Jeremiah 2:13 Meaning: The Double Evil of Forsaking God
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells--broken wells, That contain not the waters.
For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.
Meaning in one sentence
In Jeremiah 2:13, God says His people committed two evils: they forsook Him, the fountain of living water, and made broken cisterns.
Context
God speaks through Jeremiah to a people who have known His goodness. He led them out of Egypt, gave them a fertile land, yet they turned away. In chapter 2, God pleads with Judah, comparing their unfaithfulness to the nations. The pagans stay loyal to their worthless idols, but God’s own people have rejected Him. Verse 13 sums up the charge: they have committed a double evil. It is not just one sin, but two that are tragically linked.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for “fountain” (maqor) means a naturally flowing spring, a source that never runs dry. In the ancient world, water was life. A fountain gave fresh, constant supply. The word “living” (chayim) describes water that moves and refreshes, not stagnant. In contrast, “cisterns” (borot) are man-made pits cut into rock to collect rainwater. They required hard work to dig and constant repair to stay sealed. The word “broken” (nishbarim, from shavar) means shattered, cracked beyond repair. Such cisterns cannot hold water; they leak and go dry. The picture is vivid: God is a self-renewing source of life, but His people chose to labor for containers that cannot even keep water. They traded infinite supply for leaky substitutes.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long seen a double-edged warning here. John Calvin and Adam Clarke both note that Israel’s sin was uniquely grievous: not only did they embrace idols like the nations, but they deliberately abandoned the true God they had known. The Cambridge Bible observes that the heathen commit one evil (idolatry), but the covenant people commit two. Others across traditions have extended the metaphor: the broken cisterns represent any human effort to find life apart from God, wealth, political alliances, or religious rituals. The passage is read during Lent in some liturgical traditions as a call to return to the only source of true satisfaction. All agree that this verse exposes the heart of idolatry as a foolish exchange.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to separate the “two evils” into unrelated sins, like lying and stealing. In fact, they are two sides of the same coin: leaving God (forsaking the fountain) and replacing Him with something inadequate (cisterns). The tragedy is that the people had the fountain but chose leaky substitutes.
Living This Out
This week, notice where you might be digging your own cisterns. Maybe it is the endless scroll for approval, the feeling that more money will finally make you secure, or the belief that if you just manage everything perfectly you will be at peace. Each of these is a cistern you have to maintain, and none of them holds water forever. Jeremiah 2:13 invites you to stop digging and come back to the fountain. God does not scold from a distance. He names the problem not to shame you but to show you where real water is. You can confess the leaky cisterns and turn again to the source that never runs dry.
Main takeaway: Forsaking the living God for any substitute is a double evil that leaves us empty, but He still offers His living water.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God is like a fountain of clean, fresh water. When we turn away from Him and look for happiness in other things, it is like trying to drink from a broken cup that leaks. Let’s always stay close to God, our good fountain.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, God compares Himself to a fountain that never stops giving clean, living water. The people chose to dig their own cisterns that cracked and leaked. Anytime we look for joy or safety in things like popularity, gaming, or money, we are digging broken cisterns. God is the only one who can truly satisfy our deepest thirst.
Questions People Ask
What are the two evils in Jeremiah 2:13?
The two evils are: first, forsaking God, who is described as the 'fountain of living waters'; and second, carving out for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water. These represent abandoning the true source of life and then trusting in worthless substitutes like idols, self-reliance, or anything else that cannot truly satisfy. The two are connected: when we leave God, we always try to replace Him with something that fails.
What does 'fountain of living waters' mean in Jeremiah 2:13?
The phrase describes God as a constant, pure, and life-giving source. In Hebrew, 'living water' (mayim chayim) refers to flowing spring water, not stagnant collected water. It pictures God as the source of all spiritual life, refreshment, and satisfaction. The image is meant to contrast sharply with the broken cisterns that the people turned to.
What do broken cisterns represent in Jeremiah 2:13?
Broken cisterns are man-made pits meant to store rainwater. If they crack, the water seeps out and they become empty. They represent human efforts and idols that promise satisfaction but cannot deliver. The point is that anything we turn to instead of God, whether wealth, relationships, or false gods, will inevitably leak and leave us thirsty.
Why is forsaking God called a 'double evil'?
The double evil is both rejecting God (the fountain) and then choosing what cannot satisfy (broken cisterns). The heathen nations commit one evil, they worship false gods. But God’s own people know the true God and still abandon Him for substitutes. That makes their sin twice as grievous: it is apostasy plus idolatry.
How can Jeremiah 2:13 apply to Christians today?
While we may not worship stone idols, we can still replace God with other things like money, work, relationships, or entertainment. Any time we seek our ultimate satisfaction in something apart from God, we are digging broken cisterns. The verse calls us back to the fountain of living water, reminding us that only God can truly satisfy our deepest thirst.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study