Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then they shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of Yahweh their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them.’”
- BSB Then people will reply, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’”
- NKJV Then they will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshiped other gods and served them.’ ”
- NASB Then they will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.’ ”
- NLT And the answer will be, ‘Because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshiping other gods.’”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The answer is that Judah abandoned God's covenant and served other gods. Idolatry is the root cause of the city's downfall.
Overview
The nations' question is answered plainly: the catastrophe came because Judah broke covenant and worshiped idols. This places the blame squarely on the people's spiritual unfaithfulness rather than on any weakness in their God. It reinforces the central theme that the first commandment, exclusive devotion to the LORD, lies at the heart of true life, and that turning from Him brings ruin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Kgs 22:17Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
- 2 Chr 34:25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
- Jer 40:2–3And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
- Jer 50:7All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
- Jer 2:17–19Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
- Deut 29:25–28Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 22:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.