Jeremiah 2:21

Easy-to-Read Version

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?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I planted you, a choice vinefrom the very best seed.How then could you turn intoa degenerate, foreign vine?

Hebrew Names Version
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

King James Version
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

English Standard Version
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?

New American Standard Bible
"Yet I planted you as a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

New Century Version
But I planted you as a special vine, as a very good seed. How then did you turn into a wild vine that grows bad fruit?

Amplified Bible
"Yet I had planted you [O house of Israel as] a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned against Me Into degenerate shoots of a foreign and wild vine [alien to Me]?

World English Bible
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet I had planted thee, a noble vine, whose plants were all natural: howe then art thou turned vnto me into the plants of a strange vine?

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet I planted you a choice vine,A completely true seed.How then have you turned yourself before MeInto the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

Berean Standard Bible
I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before me, into a rotten wild vine?

Contemporary English Version
You were a choice grapevine, but now you produce nothing but small, rotten grapes.

Complete Jewish Bible
But I planted you as a choice vine of seed fully tested and true. How did you degenerate into a wild vine for me?

Darby Translation
And I,—I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me?

George Lamsa Translation
Yet I had planted you a good vine, wholly a right seed; why then have you turned against me and have become degenerate like a plant of a strange vine?

Good News Translation
I planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. But look what you have become! You are like a rotten, worthless vine.

Lexham English Bible
Yet I planted you as a choice vine, all of it a seed of trustworthiness. How then have you altered before me into something that is degenerate, the foreign vine?

Literal Translation
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly a true seed. How then have you turned into the deviant shoots of an alien vine to Me?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
where as I planted the out of noble grapes and good rotes. How art thou turned then into a bytter, vnfrutefull, and straunge grape?

American Standard Version
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me?

Bible in Basic English
But when you were planted by me, you were a noble vine, in every way a true seed: how then have you been changed into the branching plant of a strange vine?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?

King James Version (1611)
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholy a right seede: How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine vnto me?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wheras I planted thee a noble vine, and wholly a right seede: howe art thou turned then into a bitter vnfruitfull and straunge grape?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Yet I planted thee a fruitful vine, entirely of the right sort: how art thou a strange vine turned to bitterness!

English Revised Version
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Y plauntide thee a chosun vyner, al trewe seed; hou therfor art thou, alien vyner, turned to me in to a schrewid thing?

Update Bible Version
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then have you turned into the wild branches of a foreign vine to me?

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine to me?

New English Translation
I planted you in the land like a special vine of the very best stock. Why in the world have you turned into something like a wild vine that produces rotten, foul-smelling grapes?

New King James Version
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?

New Living Translation
But I was the one who planted you, choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best. How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?

New Life Bible
Yet I planted you as a vine of much worth, in every way a true seed. How then have you turned away from Me and become a wild vine?

New Revised Standard
Yet I planted you as a choice vine, from the purest stock. How then did you turn degenerate and become a wild vine?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet, I, planted thee a precious vine, a wholly true seed, - How then didst thou change thyself towards me, into the degenerate plantings of the alien vine?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Yet, I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?

Revised Standard Version
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?

Young's Literal Translation
And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Yet I planted you a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

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

Yet I: Exodus 15:17, Psalms 44:2, Psalms 80:8, Isaiah 5:1, Isaiah 5:2, Isaiah 60:21, Isaiah 61:3, Matthew 21:33, Mark 12:1, Luke 20:9, John 15:1

wholly: Genesis 18:19, Genesis 26:3-5, Genesis 32:28, Deuteronomy 4:37, Joshua 24:31, Psalms 105:6, Isaiah 41:8

into the degenerate: Deuteronomy 32:32, Isaiah 1:21, Isaiah 5:4, Lamentations 4:1

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 4:39 - a wild vine Psalms 80:15 - vineyard Isaiah 27:2 - A vineyard Isaiah 43:26 - Put Jeremiah 11:17 - that Ezekiel 15:2 - What Hosea 4:18 - drink Malachi 1:6 - And ye Malachi 2:11 - profaned Malachi 2:15 - That he Luke 6:43 - General Luke 13:6 - fig tree Acts 17:11 - more Romans 6:5 - planted Romans 11:16 - and if 1 Corinthians 3:9 - ye are God's Hebrews 12:15 - any root James 3:12 - the fig tree

Cross-References

Genesis 15:12
The sun began to go down and Abram got very sleepy. While he was asleep, a very terrible darkness came over him.

1 Samuel 26:12
So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul's head, and then David and Abishai left Saul's camp. No one knew what had happened. No one saw it. No one even woke up. Saul and all of his soldiers slept because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.

Job 4:13
Like a bad dream in the night, it ruined my sleep.

Job 33:15
He may speak in a dream, or in a vision at night, when people are in a deep sleep lying in their beds.

Proverbs 19:15
Laziness brings on sleep, and an appetite for rest brings on hunger.

Daniel 8:18
While Gabriel was speaking, I fell to the ground and went to sleep. It was a very deep sleep. Then Gabriel touched me and lifted me to my feet.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed,.... It is usual to compare the people of the Jews to a vineyard, and to vines; and their settlement in the land of Canaan to the planting of vines in a vineyard; see Isaiah 5:1. Kimchi says this is spoken concerning Abraham; no doubt respect is had to the Jewish fathers, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, and the like; who, having the true and right seed of grace in them, became like choice and noble vines, and brought forth much fruit, and were deserving of imitation by their posterity:

how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? like a vine that grows in the woods, and brings forth wild grapes; so these, their sons, degenerating in practice from their fathers, became corrupt in themselves, and unprofitable to God. The Targum of the whole is,

"I set you before me as the plant of a choice vine, all of you doing truth; but how are you changed before me in your corrupt works? ye have declined from my worship, ye are become as a vine in which there is no profit.''

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A noble vine - Properly, a Sorek vine (see Isaiah 5:2), which produced a red wine Proverbs 23:31, and had a lasting reputation Genesis 49:11.

A right seed - literally, “a seed of truth,” i. e., true, genuine seed, not mixed with weeds, nor with seed of an inferior quality. Compare Matthew 13:24.

How then art thou turned - Or, “How then” hast thou changed thyself “unto me” (i. e., to my hurt or vexation) “into the degenerate” branches “of a strange vine?” The stock, which was God’s planting, was genuine, and of the noblest sort: the wonder was how such a stock could produce shoots of a totally different kind Deuteronomy 32:32.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 2:21. I had planted thee a noble vine — I gave thee the fullest instruction, the purest ordinances, the highest privileges; and reason would that I should expect thee to live suitably to such advantages; but instead of this thou art become degenerate; the tree is deteriorated, and the fruit is bad. Instead of being true worshippers, and of a holy life and conversation, ye are become idolaters of the most corrupt and profligate kind. See Isaiah 5:1, &c., where the same image is used.