Is Israel a slave?This rhetorical question highlights Israel's unique status as God's chosen people, set apart from other nations. Historically, Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt, symbolizing their freedom and covenant relationship with God. The question implies that Israel's current state of subjugation is contrary to their intended identity. This reflects the broader biblical theme of spiritual freedom versus bondage to sin, as seen in the New Testament where believers are called to live as free people in Christ (
Galatians 5:1).
Was he born into slavery?
This phrase emphasizes that Israel was not destined for slavery. Unlike nations that were historically enslaved from their inception, Israel's origin is rooted in the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) assured blessings and freedom, not bondage. This serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the intended freedom for His people, contrasting with their current spiritual and physical oppression due to disobedience.
Why then has he become prey?
This question addresses the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry. By turning away from God, Israel has made itself vulnerable to surrounding nations, becoming prey to their enemies. This reflects the covenant curses outlined inDeuteronomy 28, where disobedience leads to subjugation and suffering. The imagery of becoming prey also foreshadows the New Testament warnings about spiritual vigilance, as believers are cautioned to be alert against the devil, who prowls like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
IsraelRefers to the nation chosen by God, often depicted as God's firstborn son. In this context, Israel is being questioned about its status and condition.
2.
JeremiahThe prophet through whom God delivers this message. He is known for his prophecies concerning the judgment and restoration of Israel.
3.
SlaveryA condition of bondage and servitude. The rhetorical question implies that Israel was not meant to be in such a state.
4.
PreyIndicates vulnerability and being subject to attack or exploitation. This term suggests that Israel has become weak and defenseless.
5.
Egypt and AssyriaThough not directly mentioned in this verse, these nations are historically significant as oppressors of Israel, often symbolizing bondage and exile.
Teaching Points
Identity in GodIsrael's identity as God's chosen people was not meant to be one of slavery. Believers today should remember their identity in Christ as free and beloved children of God.
Consequences of DisobedienceIsrael's condition as prey is a result of their disobedience and turning away from God. This serves as a warning to remain faithful and obedient to God's commands.
God's Desire for FreedomGod desires His people to live in freedom, not in bondage. This freedom is found in a relationship with Him, free from the chains of sin and idolatry.
Vulnerability without GodJust as Israel became prey when they strayed from God, believers are vulnerable to spiritual attacks when they distance themselves from Him.
Call to RepentanceThe rhetorical questions serve as a call to self-examination and repentance, urging Israel to return to God. Believers are similarly called to repent and realign with God's will.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Jeremiah 2:14?
2.Why does Jeremiah 2:14 question Israel's status as a "slave" or "servant"?
3.How does Israel's disobedience lead to their "plunder" in Jeremiah 2:14?
4.What Old Testament events illustrate Israel becoming "plunder" due to disobedience?
5.How can we avoid spiritual "enslavement" like Israel in Jeremiah 2:14?
6.What modern behaviors might lead Christians to become "plunder" spiritually?
7.Why does Jeremiah 2:14 question Israel's status as a slave or servant?
8.How does Jeremiah 2:14 reflect on Israel's historical relationship with God?
9.What is the significance of the rhetorical questions in Jeremiah 2:14?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 2?
11.What does turning away from God signify?
12.What is Christ's thousand-year reign?
13.Why does Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 8:33-34 promise national restoration to Israel if they repent, when other biblical passages suggest God's judgment can remain despite repentance?
14.Jeremiah 2:32-33 portrays Israel as actively seeking other gods; why do extra-biblical records not corroborate such a widespread apostasy at this particular time?What Does Jeremiah 2:14 Mean
Is Israel a slave?“Is Israel a slave?” (Jeremiah 2:14a)
• The Lord is posing a rhetorical question. He had already declared, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).
• Israel’s identity is that of a redeemed people (Deuteronomy 7:8;Psalm 136:11–12). They are not property to be owned by nations; they are God’s treasured possession.
• The question therefore exposes a disconnect: a people liberated by God is now living as if shackled. “For you were called to freedom” (Galatians 5:13) picks up the same principle for all God’s people.
Was he born into slavery?“Was he born into slavery?” (Jeremiah 2:14b)
• Israel’s national birth was miraculous freedom, not bondage. The exodus was a “birth” into covenant relationship (Hosea 11:1;Deuteronomy 32:11–12).
• By contrasting birthright with current condition, God underscores personal responsibility. Like the prodigal son who left his father’s house (Luke 15:11–24), Israel’s bondage is self-chosen, not inherited.
•Romans 6:16 reminds believers that yielding to sin re-enslaves the free: “You are slaves to the one you obey.” The principle spans both covenants.
Why then has he become prey?“Why then has he become prey?” (Jeremiah 2:14c)
• Predatory nations such as Assyria and Egypt were already circling (Jeremiah 2:15–16). They could only pounce because Israel abandoned the protective covenant (Deuteronomy 28:25).
• Idolatry is the doorway: “My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols” (Jeremiah 2:11). Turning from the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13) left them defenseless.
• The imagery shifts from slavery to a hunted animal. Outside God’s shelter, the flock is exposed (John 10:12). Yet even then, the Lord calls, “Return, O faithless children” (Jeremiah 3:14).
• For believers today,1 Peter 5:8 warns that the adversary seeks prey. Standing firm in the grace that set us free (Galatians 5:1) keeps the hunter at bay.
summaryJeremiah 2:14 strings three piercing questions to jolt God’s people awake. They were redeemed, not enslaved; birthed into liberty, not bondage; yet they now lie exposed because they stepped outside their covenant refuge. The passage calls every generation to remember its redeemed identity, reject self-imposed chains, and remain under the protective sovereignty of the God who sets captives free.
(14)
Is Israel a servant?--The word "servant," we must remember, had become, through its frequent use in Isaiah (
Isaiah 20:3;
Isaiah 41:8,
et al.)
,a word not of shame, but honour; and of all servants, he who was born in the house--as in the case of Eleazar (
Genesis 15:3)--occupied the most honourable place, nearest to a son. The point of the question is accordingly not "Is Israel become a slave," kidnapped, as it were, and spoiled, but rather this: "Is Israel the servant of Jehovah, as one born in His house? Why, then, is he treated as one with no master to protect him?"
Verses 14-19. - Israel's
punishment and its cause.
Verse 14. -
Is Israel a servant? The speaker is evidently the prophet, who exclaims in surprise at the view which his prophetic insight opens to him: "quasi de re nova et absurda sciscitatur" (Calvin). For Israel is a member of Jehovah's family; he is not a servant (except in the same high sense as in
Isaiah 40-53, where "servant" is virtually equivalent to "representative"), but rather in the highest degree a free man, for he is Jehovah's "firstborn son" (
Exodus 4:22). How is it, then, that he is dragged away into captivity like a slave who has never known freedom? The view of some, that "servant" means "servant of Jehovah" (comp.
Jeremiah 30:10), and that the question therefore is to be answered in the affirmative, is less natural. "Servant," by itself, never has this turning; and there is a precisely similar term in the discourse at ver. 31, where the negative answer of the question does not admit of a doubt.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Is Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל(yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desca slave?הַעֶ֙בֶד֙(ha·‘e·ḇeḏ)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5650:Slave, servantWas heה֑וּא(hū)Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, areborn into slavery?יְלִ֥יד(yə·lîḏ)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3211:BornWhy thenמַדּ֖וּעַ(mad·dū·a‘)Interrogative
Strong's 4069:Why? for what reason?has he becomeהָיָ֥ה(hā·yāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, beprey?לָבַֽז׃(lā·ḇaz)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 957:Spoiling, robbery, spoil, booty
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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 2:14 Is Israel a servant? Is he (Jer.) 
