Jeremiah 22:9

Then people will reply, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Jeremiah pronounces this judgment over the kings of Judah, explaining the cause of Jerusalem’s coming destruction. The surrounding context shows many nations passing by the ruined city and asking one another why the LORD brought such disaster.

The words — The Hebrew עָזְבוּ ('a.ze.Vu) means "they forsook," directly modifying בְּרִית (be.Rit), "covenant," to state the breach that triggered the judgment. The verb אָמְרוּ ('A.me.Ru), "they will say," introduces the nations' future explanation of this event.

The thread — The text parallels the exact formula in 2 Kings 22:17, 2 Chronicles 34:25, and Deuteronomy 29:25, which consistently cite abandoning Yahweh's covenant and worshiping other gods as the cause of national disaster.

Why it lands — The passage plainly records covenant abandonment and idolatry as the historical reason for Jerusalem's fall, requiring readers to acknowledge that divine judgment follows explicit rebellion rather than arbitrary decree.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאָ֣מְר֔וּve./'A.me.Ruand/ they will say עַ֚ל'alon אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherthat עָֽזְב֔וּ'a.ze.Vuthey forsook אֶת־'et-<obj.>בְּרִ֥יתbe.Rit[the] covenant of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם'e.lo.hei./HemGod/ their וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּva/i.yish.ta.cha.Vuand/ they bowed down לֵאלֹהִ֥יםle./lo.Himto/ gods אֲחֵרִ֖ים'a.che.Rimother וַיַּעַבְדֽוּם׃ סva/i.ya.'av.Du/mand/ they served/ them

King James Version

Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

Cross-references

2 Kings 22:17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
2 Chronicles 34:25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’
Deuteronomy 29:25 And the people will answer, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.
Jeremiah 2:17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
Jeremiah 40:2 The captain of the guard found Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster on this place,
Jeremiah 50:7 All who found them devoured them, and their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’