Jeremiah 2:13
"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

For my people have committed two evils,.... Not but that they had committed more, but there were two principal ones they were guilty of, hereafter mentioned; and it was an aggravation of these crimes, that they were the professing people of God who had committed them: and it may be observed, that such sin; they are not without it, nor the commission of it; and may be left to fall into great sins, and yet remain his people; covenant interest cannot be dissolved; this should be considered not as an encouragement

to sin, but as a relief under a sense of sin: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters; this is said of Christ, Sol 4:15 , grace in him is compared to "water", it being cooling and refreshing, cleansing and fructifying; and to living water, because it quickens dead sinners, revives drooping saints, supports and maintains spiritual life, and issues in eternal life; and because it is perpetual and ever flowing; and to a "fountain", denoting that the original of it is in Christ, and the great abundance of it which is in him; it is as water in a fountain, in us as in streams: now to forsake this fountain is the first of these evils; which is done when the people of God are remiss in the exercise of faith on Christ; grow cold in their affections to him, and neglect his word and ordinances. And hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water; this is the other evil; and such are the world, and the things in it, when cleaved unto, and rest and satisfaction are taken in them; the inventions and ordinances of men, when followed and attended to; moral duties, and evangelical services, when depended on; and even spiritual frames, when these are lived upon, and put in the room of Christ; yea, acts of faith, when they are rested in, and the object not so much regarded as should be: moreover, what may principally be intended are, in the first place, forsaking the worship of God, as the Targum interprets it, the assembling of themselves together to attend his service and ordinances, which is to forsake their own mercies; and, in the next place, following after idols, as the same paraphrase explains it, which have no divinity in them, and can yield no help and relief, or give any comfort, or afford any supply in time of distress and need. It is egregious folly to leave a fountain for a cistern, and especially a broken one: in a fountain the water is living, and always running, and ever springing up; not so in a cistern, and in a broken cistern there is none at all.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (18 words)

H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H8147 שְׁנַיִם
Definition:

768noun masculine and feminine dualtwo(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenicianאשנם(and׳שנsecond), PunicשנםLzb380; Arabic; SabeanתֿניHomChr 47, Aramaicתְּרֵין,(תִּנְיָנָא,second); Nabataeanתרין, Palmyrene feminineת 768noun masculine and feminine dualtwo(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenicianאשנם(and׳שנsecond), PunicשנםLzb380; Arabic; SabeanתֿניHomChr 47, Aramaicתְּרֵין,(תִּנְיָנָא,second); Nabataeanתרין, Palmyrene feminineת

H7451 רַע
Definition:

Fromra'a'; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) -- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm Fromra'a'; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) -- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm

Possible Meanings:
  • misery (semantic_range)
  • injury (semantic_range)
H6213 עָשָׂה
Definition:

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly,

Possible Meanings:
  • press (semantic_range)
  • squeeze (semantic_range)
H5971 עַם
Definition:

Fromamam; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock -- folk, men, nation, people.see HEBREWamamBrow Fromamam; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock -- folk, men, nation, people.see HEBREWamamBrow

Possible Meanings:
  • with (semantic_range)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H5800 עָזַב
Definition:

A primitive root; to loosen, i.e. Relinquish, permit, etc. -- commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, X surely.Brown-Driver-BriggsI.עָזַב213verbleave, forsake, loose A primitive root; to loosen, i.e. Relinquish, permit, etc. -- commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, X surely.Brown-Driver-BriggsI.עָזַב213verbleave, forsake, loose

Possible Meanings:
  • restore (semantic_range)
  • repair (semantic_range)
H4726 מָקוֹר
Definition:

1spring, fountain(apparently originallywell); — absolute׳מZechariah 13:1;Proverbs 25:26; constructמְקוֺרJeremiah 2:13+,מְקֹרLeviticus 12:7;Leviticus 20:18; suffixמְקוֺרוֺHosea 13:15, etc.; —1springof 1spring, fountain(apparently originallywell); — absolute׳מZechariah 13:1;Proverbs 25:26; constructמְקוֺרJeremiah 2:13+,מְקֹרLeviticus 12:7;Leviticus 20:18; suffixמְקוֺרוֺHosea 13:15, etc.; —1springof

Possible Meanings:
  • source (semantic_range)
H4325 מַיִם
Definition:

14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur 14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur

H2416 חַי
Definition:

Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat

H2672 חָצַב
Definition:

2;חָֽצְבָהProverbs 9:1;חָצַבְתִּיHosea 6:5, etc.;Imperfectוַיַּחְצֹב2Chronicles 26:10; 2 masculine singularתַּחְצֹבDeuteronomy 8:9;Infinitive constructלַחְצֹבJeremiah 2:13;לַחְצוֺב1 Chronicles 22:2;Pa 2;חָֽצְבָהProverbs 9:1;חָצַבְתִּיHosea 6:5, etc.;Imperfectוַיַּחְצֹב2Chronicles 26:10; 2 masculine singularתַּחְצֹבDeuteronomy 8:9;Infinitive constructלַחְצֹבJeremiah 2:13;לַחְצוֺב1 Chronicles 22:2;Pa

Possible Meanings:
  • hew (semantic_range)
  • hew out (semantic_range)
  • cleave (semantic_range)
  • hew out (semantic_range)
  • dig (semantic_range)
H0877 בֹּאר
Definition:

13cistern, pit, well(forבְּאֹרcompareבּוֺר) — singular Ktבאר2 Samuel 23:15,16,20 (Qrבֹּר); apparentlywell2 Samuel 23:15;2 Samuel 23:16(read perhapsבְּאֵר),pit2 Samuel 23:20; pluralJeremiah 2:13me they 13cistern, pit, well(forבְּאֹרcompareבּוֺר) — singular Ktבאר2 Samuel 23:15,16,20 (Qrבֹּר); apparentlywell2 Samuel 23:15;2 Samuel 23:16(read perhapsבְּאֵר),pit2 Samuel 23:20; pluralJeremiah 2:13me they

H0877 בֹּאר
Definition:

13cistern, pit, well(forבְּאֹרcompareבּוֺר) — singular Ktבאר2 Samuel 23:15,16,20 (Qrבֹּר); apparentlywell2 Samuel 23:15;2 Samuel 23:16(read perhapsבְּאֵר),pit2 Samuel 23:20; pluralJeremiah 2:13me they 13cistern, pit, well(forבְּאֹרcompareבּוֺר) — singular Ktבאר2 Samuel 23:15,16,20 (Qrבֹּר); apparentlywell2 Samuel 23:15;2 Samuel 23:16(read perhapsבְּאֵר),pit2 Samuel 23:20; pluralJeremiah 2:13me they

H7665 שָׁבַר
Definition:

28;Isaiah 14:5, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁבֹּרJeremiah 19:11,בּוֺר-Isaiah 42:3; 3feminine singularתִּשְׁבָּרֿProverbs 25:15, etc.;Imperativemasculine singularשְׁבֹרPsalm 10:15, suffixשָׁבְ 28;Isaiah 14:5, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁבֹּרJeremiah 19:11,בּוֺר-Isaiah 42:3; 3feminine singularתִּשְׁבָּרֿProverbs 25:15, etc.;Imperativemasculine singularשְׁבֹרPsalm 10:15, suffixשָׁבְ

Possible Meanings:
  • buy grain (semantic_range)
  • buy grain (semantic_range)
  • sell grain (semantic_range)
H0834 אֲשֶׁר
Definition:

1according to TsepreghiDiss. Lugd. p. 171MühlauBö. Lb. ii. 79 n.StaMorg. Forsch. 1875, 188; Lb. § 167HomZMG 1878, 708 ff.Müll§ 153SayceHebraica. ii. 51LagM. i. 255 &especially KraeHebraica. vi. 298 ff 1according to TsepreghiDiss. Lugd. p. 171MühlauBö. Lb. ii. 79 n.StaMorg. Forsch. 1875, 188; Lb. § 167HomZMG 1878, 708 ff.Müll§ 153SayceHebraica. ii. 51LagM. i. 255 &especially KraeHebraica. vi. 298 ff

Possible Meanings:
  • Asher (semantic_range)
  • happy one (semantic_range)
  • Felix (semantic_range)
  • the tribe (semantic_range)
H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H3557 כּוּל
Definition:

12מִיכָּ֗֗֗ל בְּשָׁלִשׁעֲפַר הָאָרֶץwho hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a shalish-measure?PilpelPerfectכִּלְכֵּל2 Samuel 19:33; suffixכִּלְכְּלָם1 Kings 18:4; 2masculine singular suffixכִּל 12מִיכָּ֗֗֗ל בְּשָׁלִשׁעֲפַר הָאָרֶץwho hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a shalish-measure?PilpelPerfectכִּלְכֵּל2 Samuel 19:33; suffixכִּלְכְּלָם1 Kings 18:4; 2masculine singular suffixכִּל

Possible Meanings:
  • contain (semantic_range)
  • sustain (semantic_range)
  • maintain (semantic_range)
H4325 מַיִם
Definition:

14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur 14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur

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