The Meaning of Jeremiah 2:25 Explained

Jeremiah 2:25

KJV: Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

YLT: Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'

Darby: Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.

ASV: Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, It is in vain; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Withhold  thy foot  from being unshod,  and thy throat  from thirst:  but thou saidst,  There is no hope:  no; for I have loved  strangers,  and after  them will I go. 

What does Jeremiah 2:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Israel should guard herself from living like a wild animal and therefore suffering from thirst. But Israel had said that it was hopeless to live like a domesticated animal. Like many an alcoholic or drug addict, she believed it was impossible for her to submit to and serve her Master faithfully. She had let her heart go after strangers and had decided to follow them instead of Yahweh.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 2

1  God having shown his former kindness,
5  expostulates with the people on their causeless and unexampled revolt
14  They are the causes of their own calamities
18  The sins and idolatries of Judah
35  Her confidence is rejected

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 2:25 mean?

Withhold your foot from being unshod - and your throat from thirst but you said there is no hope No for I have loved aliens and after them I will go
מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף [וגורנך] (וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ) מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י ! נוֹאָ֔שׁ ל֕וֹא כִּֽי־ אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ

מִנְעִ֤י  Withhold 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: מָנַע  
Sense: to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder.
רַגְלֵךְ֙  your  foot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
מִיָּחֵ֔ף  from  being  unshod 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָחֵף  
Sense: barefoot.
[וגורנך]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
(וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ)  and  your  throat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.
מִצִּמְאָ֑ה  from  thirst 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִמְאָה  
Sense: parched condition, thirst, dehydration.
וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י  but  you  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
! נוֹאָ֔שׁ  there  is  no  hope 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָאַשׁ  
Sense: to despair.
ל֕וֹא  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָהַ֥בְתִּי  I  have  loved 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
זָרִ֖ים  aliens 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.
וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם  and  after  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
אֵלֵֽךְ  I  will  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.