Jeremiah 8:2
And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
Original Language Analysis
לַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ
them before the sun
H8121
לַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ
them before the sun
Strong's:
H8121
Word #:
2 of 27
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e., (architectural) a notched battlement
וּלְכֹ֣ל׀
H3605
וּלְכֹ֣ל׀
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 27
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
צְבָ֣א
and all the host
H6635
צְבָ֣א
and all the host
Strong's:
H6635
Word #:
5 of 27
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם
of heaven
H8064
הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם
of heaven
Strong's:
H8064
Word #:
6 of 27
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
7 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
אֲהֵב֜וּם
whom they have loved
H157
אֲהֵב֜וּם
whom they have loved
Strong's:
H157
Word #:
8 of 27
to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר
H834
וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
9 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עֲבָדוּם֙
and whom they have served
H5647
עֲבָדוּם֙
and whom they have served
Strong's:
H5647
Word #:
10 of 27
to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc
וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙
H834
וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
11 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הָלְכ֣וּ
whom they have walked
H1980
הָלְכ֣וּ
whom they have walked
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
12 of 27
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם
and after
H310
אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם
and after
Strong's:
H310
Word #:
13 of 27
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר
H834
וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
14 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
דְּרָשׁ֔וּם
and whom they have sought
H1875
דְּרָשׁ֔וּם
and whom they have sought
Strong's:
H1875
Word #:
15 of 27
properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship
וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
16 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ
and whom they have worshipped
H7812
הִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ
and whom they have worshipped
Strong's:
H7812
Word #:
17 of 27
to depress, i.e., prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or god)
לֹ֤א
H3808
לֹ֤א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
19 of 27
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙
they shall not be gathered
H622
יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙
they shall not be gathered
Strong's:
H622
Word #:
20 of 27
to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e., remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
וְלֹ֣א
H3808
וְלֹ֣א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
21 of 27
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
24 of 27
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
פְּנֵ֥י
upon the face
H6440
פְּנֵ֥י
upon the face
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
25 of 27
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Cross References
2 Kings 23:5And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.Acts 7:42Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?Jeremiah 9:22Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.Deuteronomy 4:19And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.Psalms 83:10Which perished at En-dor: they became as dung for the earth.Jeremiah 22:19He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.Jeremiah 36:30Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.Jeremiah 16:4They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.Jeremiah 19:13And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.Ezekiel 8:16And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Historical Context
Astral worship—veneration of sun, moon, and stars—was prominent in Mesopotamian religion and infiltrated Judah especially during Manasseh's reign (2 Kings 21:3-5, 23:5). Rooftop altars for burning incense to heavenly bodies were common (Jeremiah 19:13, Zephaniah 1:5). The practice combined Canaanite and Mesopotamian elements, reflecting Judah's political and cultural submission to foreign powers. Josiah's reforms destroyed many such sites (2 Kings 23:5), but the practices returned after his death.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the judgment of being exposed before the very gods they worshipped demonstrate the futility of idolatry?
- What modern 'gods' might we serve that will ultimately be unable to help us in our time of greatest need?
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse continues the horrific imagery, showing that the exhumed bones would be spread before 'the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served.' The irony is devastating: the celestial objects Israel worshipped would witness their ultimate shame rather than save them. The verbs accumulate: 'loved' (ahavu, אָהֲבוּ), 'served' (avdum, עֲבָדוּם), 'walked after' (halku achareihem), 'sought' (derashu), 'worshipped' (hishtachavu). This fivefold description emphasizes the totality of their idolatrous devotion to astral deities. The bones would lie 'as dung upon the face of the earth,' using the Hebrew domem (דֹּמֶם, dung), the most contemptible imagery possible. Their gods cannot respond, save, or even acknowledge their worshippers' fate.