Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 2:3

3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first fruits of his increase : all that devour him shall offend ; evil shall come upon them , saith the LORD

Or Holy, the Abstract for the Concrete, i. e a People dedicated to God, thus the word is used, Lev. 21.7. and 27.14. set a part from other People for my self by peculiar Laws, and Rites.

This supplement and is better left out, it being not in the Text, and rendring the sense more obscure; therefore better read, either being the first fruits by Apposition. Or, as the first Fruits, i. e, as the first Fruits were Holy to God, so was Israel.

Or rather devoured; for it refers to the time past, not to the future, and so the following words, all that were injurious to him,

or did offend, were obnoxious, and liable to punishment as he that devoured that, which is Holy, Prov. 20.25.

Came upon them, some evil was inflicted on them from the Lord, that was alwayes wont to stand up for the vindication of his people, as upon the Egyptians, Amalekites, Sihon, Og, the Midianites, Canaanites and other, as the four last Books of Moses do abundantly testifie, and by these expressions is insinuated, that now they are like to find it otherwise, chap. 50.7. this minding of them what God had done for them making way for the closer setting home the following reproofs.

Marginal references: Exod. 19.5.6.; chap. 12.14.