King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 2:4 Mean?

Jeremiah 2:4 in the King James Version says “Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 2 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:”

Jeremiah 2:4 · KJV

Context

2

Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. thee: or, for thy sake

3

Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

4

Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

5

Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

6

Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

Read Jeremiah 2 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse begins the formal charges: 'Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.' The summons addresses both 'house of Jacob' (corporate Israel) and 'all the families' (every tribal subdivision), ensuring comprehensive audience—no one exempted from hearing the indictment. The imperative 'hear' (shim'u, שִׁמְעוּ) demands attention, obedience, and response—not mere auditory reception but covenant loyalty. Throughout Deuteronomy and prophetic literature, 'hear' means 'obey' (Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema: 'Hear, O Israel'). God's lawsuit addresses the entire nation because covenant was corporate—the community bore collective responsibility for faithfulness. This verse transitions from nostalgic remembrance (verses 2-3) to direct accusation (verses 5ff), establishing the legal framework: God as prosecutor, Israel as defendant, evidence to follow, verdict anticipated. The repetitive address formulas ('house of Jacob,' 'house of Israel,' 'families') emphasize that this message targets every level of Israelite society—no one stands outside the covenant lawsuit.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The divided kingdom (Israel/northern and Judah/southern) reunited in language here—'house of Jacob' and 'house of Israel' were sometimes distinguished (Jacob=Judah, Israel=northern kingdom) but here function as parallel terms for the entire covenant community. By Jeremiah's time, northern Israel had fallen to Assyria (722 BC), its population exiled and replaced (2 Kings 17). Yet God's indictment addresses all Israel because Judah repeated northern Israel's sins without learning from their judgment. The prophetic summons to 'hear the word of the LORD' recalls covenant renewal ceremonies (Deuteronomy 31:11-13, Joshua 24, 2 Kings 23:1-3) where the law was read publicly and people recommitted to covenant obedience. Here, however, the summons introduces accusation rather than renewal—the people have violated the covenant they once pledged to keep. This legal setting provides context for understanding prophetic literature as covenantal rather than merely predictive.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the corporate nature of covenant (addressing families and house of Jacob) challenge modern individualistic approaches to faith and accountability?
  2. What does the command to 'hear' teach about the relationship between listening to God's word and obeying it in covenant faithfulness?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 9 words
שִׁמְע֥וּ1 of 9

“Hear”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

דְבַר2 of 9

“ye the word”

H1697

a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause

יְהוָ֖ה3 of 9

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

בֵּ֥ית4 of 9

“O house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

יַעֲקֹ֑ב5 of 9

“of Jacob”

H3290

jaakob, the israelitish patriarch

וְכָֽל6 of 9
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת7 of 9

“and all the families”

H4940

a family, i.e., circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people

בֵּ֥ית8 of 9

“O house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃9 of 9

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 2:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 2:4 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 34:4Micah 6:1Jeremiah 44:24-26Jeremiah 7:2Isaiah 51:1-4Jeremiah 31:1

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