As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.

“Here he removes the excuse: and first, the excuse they might have had by alleging the negligence of the cultivator: against which, I planted you, a chosen one, from chosen fathers. Isa. 5: "A vineyard was made for my beloved on a horn, a son of oil," etc. Second, the excuse they might have had by denying guilt, at "if you wash yourself." And first he convicts them of guilt against God; second, of guilt against neighbor, at "why do you strive to show your way good?" Concerning the first, two points. First he convicts them of guilt, showing the impossibility of denial. Nitre, which, condensed by the heat of the sun, like salt, washes away filth; berith, a certain herb for washing away filth: and it is a manner of speaking, as if he were to say: all the water of the river would not make you clean, that is, there is no excuse or purgation for you. Prov. 30: "a generation that seems clean to itself, and yet is not washed from its filth." How do you say: I am not polluted? Prov. 20: "who can say: my heart is clean, I am pure from sin?" And he sets forth the purgation of guilt, proposing two circumstances. First, the place: see the ways, the works, in the valley, of the sons of Ennon, where they worshipped idols. This place is watered by the springs of Siloe, and there was the shrine of Baal, according to the Gloss. Below, 31: "direct your heart into the right way in which you walked." And he sets forth the manner of the sin as regards the eagerness for sinning. A swift runner, as one unencumbered for sinning. Prov. 1: "their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed blood." As regards the fervor of concupiscence: a wild ass in desire, namely of coitus, drew in the wind, by which it perceives the scent of its female, the love of the thing loved. Below, 14: "wild asses stood on the rocks, they drew in the wind like dragons." As regards strong adherence, none shall turn her away, by removing her. And as regards the readiness for sinning, all who seek her: as if he were speaking of a harlot, who even at the time of her menses shows herself to her lovers. Ezech. 16: "you opened your feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied all your fornications." Second, he convicts them of hardness of mind: and first, because they are not called back by warnings; second, because they are not corrected by scourges, at "why do you wish to contend with me in judgment?" Third, because they are not bent by benefits, at "see the word of the Lord." Concerning the first, three points. First he sets forth the admonition, forbid: as if he were to say: cease from sins, for which, barefoot and thirsting, you are led into captivity, as Isa. 20: "as my servant Isaiah walked naked and unshod, so shall the king of the Assyrians lead away the captivity of Egypt, and the migration of Ethiopia, of young men and old, naked and unshod, with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt." Second, he shows the rebellion of the people: and you said, I have despaired, I will not do it. Strangers: idols. Below, 18: "they said: we have despaired, we will walk after our own thoughts, and each of us will do the wickedness of his evil heart." Third, he threatens confusion: and first he sets forth a likeness of the confusion: as a thief is confounded when he is caught, so they are confounded, caught in their punishments; wood: a wooden idol; father: God. Ps. 96: "let all be confounded who worship graven images, and who glory in their idols." Isa. 1: "they shall be confounded by their idols." Second, he expounds the order of the confusion, first setting forth the withdrawal of the divine help, they have turned, as being disobedient. Zach. 7: "they turned away the shoulder, withdrawing, and made their ears heavy, lest they should hear the law." In the time of affliction. Osee 6: "in their tribulation they will rise early to me." Come, and let us return to the Lord, etc. Second, he sets forth the uselessness of the idols. Where are the gods? Deut. 32: "where are their gods, in whom they have trust?" Third, the multitude of the idols: for according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda. Isa. 2: "his land is filled with horses, and his chariots are innumerable."”

“Saying to a stock,.... "To a tree" (f); to a piece of wood; that is, to an image made of it; so the Targum, "they say to an image of wood;'' what follows: thou art my father; ascribing that to the idol which belongs to God, who was their Father that made them, and upheld them, was the author of their beings, and the God of their mercies: and to a stone; an image of stone: thou hast brought me forth: into being; affirming it to be his former and maker; so the Targum, "to that which is made of stone, thou hast created me:'' for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; they turned their faces to images of wood and stone, and worshipped them; and they turned their backs upon the Lord, his worship and ordinances, and apostatized from him; which the Targum thus expresses, "for they turned their backs on my worship, and did not put my fear before their faces:'' but in the time of their trouble; when any calamity befalls them, as famine, pestilence, sword, captivity, and the like: they will say, arise, and save us; not that they will say so to their idols, but they will say so to the true God; for notwithstanding they worshipped idols in time of prosperity, forgetting God their Saviour; yet in adversity they are brought to their senses, and find that none but God can save them, and therefore apply to him; to which agrees the Targum, "and in the time that evil comes upon them, they deny their idols, and confess before me, and say, have mercy on us, and save us.'' (f) "ligno", V. L. Pagnanius, Montanus, Schmidt.”

“And yet idolatry brings to the people only disgrace, giving no help in the time of need. Jer 2:26. "As a thief is shamed when he is taken, so is the house of Israel put to shame; they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets. Jer 2:27. Because they say to the wood, Thou art my father; and to the stone, Thou hast borne me: for they have turned to me the back and not the face; but in the time of their trouble they say, Arise, and help us. Jer 2:28. Where then are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can help thee in the time of thy trouble; for as many as are thy cities, so many are thy gods, Judah." The thought in Jer 2:26 and Jer 2:27 is this, Israel reaps from its idolatry but shame, as the thief from stealing when he is caught in the act. The comparison in Jer 2:26 contains a universal truth of force at all times. The perf. הובישׁוּ is the timeless expression of certainty (Hitz.), and refers to the past as well as to the future. Just as already in past time, so also in the future, idolatry brings but shame and confusion by the frustration of the hopes placed in the false gods. The "house of Israel" is all Israel collectively, and not merely the kingdom of the ten tribes. To give the greater emphasis to the reproaches, the leading ranks are mentioned one by one. אמרים, not: who say, but because (since) they say to the wood, etc., i.e., because they hold images of wood and stone for the gods to whom they owe life and being; whereas Jahveh alone is their Creator or Father and Genitor, Deu 32:6, Deu 32:18; Isa 64:7; Mal 2:10. אבן is fem., and thus is put for mother. The Keri ילדתּנוּ is suggested solely by the preceding אמרים, while the Chet. is correct, and is to be read ילדתּני, inasmuch as each one severally speaks thus. - With "for they have turned" follows the reason of the statement that Israel will reap only shame from its idolatry. To the living God who has power to help them they turn their back; but when distress comes upon them they cry to Him for help (קוּמה והושׁיענוּ as in Psa 3:8). But then God will send the people to their gods (idols); then will it discover they will not help, for all so great as their number is. The last clause of Jer 2:28 runs literally: the number of thy cities are thy gods become, i.e., so great is the number of thy gods; cf. Jer 11:13. Judah is here directly addressed, so that the people of Judah may not take for granted that what has been said is of force for the ten tribes only. On the contrary, Judah will experience the same as Israel of the ten tribes did when disaster broke over it.”