on Jer 2:4.
the house of Judah. See note on Jer 3:18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
turned: Jer 3:10, 1Sa 15:11, 2Ch 34:30-33, Hos 6:4, Hos 7:16, Zep 1:6
iniquities: Jdg 2:17, Jdg 2:19, Psa 78:8-10, Psa 78:57, Eze 20:18-21, Zec 1:4, Act 7:51, Act 7:52
the house of Israel: Jer 3:6-11, Jer 31:32, Lev 26:15, Deu 31:16, 2Ki 17:7-20, Eze 16:59, Eze 44:7, Hos 6:7, Hos 8:1, Heb 8:9
Reciprocal: Gen 17:14 – broken Psa 44:18 – heart Jer 17:23 – they obeyed Eze 5:6 – for they Heb 12:25 – refuse
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Verse 10. The motive for the conspiracy was to take up the sinful practice of the forefathers. While on the subject the Lord included his charge against his people in general. House of Israel means the 10 tribss and the house of Judah is the 2-tribe kingdom now in authority in Jerusalem at the time Jeremiah wrote. The former has been in exile already for more than a century and the latter is due to be taken very soon.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
They had returned (Heb. shub) to the sins of their forefathers who had rejected Yahweh’s words and had pursued idols (cf. Exodus 32; Jdg 2:11-13; et al.). This constituted breaking the covenant. Both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were guilty, and the Northern Kingdom had already gone into captivity for its failure.