Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 2:13

13 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.

Viz. Remarkable ones, and with a witness.

A Mitaphor taken from springs, called living here, and Gen. 26.19. and elsewhere, because they never cease, or intermit, such had Gods care, and kindness been over, and to them, see on Isa. 58.11. his spirit continually proceeding from the Father and the Son to refresh their Consciences. Compare Iohn 4.10. and 7.38, 39▪

It is doubled, to shew the multitude of their shifts, and broken is added, to shew the helplesness of them, as being able to hold no Water, but when he hath made many hard shifts to get water, he cannot keep it, but it dryes away, or, if it abide, proves unwholesome, by which understand either their Idols, which are empty vain things, that never answer expectation, or the Assyrians and Egyptians as ver. 18. which proved but broken Reeds, and as all other supports, or props, Friends, Traditions, Merits, &c. are, that are trusted to, besides God, they are but cisterns at the best whose water will putrifie, or broken, riven vessels through which they will soak, and leave nothing, but mud and dirt behind them.

Marginal references: Psal. 36.9. chap. 17.13. and 18.14.