Jeremiah 2:14
"Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?"

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Is Israel a servant?.... That he does not abide in the house, in his own land, but is carried captive, becomes subject to others, and is used as a slave; so the Targum, "as a servant;'' is he not the Lord's first born? are not the people of Israel

called the children of the living God? how come they then to be treated not as children, as free men, but as servants? this cannot be owing to any breach of covenant or promise on God's part, or to the failure of the blessing of national adoption bestowed on them; but to some sin or sins of theirs, which have brought them into this miserable condition: is he a home born slave? or born in the house, of the handmaid, and so in the power of the master of the family in whose house he was born, Exo 21:4 or the sense is, either Israel is a servant, or a son of the family (d), as some render the words; not the former, being not only the son of a free woman, but Jehovah's firstborn; if the latter, why is he spoiled? why is he delivered up to the spoilers? as the Targum; why should he be given up into the hands of the Babylonians, and become their prey? is it usual for fathers to suffer their children, or those born in their house, to be so used? some reason must be given for it. (d) "filius familias", Munster.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (9 words)

H5650 עֶבֶד
Definition:

25+,עָ֑בֶדGenesis 44:10+; suffixעַבְדִּיGenesis 26:24+;עַבְדְּךָGenesis 19:19+;עַבְדֶּ֫ךָGenesis 18:3+; pluralעֲבָדִיםGenesis 9:25+,עַבְדֵיGenesis 21:25+, suffixעֲבָדַיLeviticus 25:42+,עַבְדֵיכֶםJoshu 25+,עָ֑בֶדGenesis 44:10+; suffixעַבְדִּיGenesis 26:24+;עַבְדְּךָGenesis 19:19+;עַבְדֶּ֫ךָGenesis 18:3+; pluralעֲבָדִיםGenesis 9:25+,עַבְדֵיGenesis 21:25+, suffixעֲבָדַיLeviticus 25:42+,עַבְדֵיכֶםJoshu

Possible Meanings:
  • slave (semantic_range)
  • servant (semantic_range)
H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל
Definition:

16(Hpt); MI5, + 5 t.ישראל; in EgyptianY-si-r-'lSteindZAW xvi (1896), 331, compare BreastedBib. World ix (1897), 62 ff.PatonSyr. and Pal. 134; AssyrianSir-'-lai(=יִשְׂרְאֵלִי) SchrKG 356 ff., 364; COTG 16(Hpt); MI5, + 5 t.ישראל; in EgyptianY-si-r-'lSteindZAW xvi (1896), 331, compare BreastedBib. World ix (1897), 62 ff.PatonSyr. and Pal. 134; AssyrianSir-'-lai(=יִשְׂרְאֵלִי) SchrKG 356 ff., 364; COTG

Possible Meanings:
  • Israel (semantic_range)
H0518 אִם
Definition:

see NöM p. 208, ZMG 1886, p. 739; WAG i. § 367 e)**ᵑ7Onk Jonאִם,ᵑ7Hagאין.1. hypothetical particleif.a.construction(see more fully Dr§ 136-138, 143FriedrichDie Hebr. Condit. sätze 1884): (1) withimperf see NöM p. 208, ZMG 1886, p. 739; WAG i. § 367 e)**ᵑ7Onk Jonאִם,ᵑ7Hagאין.1. hypothetical particleif.a.construction(see more fully Dr§ 136-138, 143FriedrichDie Hebr. Condit. sätze 1884): (1) withimperf

Possible Meanings:
  • mother (semantic_range)
  • mother (semantic_range)
  • dam (semantic_range)
  • point of departure (semantic_range)
  • division (semantic_range)
H3211 יָלִיד
Definition:

124t.; pluralיְלִידֵיGenesis 14:146t.;בִּילִדֵי2 Samuel 21:18; —born, especially of slaveוְלִיד בַּיִתborn in (one's) house (opposed to purchased by money)Genesis 17:12,13,27;Leviticus 22:11(all P), c 124t.; pluralיְלִידֵיGenesis 14:146t.;בִּילִדֵי2 Samuel 21:18; —born, especially of slaveוְלִיד בַּיִתborn in (one's) house (opposed to purchased by money)Genesis 17:12,13,27;Leviticus 22:11(all P), c

H1004 בּיִת
Definition:

12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch 12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch

Possible Meanings:
  • lodge (semantic_range)
  • pass the night (semantic_range)
H1931 הוּא
Definition:

23Kt, seeהוּא.הוּאmasculineהִיאfeminine(plural masculineהֵ֫מָּה,הֵם; feminineהֵ֫נָּה,הֵן[the latter only with prefixes]; see these words),pronoun of the 3rd person singular,he, she, used also(in both 23Kt, seeהוּא.הוּאmasculineהִיאfeminine(plural masculineהֵ֫מָּה,הֵם; feminineהֵ֫נָּה,הֵן[the latter only with prefixes]; see these words),pronoun of the 3rd person singular,he, she, used also(in both

H4069 מַדּוּעַ
Definition:

(Exodus 18:19)מַדֻּעַadverbwherefore?(probably contracted fromמַהיָּֿדוּעַwhat being known ?i.e. from what motive? so Ges Ew§325 cOl§223 f, compare in Greekτί μαθών;) —wherefore? on what account ?Gene (Exodus 18:19)מַדֻּעַadverbwherefore?(probably contracted fromמַהיָּֿדוּעַwhat being known ?i.e. from what motive? so Ges Ew§325 cOl§223 f, compare in Greekτί μαθών;) —wherefore? on what account ?Gene

H1961 הָיָה
Definition:

1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu 1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu

Possible Meanings:
  • fall out (semantic_range)
  • come to pass (semantic_range)
  • become (semantic_range)
  • be (semantic_range)
  • Fall out (semantic_range)
H0957 בּז
Definition:

3+; so alsoEzekiel 25:7Qr (Ktבגmeaningless);בַּ֑זJeremiah 2:14+; butהַבָּ֔זNumbers 31:32see d. H; suffixבִּזָּהּExodus 29:19; —1spoiling, robbery,׳לְבi.e. to be plundered, despoiledEzekiel 7:21(of tem 3+; so alsoEzekiel 25:7Qr (Ktבגmeaningless);בַּ֑זJeremiah 2:14+; butהַבָּ֔זNumbers 31:32see d. H; suffixבִּזָּהּExodus 29:19; —1spoiling, robbery,׳לְבi.e. to be plundered, despoiledEzekiel 7:21(of tem

Possible Meanings:
  • booty (semantic_range)

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