Jeremiah 2:10-12
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. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jeremiah is essentially asking his listeners to conduct a global survey: check out the most "civilized" nations in the west (like Cyprus) and the most "barbarous" in the east (like Kedar) to see if anyone else has abandoned their gods as Israel has abandoned their God. The shocking truth is, even pagan nations, who worship mere idols, show more loyalty to their false gods than Israel shows to the one true God.
Jeremiah is challenging Israel by urging them to investigate the nations around them, from the sophisticated cultures in the west (like Cyprus and Greece) to the nomadic tribes in the east (like Kedar in Arabia). The prophet wants them to see that no other people has ever abandoned their gods, even false ones, with the same fickleness and ingratitude that Israel has shown towards the true God. This rhetorical challenge sets up the accusation in the following verse: that Israel has traded their true glory for worthless idols.
Imagine a divine detective launching a worldwide search. What are they looking for, and why would they send investigators to the furthest corners of the known world?
In Jeremiah 2:10, God calls His people to conduct an unprecedented investigation. The prophet instructs them to 'pass over the isles of Chittim' (generally the western Mediterranean, including areas like Cyprus and even Europe) and 'send to Kedar' (the eastern Arabian tribes).
Why such an extensive search?
This wasn't a literal journey for most Israelites but a call to look at the world with their minds, observing the constancy of other nations to highlight their own extraordinary betrayal.
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What can we learn from people who worship idols about faithfulness? It sounds backward, but God uses this comparison to expose His people's deep sin.
The core of Jeremiah's message in this passage is a stark contrast between the religious practices of the surrounding nations and Israel's actions.
The Steadfast Heathen
The call to search 'Chittim' and 'Kedar' is to find nations that, despite worshipping gods that 'are yet no gods' (Jeremiah 2:11), maintained a remarkable consistency. These nations, whether from the sophisticated West or the nomadic East, generally stuck with the gods their ancestors had passed down. Their devotion to false deities, while misguided, demonstrated a loyalty and stability that Israel lacked.
The Faithless People of God
Israel, on the other hand, had 'changed their glory for that which doth not profit' (Jeremiah 2:11). They abandoned the true God – the God who had revealed Himself, given them life, and sustained them. He was their 'glory,' their highest honor and source of strength. To exchange Him for lifeless idols was not just a change of gods; it was a catastrophic devaluation of the ultimate Good.
Understand the original words
goy · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a people group or ethnic body, often used in contrast to Israel (the nations/Gentiles) or to describe the corporate entity of Israel itself. In the Old Testament, it emphasizes the collective identity and political structure of a people.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The Hebrew term for the God of Israel, the covenant-keeping I AM who revealed Himself to Moses. It signifies His holiness, faithfulness, and supreme authority as the Creator and Redeemer.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the manifestation of God's presence, majesty, and character. In this context, it speaks to the honor and unique dignity that belongs to God, which Israel foolishly traded away.
shamem · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
A condition of extreme desolation, ruin, or spiritual emptiness. It characterizes the consequences of judgment or the state of being forsaken by God.
Jeremiah urges his audience to look at the farthest reaches of the known world – the cultured West (Chittim, like Cyprus) and the nomadic East (Kedar, Arabia) – to find that even these distant nations, with their false gods, exhibit more constancy than Israel does toward the one true God.
~1400 BC
Early Migrations to Cyprus
The island of Cyprus (Chittim) begins to see settlement and interaction with groups from the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, establishing its place in regional trade and culture.
c. 1000 BC - 7th Century BC
Rise of Greek City-States and Phoenician Trade
Greek influence grows in the Mediterranean, with Cyprus becoming a significant trading post. The Phoenicians, including the tribe of Kedar in Arabia, are also active in regional commerce and cultural exchange.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Influence in the Levant
The Assyrian Empire exerts significant power over the region, impacting the political and religious landscape of Israel and its surrounding nations.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Judeans
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports a portion of the Judean elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a period of severe national crisis for Judah.
c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple, leading to a larger exile of the Judean population. This event represents a profound loss of national identity and religious centrality.
c. 6th Century BC
Persian Empire's Dominance
The Persian Empire rises to power, eventually conquering Babylon and allowing some Judeans to return to Jerusalem. This new political reality shapes the post-exilic community.
Early 6th Century BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry and Message
Jeremiah issues his final warnings and prophecies to the people of Judah, condemning their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, and calling them to repent even as judgment looms and begins to fall.
This passage powerfully describes the utter futility and foolishness of idol worship, highlighting how the nations' devotion to lifeless objects is a complete contrast to Israel's rejection of the living God.
Psalm 106:19-21Similar to Jeremiah, this psalm recounts Israel's unfaithfulness, specifically their creation of a golden calf and their forgetting of God, who is their 'glory' and source of salvation.
Romans 1:21-23This New Testament passage echoes the theme of human foolishness in exchanging the truth of God for falsehoods and worshipping created things, showing how this spiritual blindness is a recurring problem throughout history.
Deuteronomy 32:31This verse, part of Moses' final song, states that even their enemies (representing other nations) would acknowledge the unique power of Israel's God, making Israel's abandonment of Him even more inexplicable.
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 essentially asking his listeners to conduct a global survey: check out the most "civilized" nations in the west (like Cyprus) and the most "barbarous" in the east (like Kedar) to see if anyone else has abandoned their gods as Israel has abandoned their God. The shocking truth is, even pagan nations, who worship mere idols, show more loyalty to their false gods than Israel shows to the one true God.
Jeremiah is challenging Israel by urging them to investigate the nations around them, from the sophisticated cultures in the west (like Cyprus and Greece) to the nomadic tribes in the east (like Kedar in Arabia). The prophet wants them to see that no other people has ever abandoned their gods, even false ones, with the same fickleness and ingratitude that Israel has shown towards the true God. This rhetorical challenge sets up the accusation in the following verse: that Israel has traded their true glory for worthless idols.
Jeremiah is challenging Israel by urging them to investigate the nations around them, from the sophisticated cultures in the west (like Cyprus and Greece) to the nomadic tribes in the east (like Kedar in Arabia). The prophet wants them to see that no other people has ever abandoned their gods, even false ones, with the same fickleness and ingratitude that Israel has shown towards the true God. This rhetorical challenge sets up the accusation in the following verse: that Israel has traded their true glory for worthless 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. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed thei…" — Jeremiah is essentially asking his listeners to conduct a global survey: check out the most "civilized" nations in the west (like Cyprus) and the most "barbarous" in the east (like Kedar) to see if a…
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