What a striking expostulation is in the opening of these verses? The Lord sends his people to ask of the heathen, among whom it was never known, of such apostasy from their dunghill gods, as Israel manifested in backsliding from the true God. In hot sultry climates, how grateful is the cold flowing water to the traveller? And was it ever known to be rejected? Whereas Israel revolted continually from the Lord. Reader! let us not confine this subject to Israel of old: but pause and enquire whether the Israel of God now, manifest a closer walking with the Lord? Alas! how disposed are we to leave the fountain of living waters, and to be hewing out to ourselves cisterns, broken cisterns, wherein is no water! Jeremiah 2:13.
Jeremiah 18:13-17
13 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
14 Will a man leave the snowc of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.