Jeremiah 2:5-6
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The verse isn't just asking if God did them wrong; it's highlighting how following "worthlessness" ( idols) doesn't just lead people away from God, but actually makes them worthless too, like becoming senseless and foolish. The question implies that there's literally nothing wrong with God, and the only "wrong" found was in their own choice to chase empty things and become empty themselves.
Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is addressing Israel, questioning why they, like their ancestors, have turned away from Him. He points out that their forefathers found no fault or injustice in Him that would justify their departure, yet they abandoned His ways to follow worthless idols, ultimately becoming as empty and foolish as the gods they served.
Imagine a parent asking their child, 'What did I do wrong?' This verse has that same heartfelt, almost bewildered tone. God is presenting His case.
Jeremiah's prophecy opens with God Himself speaking, posing a question that cuts to the heart of Israel's spiritual infidelity: 'What wrong did your fathers find in me?'
An Empty Accusation
This isn't just a rhetorical question; it's a plea for justice and an expose of Israel's baseless departure. God is essentially saying, 'Show me the evidence. Where did I fail you? Was I cruel? Unjust? Unfaithful?' The answer, of course, is nowhere. The commentary highlights that God's laws and governance were never harsh or tyrannical. He had consistently been a God of faithfulness and righteousness.
The Cost of Disloyalty
This plea underscores the immense grace God had shown. He had led them, protected them, and provided for them. Yet, they turned away. This question challenges any excuse for their apostasy and reveals the depth of their ingratitude.
What happens when you pursue something utterly worthless? This verse reveals a startling truth: you become like it.
The verse contrasts God's fullness with the 'worthlessness' that Israel chased after. This 'worthlessness' refers directly to idols and the empty pursuits they represented.
The Nature of Idols
Idols are described as 'vanity,' a word that literally means 'breath' or 'vapor.' They are insubstantial, unreal, and have no power. Chasing after them is like trying to grasp smoke – ultimately futile.
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The Consequence of Assimilation
The profound consequence is that Israel 'became worthless.' By dedicating their worship and lives to empty things, their own character, reason, and actions became just as empty and futile. They assimilated the very essence of what they served. This is a powerful principle: what we worship shapes who we become. When we chase after fleeting, worldly things, we risk becoming just as hollow and insubstantial as those pursuits.
Understand the original words
hebel · Hebrew Noun
Empty, vain, or unsubstantial things; often used in the Old Testament to refer to idols or false gods that have no reality or power.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and eternal nature.
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Noun
A place of bondage and oppression from which God sovereignly delivered His people, serving as the foundational historical paradigm for God's redemptive work.
midbar · Hebrew Noun
An uncultivated, desolate place, often used in Scripture as a site of testing, provision, and intimacy with God, or conversely, as a place of judgment.
This verse speaks into the heart of a long-standing pattern of unfaithfulness. From the earliest days in the Promised Land, Israel repeatedly turned from God to idols, not because God failed them, but because they chose to chase empty, 'vain' things that ultimately made them vain too.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites under Joshua conquered the Promised Land. This period marked the establishment of God's covenant and law in the land, setting the stage for their national identity.
c. 1050 BC - 1010 BC
Reign of King David
David established Jerusalem as the capital and brought the Ark of the Covenant there, solidifying worship of the LORD. This era is often seen as a high point of Israel's faithfulness.
931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's death, the united monarchy split into two kingdoms: Israel (the north) and Judah (the south). This division weakened the nation and led to increased idolatry and political instability.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Captivity
The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian Empire. Many Israelites were exiled and replaced by foreign populations, a stark warning to the southern kingdom of Judah.
c. 627 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry and Babylonian Exile
Jeremiah prophesied during a time of intense political turmoil and spiritual decline in Judah, warning of impending judgment. The southern kingdom eventually fell to Babylon, with many citizens exiled.
This passage describes God as 'faithful and without iniquity,' echoing Jeremiah's plea that there was no fault in God to cause His people to turn away.
Psalm 115:8It states that idol worshippers 'become like them,' directly paralleling Jeremiah's accusation that the people 'have become vain' by following worthless idols.
Isaiah 1:18This verse presents a similar divine plea, asking 'though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,' inviting a review of God's faithfulness despite human sin.
Romans 1:21The Apostle Paul uses a similar concept, noting that people 'became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened,' reflecting the idea of becoming 'vain' by turning from the true God.
Micah 6:3This passage also features God asking His people, 'What have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me,' mirroring Jeremiah's rhetorical question about finding fault in Him.
pulpitJeremiah 2:5: "Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?"
Verse 5. - What iniquity, etc.; rather, what unrighteousness, etc. (comp. Deuteronomy 32:4, "a God of faithfulness, and without unrighteousness," alluding to the "covenant" between Jehovah and Israel). God's condescending grace (his 'anavah, Psalm 18:36). As if he were under an obligation to Israel (comp. Micah 6:3, etc.; Isaiah 5:3…
clarkeJeremiah 2:5: "Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?"
What iniquity have your fathers found in me - Have they ever discovered any thing cruel, unjust, oppressive in my laws? Any thing unkind or tyrannical in my government? Why then have they become idolaters?
The verse isn't just asking if God did them wrong; it's highlighting how following "worthlessness" ( idols) doesn't just lead people away from God, but actually makes them worthless too, like becoming senseless and foolish. The question implies that there's literally nothing wrong with God, and the only "wrong" found was in their own choice to chase empty things and become empty themselves.
God is addressing Israel, questioning why they, like their ancestors, have turned away from Him. He points out that their forefathers found no fault or injustice in Him that would justify their departure, yet they abandoned His ways to follow worthless idols, ultimately becoming as empty and foolish as the gods they served.
God is addressing Israel, questioning why they, like their ancestors, have turned away from Him. He points out that their forefathers found no fault or injustice in Him that would justify their departure, yet they abandoned His ways to follow worthless idols, ultimately becoming as empty and foolish as the gods they served.
"Thus says the LORD:
“What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD
who brought us up from the land of Eg…" — The verse isn't just asking if God did them wrong; it's highlighting how following "worthlessness" ( idols) doesn't just lead people away from God, but actually makes *them* worthless too, like becom…
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Last reviewed October 2026