Jeremiah 2:8

“The priests said not, where is the Lord? etc.] Whose business it was to draw nigh to God, and offer the sacrifices of the people, and inquire of God for them; whose lips should keep knowledge, and at whose mouth the law should be sought, they being the messengers of the Lord of hosts, (<390207>Malachi 2:7): and they that handle the law knew me not; the sanhedrim, according to Jarchi; or the lawyers and scribes, the Rabbins and doctors of the law, whose business it was to read and explain it; these did not understand it, nor the mind of God in it; and much less did they know him in a spiritual and evangelical manner; or as he is in Christ, and revealed in the Gospel: the pastors also…”

“The three leading classes, whose very office under the theocracy was to lead the people to God, disowned Him in the same language as the nation at large, "Where is the Lord?" (See Jer 2:6). priests--whose office it was to expound the law (Mal 2:6-7). handle--are occupied with the law as the subject of their profession. pastors--civil, not religious: princes (Jer 3:15), whose duty it was to tend their people. prophets--who should have reclaimed the people from their apostasy, encouraged them in it by pretended oracles from Baal, the PhÅ“nician false god. by Baal--in his name and by his authority (compare Jer 11:21). walked after things . . . not profit--answering to, "walked after vanity,"…”

“The guilt of this idolatry is ascribed to the four ruling classes: (a) The accusation brought against the priests is indifference. (b) “They that handle the law” belonged also to the priestly class Deuteronomy 33:10. Their offence was that “they knew not God.” Compare Micah 3:11. (c) The third class are “the pastors” or shepherds, that is the temporal rulers. Their crime is disobedience. (d) The fourth class are “the prophets.” It was their business to press the moral and spiritual truths of the law home to the hearts of the people: but they drew their inspiration from Baal, the Sun-god. Upon the corruption of the prophetic order at this time, see the Jeremiah 14:13 note. Things that do not…”

“They - They that should have taught others, knew as little as they, or regarded as little, who are said here to handle the law, the priests and Levites, who were the ordinary teachers of the law. Pastors - Either teachers, or kings and princes. Prophets - They that should have taught the people the true worship of God, were themselves worshippers of Baal. Jeremiah 2:9”

“2:8 Instead of teaching the people about the Lord, the leaders taught them about Baal.”

“priests: Jer 2:6, Jer 5:31, Jer 8:10, Jer 8:11, Jer 23:9-15; Sa1 2:12; Isa 28:7, Isa 29:10, Isa 56:9-12; Hos 4:6 and they that: Jer 8:8, Jer 8:9; Deu 33:10; Mal 2:6-9; Luk 11:52; Joh 8:55, Joh 16:3; Rom 2:17-24; Co2 4:2 the pastors: Jer 10:21, Jer 12:10, Jer 23:1, Jer 23:2 prophets: Jer 23:13; Kg1 18:29, Kg1 18:22, Kg1 18:40 do not: Jer 2:11, Jer 7:8; Sa1 12:21; Isa 30:5; Hab 2:18; Mat 16:26 Jeremiah 2:9”