Jeremiah 11:10
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Original Language Analysis
שָׁ֩בוּ֩
They are turned back
H7725
שָׁ֩בוּ֩
They are turned back
Strong's:
H7725
Word #:
1 of 27
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
2 of 27
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
with their fathers
H1
אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
with their fathers
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
4 of 27
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֗ים
of their forefathers
H7223
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֗ים
of their forefathers
Strong's:
H7223
Word #:
5 of 27
first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
6 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ
to hear
H8085
לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ
to hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
8 of 27
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
9 of 27
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
דְּבָרַ֔י
my words
H1697
דְּבָרַ֔י
my words
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
10 of 27
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
הָלְכ֗וּ
and they went
H1980
הָלְכ֗וּ
and they went
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
12 of 27
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
אַחֲרֵ֛י
after
H310
אַחֲרֵ֛י
after
Strong's:
H310
Word #:
13 of 27
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
gods
H430
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
gods
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
14 of 27
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
לְעָבְדָ֑ם
to serve
H5647
לְעָבְדָ֑ם
to serve
Strong's:
H5647
Word #:
16 of 27
to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc
הֵפֵ֤רוּ
have broken
H6565
הֵפֵ֤רוּ
have broken
Strong's:
H6565
Word #:
17 of 27
to break up (usually figuratively), i.e., to violate, frustrate
וּבֵ֣ית
and the house
H1004
וּבֵ֣ית
and the house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
18 of 27
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
19 of 27
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
וּבֵ֣ית
and the house
H1004
וּבֵ֣ית
and the house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
20 of 27
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
יְהוּדָ֔ה
of Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֔ה
of Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
21 of 27
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
22 of 27
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
בְּרִיתִ֕י
my covenant
H1285
בְּרִיתִ֕י
my covenant
Strong's:
H1285
Word #:
23 of 27
a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
24 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
כָּרַ֖תִּי
which I made
H3772
כָּרַ֖תִּי
which I made
Strong's:
H3772
Word #:
25 of 27
to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e., make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutt
Cross References
Deuteronomy 31:16And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.Ezekiel 16:59For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.1 Samuel 15:11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.Judges 2:19And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.Judges 2:17And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.Hebrews 8:9Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.Psalms 78:57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.Deuteronomy 9:7Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.Ezekiel 44:7In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.Leviticus 26:15And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
Historical Context
Northern Israel's apostasy under Jeroboam established Baal worship (1 Kings 12:25-33) that culminated in Assyrian exile (722 BC). Judah, despite witnessing Israel's fate, repeated the pattern under Manasseh (2 Kings 21). Josiah's reforms temporarily reversed the trend, but his successors returned to ancestral sins. The parallel mention of both kingdoms shows Judah learned nothing from Israel's destruction.
Questions for Reflection
- What does 'turning back to ancestral iniquities' reveal about sin's generational patterns?
- How did Judah's failure to learn from Israel's judgment compound their guilt?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes the conspiracy: 'They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words.' The Hebrew shuvu (שָׁבוּ, turned back) indicates deliberate return to ancestral sins—not original rebellion but recapitulation. 'Forefathers' (avotham harishonim, their first/former fathers) refers to previous generations who broke covenant. 'And they went after other gods to serve them.' The phrase 'other gods' (elohim acherim) echoes the first commandment's prohibition (Exodus 20:3). 'The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.' Both kingdoms—northern Israel and southern Judah—violated the Sinai covenant. The verb 'broken' (hepheru) means to annul, invalidate, make void.