Jeremiah 2:20

Easy-to-Read Version

"Judah, long ago you broke free from me, like an ox that breaks its yoke and the ropes that held it. You said to me, ‘I will not serve you!' On every high hill and under every green tree, you acted like a prostitute.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For long ago I broke your yoke;I tore off your chains.You insisted, “I will not serve!”On every high hilland under every green treeyou lay down like a prostitute.

Hebrew Names Version
For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bonds; and you said, I will not serve; for on every high hill and under every green tree you did bow yourself, playing the prostitute.

King James Version
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

English Standard Version
"For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.' Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.

New American Standard Bible
"For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your restraints; But you said, 'I will not serve!' For on every high hill And under every leafy tree You have lain down as a prostitute.

New Century Version
"Long ago you refused to obey me as an ox breaks its yoke. You broke the ropes I used to hold you and said, ‘I will not serve you!' In fact, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

Amplified Bible
"For long ago you broke your yoke [in deliberate disobedience] And tore off your bonds [of the law that I gave you]; You said, 'I will not serve and obey You!' For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down [in idolatrous worship] like a [compliant] prostitute.

World English Bible
For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bonds; and you said, I will not serve; for on every high hill and under every green tree you did bow yourself, playing the prostitute.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For of olde time I haue broken thy yoke, and burst thy bondes, and thou saidest, I will no more transgres, but like an harlot thou runnest about vpon al hie hilles, and vnder all greene trees.

Legacy Standard Bible
"For long ago I broke your yokeAnd tore off your bonds;But you said, ‘I will not serve!'For on every high hillAnd under every green treeYou have lain down as a harlot.

Berean Standard Bible
"For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, "I will not serve!" Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

Contemporary English Version
Long ago you left me and broke all ties between us, refusing to be my servant. Now you worship other gods by having sex on hilltops or in the shade of large trees.

Complete Jewish Bible
"For long ago I broke your yoke; when I snapped your chains, you said, ‘I won't sin.' Yet on every high hill, under every green tree, you sprawled and prostituted yourself.

Darby Translation
For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, playing the harlot.

George Lamsa Translation
For of old time I have broken your yoke and cut your bands; and you said, I shall never serve another god again; and behold, now upon every high hill and under every green tree you wander, playing the harlot.

Good News Translation
The Sovereign Lord says, "Israel, long ago you rejected my authority; you refused to obey me and worship me. On every high hill and under every green tree you worshiped fertility gods.

Lexham English Bible
"For from long ago you have broken your yoke, you tore to pieces your bonds. And you said, ‘I will not serve!' But on every high hill and under every leafy tree you were lying down as a prostitute.

Literal Translation
For long ago you broke your yoke and tore up your bonds. And you said, I will not transgress, when on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down like a harlot.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue euer broken thy yock of olde, & bursten thy bondes: yet saiest thou, I wil nomore serue, but (like an harlot) thou runnest aboute vpon all hie hilles, & amonge all grene trees:

American Standard Version
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.

Bible in Basic English
For in the past, your yoke was broken by your hands and your cords parted; and you said, I will not be your servant; for on every high hill and under every branching tree, your behaviour was like that of a loose woman

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidst: 'I will not transgress'; upon every high hill and under every leafy tree thou didst recline, playing the harlot.

King James Version (1611)
For of old time I haue broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidst; I will not transgresse: when vpon euery high hill, and vnder euery greene tree thou wandrest, playing the harlot.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I haue euer broken thy yoke of olde, and burst thy bondes, yet sayest thou: I wyll no more transgresse: but like an harlot thou runnest about vpon all hye hylles, and among all greene trees.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, and plucked asunder thy bands; and thou has said, I will not serve thee, but will go upon every high hill, and under every shady tree, there will I indulge in my fornication.

English Revised Version
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Fro the world thou hast broke my yok, thou hast broke my bondis, and seidist, Y schal not serue. For thou hoore didist hordom in ech hiy litil hil, and vndur ech tree ful of bowis.

Update Bible Version
For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bonds; and you said, I will not serve; for on every high hill and under every green tree you were laying down prostituting.

Webster's Bible Translation
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

New English Translation
"Indeed, long ago you threw off my authority and refused to be subject to me. You said, ‘I will not serve you.' Instead, you gave yourself to other gods on every high hill and under every green tree, like a prostitute sprawls out before her lovers.

New King James Version
"For of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds; And you said, "I will not transgress,' When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot.

New Living Translation
"Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you said, ‘I will not serve you.' On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.

New Life Bible
"Long ago I broke the load from your neck and tore off your chains. But you said, ‘I will not serve!' For on every high hill and under every green tree you have lain down as a woman who sells the use of her body.

New Revised Standard
For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds, and you said, "I will not serve!" On every high hill and under every green tree you sprawled and played the whore.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, in age-past time, I brake thy yoke, I tare off thy fetters, And thou saidst, I will not transgress, - Nevertheless, on every high hill, and under every green tree, wast thou lying down as an unchaste woman.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.

Revised Standard Version
"For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds; and you said, 'I will not serve.' Yea, upon every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down as a harlot.

Young's Literal Translation
For from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, `I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering -- a harlot.

THE MESSAGE
"A long time ago you broke out of the harness. You shook off all restraints. You said, ‘I will not serve!' and off you went, Visiting every sex-and-religion shrine on the way, like a common whore. You were a select vine when I planted you from completely reliable stock. And look how you've turned out— a tangle of rancid growth, a poor excuse for a vine. Scrub, using the strongest soaps. Scour your skin raw. The sin-grease won't come out. I can't stand to even look at you!" God 's Decree, the Master's Decree.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your bonds; But you said, 'I will not serve!' For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot.

Contextual Overview

²⁰ "Judah, long ago you broke free from me, like an ox that breaks its yoke and the ropes that held it. You said to me, ‘I will not serve you!' On every high hill and under every green tree, you acted like a prostitute. ²¹ Judah, I planted you like a special vine. You were all from good seed. How did you turn into a different vine that grows bad fruit? ²² Even if you wash yourself with lye, even if you use much soap, I can still see your guilt." This message is from the Lord God . ²³ "Judah, how can you say to me, ‘I am not guilty because I have not worshiped the Baal idols'? Think about what you did in the valley. Think about what you have done. You are like a fast she-camel that runs from place to place. ²⁴ You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert. At mating time, she sniffs the wind. No one can control her when she is in heat. At mating time, every male that wants her will get her. She is easy to find. ²⁵ Judah, stop chasing after idols! Stop wanting those other gods. But you say, ‘It is no use! I cannot stop! I love those other gods. I can't stop chasing them.' ²⁶ "A thief is ashamed when people catch him stealing. The people of Israel should be ashamed too and so should their kings and leaders, priests and prophets. ²⁷ They say to pieces of wood, ‘You are my father.' They say to a rock, ‘You gave birth to me.' All these people will be ashamed. They don't look to me for help. They have turned their backs to me. But when the people of Judah get into trouble, they say to me, ‘Come and save us!' ²⁸ But where are the idols you made for yourselves? Let's see if they come and save you when you are in trouble! People of Judah, you have as many idols as you have cities!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For of: Jeremiah 30:8, Exodus 3:8, Leviticus 26:13, Deuteronomy 4:20, Deuteronomy 4:34, Deuteronomy 15:15, Isaiah 9:4, Isaiah 10:27, Isaiah 14:25, Nahum 1:13

and thou saidst: Exodus 19:8, Exodus 24:3, Deuteronomy 5:27, Deuteronomy 26:17, Joshua 1:16, Joshua 24:16-24, 1 Samuel 12:10

transgress: or, serve

when upon: Jeremiah 3:6, Deuteronomy 12:2, 1 Kings 12:32, Psalms 78:58, Isaiah 57:5-7, Ezekiel 16:24, Ezekiel 16:25, Ezekiel 16:31, Ezekiel 20:28

playing: Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 3:6-8, Exodus 34:14-16, Deuteronomy 12:2, Isaiah 1:21, Ezekiel 16:15, Ezekiel 16:16, Ezekiel 16:28, Ezekiel 16:41, Ezekiel 23:5, Hosea 2:5, Hosea 3:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 38:24 - played the harlot 2 Kings 12:3 - General Proverbs 7:12 - General Ecclesiastes 6:9 - wandering of the desire Isaiah 1:29 - the gardens Isaiah 57:7 - General Jeremiah 3:2 - unto Jeremiah 3:13 - and hast scattered Jeremiah 13:27 - thine adulteries Jeremiah 17:2 - their altars Jeremiah 28:4 - I will break Jeremiah 50:6 - on the Lamentations 4:13 - that Ezekiel 6:3 - to the mountains Ezekiel 6:13 - upon Ezekiel 11:21 - their detestable Ezekiel 34:27 - when I Hosea 12:11 - their altars

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the companion he needs, one just right for him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands,.... The yoke of the people, as the Targum expresses it, that was upon their necks, and the bands in which they were bound by them; referring to the deliverance of them of old from Egyptian bondage by the hands of Moses, and out of their several captivities among their neighbours by the means of the judges, and in their time; though the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "of old thou hast broken my yoke, and burst my bands"; or "thy yoke", and "thy bands", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the yoke of the law that the Lord put upon them, and the bands of statutes and ordinances which he enjoined them; but the former sense is best:

and thou saidst, I will not transgress; here is a double reading; the Cetib or writing is אעבוד, "I will not serve"; which is followed by the Vulgate Latin, which so renders it; and by the Septuagint version, "I will not serve thee"; and which is the sense of the Arabic version, "I will not subject myself", that is, to the law and will of God; and so the Syriac version, though to a quite different sense, "I will serve no other god any more": which agrees with the Keri or reading, which is

אעבור, "I will not transgress"; and this is confirmed by the Targum, which paraphrases the words thus,

"and ye said, we will not add any more to transgress thy word;''

and by Jarchi and Kimchi, who interpret it of transgressing the words and commands of God; both have one and the same sense. For whether it be read, "I will not serve"; the meaning is, as Kimchi observes, "I will not serve idols"; or no other god, as the Syriac version: or whether, "I will not transgress"; that is, the command of the Lord, by serving other gods. Hillerus p reconciles the writing and reading after this manner, rendering לא אעבוד, "I will not serve", and

לא אעבור, "I will not pass", to servitude; though, in another place q "I will not pass over", that is, the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates with the captives; and refers to Micah 1:11, but doubtless reference is had to the promise of obedience and service, which the Israelites made at Mount Sinai quickly after their deliverance out of Egypt, Exodus 19:8, but this promise they did not keep: "when", or "for", or "but", or "although" r,

upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wanderest, playing the harlot; that is, committing spiritual whoredom or idolatry with idols, set on high hills and mountains, and under green trees, groves, and shady places; going from one idol to another, as harlots go from one stew to another; or as whoremongers go from harlot to harlot.

p De Arcano Kethib Keri, p. 27, 28. q Ib. p. 89, 90. r כי "nam", Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius "atqui", Calvin, Gataker; "quamvis", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Transgress - Rather, as in marg. If the “yoke” and “bands” refer to the slavery in Egypt from which Yahweh freed Israel, the sense is - “For of old time I Yahweh broke thy yoke, I burst thy bands,” not that thou mightest be free to do thy own will, but that thou mightest serve me: “and thou saidst, I will not serve.”

When ... - “For ... under every leafy tree thou” layest thyself down as a harlot. The verb indicates the eagerness with which she prostrates herself before the objects of her idolatrous worship.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 2:20. Of old time I have broken thy yoke — It is thought by able critics that the verbs should be read in the second person singular, THOU hast broken thy yoke, THOU hast burst thy bonds; and thus the Septuagint, συνετριψας τον ζυγον σου, "thou hast broken thy yoke." And the Vulgate, Confregisti jugum meum, rupisti, vincula mea; "Thou hast broken my yoke; thou hast burst my bonds;" and so the Arabic. But the Chaldee gives it a meaning which removes the difficulty: "I have broken the yoke of the people from thy neck; I have cut your bonds asunder." And when this was done, they did promise fair: for "thou saidst, I will not transgress;" but still they played the harlot-committed idolatrous acts in the high places, where the heathen had built their altars, pretending that elevation of this kind assisted their devotion.