For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is asking Israel to conduct a global survey, from the most "civilized" Western lands to the more "barbarous" Eastern tribes. The point isn't to actually travel, but to consider that no other nation, no matter how seemingly ignorant or distant, would abandon their gods so readily.
For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is challenging Israel to look at the entire known world, both the more "civilized" western regions like Cyprus and the eastern lands of Kedar, to see if any other nation has ever acted with such disloyalty. The prophet wants them to search far and wide because he knows they won't find any parallel to their abandonment of their one true God for lifeless idols.
Imagine being challenged to search the entire globe for evidence of a specific behavior. That's exactly what God, through Jeremiah, tells Israel to do.
Jeremiah 2:10 isn't just a poetic suggestion; it's a rhetorical challenge designed to highlight Israel's unique and profound unfaithfulness.
The Extremes of the Known World:
By telling Israel to look to both the 'civilized' west and the 'barbarous' east, God covers the entire known world. The point is stark: no other nation, no matter how sophisticated or how simple, acted with such fickleness towards their deities.
What's remarkable is what the verse doesn't find when Israel is told to search. It finds loyalty where you might least expect it.
The core of Jeremiah's argument in this passage is the astonishing inconsistency of Israel compared to the pagan nations.
The Pagan Example:
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This contrast emphasizes Israel's ungratefulness. Even false religions had a kind of stability that God's chosen people lacked. Their 'stupidity,' as some commentators put it, was in their inconsistency when compared to the stubborn consistency of the pagans in their error.
By urging his audience to look to the distant, diverse, and often 'less civilized' lands of the west (Chittim/Cyprus) and east (Kedar/Arabia), Jeremiah emphasizes that Judah's wholesale abandonment of God, the true source of their glory, is an unprecedented act of disloyalty that even the pagan nations, with their false gods, would never commit.
c. 1200 BC
Bronze Age Collapse and Sea Peoples Invasions
Widespread societal collapse across the Mediterranean, including invasions and migrations by groups often referred to as the 'Sea Peoples,' who likely impacted regions like Cyprus (Chittim) and coastal areas.
c. 1000 BC - 600 BC
Rise of Greek City-States and Phoenician Trade
Greek civilization flourished, with colonies and trade networks expanding across the Mediterranean, including Cyprus. Phoenician influence, and thus Kedar and its associated Arab tribes, also remained significant across trade routes.
c. 700 BC - 600 BC
Assyrian and Babylonian Empires Dominate
The Neo-Assyrian and later Neo-Babylonian Empires exerted significant political and military control over the Near East, impacting Judah and its surrounding regions.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many Judeans. This event marked a profound crisis for Israel's identity and relationship with God.
c. 550 BC - 400 BC
Persian Empire's Influence and Kedar's Trade
The Persian Empire rose to prominence, ruling over vast territories including the regions associated with Kedar and influencing Mediterranean trade routes, though Cyprus maintained a distinct identity.
c. 330 BC - 100 BC
Hellenistic Period and Roman Expansion
Following Alexander the Great's conquests, Hellenistic culture spread widely, impacting regions from Greece to the edges of Asia. Cyprus and areas associated with Kedar fell under various Hellenistic and later Roman spheres of influence.
Jeremiah's Prophetic Ministry (c. 626 BC - 586 BC)— this verse
Jeremiah Warns Judah of Impending Judgment
Jeremiah delivered God's message to Judah during a time of political instability and spiritual decay, warning of the consequences of their unfaithfulness and idolatry.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Jeremiah, where the people of Israel desire to be like the surrounding nations. It highlights the consistent theme of Israel's tendency to stray from God's path by imitating the world.
Romans 1:23Paul describes the Gentile nations exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images and created things. This parallels Jeremiah's charge, showing that even pagan nations often held onto their (false) gods with more steadfastness than Israel held onto the true God.
Deuteronomy 4:28This passage warns Israel that if they turn to serve other gods, they will be utterly destroyed. It underscores the unique covenant relationship and the severe consequences of abandoning the one true God, a stark contrast to the fickle nations Jeremiah mentions.
Psalm 106:35-37This psalm recounts how Israel mingled with the nations and learned their ways, even sacrificing their children to demons. It provides a concrete example of the kind of syncretism and unfaithfulness that Jeremiah is challenging the people to recognize as unparalleled.
barnesJeremiah 2:10: "For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing."
Kedar signifies the whole East, and the isles of Chittim ( Isaiah 23:12 note) the West. If then you traverse all lands from west to east, it will be impossible to find any nation guilty of such apostasy as that committed by Israel.
gillJeremiah 2:10: "For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing."
For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see,.... Or, "to the isles of Chittim" (z); so called from Kittim the son of Javan, Genesis 10:4 who, as Josephus says (a), possessed the island of Chethima, now called Cyprus; and, from that, all islands, and most maritime places, are, by the Hebrews, called Chittim, he observes: it may regard all the islands in th…
Jeremiah is asking Israel to conduct a global survey, from the most "civilized" Western lands to the more "barbarous" Eastern tribes. The point isn't to actually travel, but to consider that no other nation, no matter how seemingly ignorant or distant, would abandon their gods so readily.
Jeremiah is challenging Israel to look at the entire known world, both the more "civilized" western regions like Cyprus and the eastern lands of Kedar, to see if any other nation has ever acted with such disloyalty. The prophet wants them to search far and wide because he knows they won't find any parallel to their abandonment of their one true God for lifeless idols.
Jeremiah is challenging Israel to look at the entire known world, both the more "civilized" western regions like Cyprus and the eastern lands of Kedar, to see if any other nation has ever acted with such disloyalty. The prophet wants them to search far and wide because he knows they won't find any parallel to their abandonment of their one true God for lifeless idols.
"For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing." — Jeremiah is asking Israel to conduct a global survey, from the most "civilized" Western lands to the more "barbarous" Eastern tribes. The point isn't to actually travel, but to consider that no other…
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Last reviewed October 2026