Jeremiah 2:32
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Original Language Analysis
שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי
forget
H7911
שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי
forget
Strong's:
H7911
Word #:
1 of 10
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
בְּתוּלָה֙
Can a maid
H1330
בְּתוּלָה֙
Can a maid
Strong's:
H1330
Word #:
2 of 10
a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state
עֶדְיָ֔הּ
her ornaments
H5716
עֶדְיָ֔הּ
her ornaments
Strong's:
H5716
Word #:
3 of 10
finery; generally an outfit; specifically, a headstall
וְעַמִּ֣י
yet my people
H5971
וְעַמִּ֣י
yet my people
Strong's:
H5971
Word #:
6 of 10
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי
forget
H7911
שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי
forget
Strong's:
H7911
Word #:
7 of 10
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
Cross References
Psalms 106:21They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;Jeremiah 2:11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.Jeremiah 3:21A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.Jeremiah 13:25This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.Isaiah 17:10Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:Isaiah 61:10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.Psalms 9:17The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.Hosea 8:14For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Historical Context
Written during Josiah's reign (640-609 BC), this indictment addresses Judah's persistent idolatry despite experiencing God's covenant blessings. The cultural context assumes that wedding ornaments were precious heirlooms passed through generations, making their potential loss unthinkable.
Questions for Reflection
- How does your daily life demonstrate remembrance or forgetfulness of God's covenant faithfulness?
- What spiritual disciplines help you maintain constant awareness of God's redeeming work in your life?
- In what ways does the culture's pursuit of temporal things expose the church's own spiritual forgetfulness?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
God employs a striking rhetorical question to highlight the unnatural character of Israel's apostasy. While brides meticulously remember their wedding ornaments (Hebrew 'keseth') and maidens their adornments, Israel has forgotten the LORD who redeemed them from Egypt. This demonstrates that spiritual amnesia regarding God's covenant faithfulness is more unnatural than any earthly forgetfulness. The phrase 'days without number' emphasizes the habitual, prolonged nature of their unfaithfulness, revealing total depravity's tendency toward spiritual forgetfulness apart from God's sustaining grace.