Jeremiah 2:31
O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
O generation, see ye the word of the Lord,.... Take notice of it, consider it; or, hear it, as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions. Jarchi and Kimchi think {i} the pot of manna was brought out, and shown them, to be looked at by them, for the conviction of them, and confirmation of what follows:
Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? no: the Israelites were plentifully supplied by him when in the wilderness, and since they were brought into a land flowing with milk and honey; so that they stood in need of nothing; they had a constant supply of all good things:
or a land of darkness? of misery, distress, and poverty; where no light of joy, comfort, and prosperity, is; a land that never sees the light, or enjoys the benefit of the sun, and so is barren and unfruitful; "a land of thorns", as the Septuagint version; or, "a desert and uncultivated land", as the Targum, and Syriac and Arabic versions. It may be rendered, "a land of the darkness of God" {k}; that is, of the greatest darkness, of thick and gross darkness, alluding to that in Egypt; as the flame of God, and mountains of God, Song of Solomon 8:6, as Ben Melech and Kimchi observe:
wherefore say my people, We are lords; and can reign without thee; or we have kings and princes, and have no need of thee, so Kimchi; but the word used seems to have another meaning, and to require another sense. The Targum is, "we are removed"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "we have gone back"; to which agrees the Jewish Midrash {l}, mentioned by Jarchi, and confirmed with a passage out of the Misna {m}, "we are separated from thee"; we have departed from thee, turned our backs on thee, have forsaken thee, and left thy ways and worship; and to do so was very ungrateful, when the Lord had so richly supplied them, that they had not lacked any good thing; and this sense agrees with what follows:
we will come no more unto thee? some render it, "we have determined" {n}; as having the same sense with the Arabic word, which signifies to "will" or determine anything; and then the meaning is, we are determined, we are resolved to come no more to thee, to attend thy worship and service any more; and so the Targum,
"we will not return any more to thy worship.''
{i} So Mechilta apud Yalkut in loc.
{k} hylpam Ura "terra caliginis Dei", Gataker, Gussetius; "caliginis Jah", Montanus.
{l} Midrash R. Tanchuma, apud Jarchi in loc. Vid. Yalkut Simeoni, in Ioc.
{m} Misn. Trumot, c. 10. sect. 3. & Machshirin, c. 3. sect. 3.
{n} wndr "voluimus non veniemus", &c, De Dieu; "decrevimus non veniemus", Cocceius.