Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 2:8

8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit .

q d. They that should have taught others, knew as little as they, or regarded as little to know, Hos. 4.6. who are said here to handle or teach the Law, viz. The Priests and Levites, who were the ordinary Teachers of the Law, not that they did so, but that, either they ought to do so, or pretended to do so. This was their office, Deut. 33.10. and their practice, Neh. 8.8. the phrase is a Metaphor taken from Warriors, that are said tractare bellum, to handle their arms.

Either Teachers as Instructors, or Kings and Princes, as Conductors, See 1 King. 22.17.

They that should have taught the People the true Worship of God, were themselves Worshippers of Baal, 1 King. 18.22. Or, instead of fetching their Oracles from me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, they would say, Thus saith Baal, or they did make use of lesser Deities (for so doth Baal or Baalim signifie) in conjunction with God, perswading themselves, they could honour God together with them, as the Calves, 1 King. 12, 28.

Viz. Idols a Periphrasis, that were never able to do them any service as ver. 5.11. see on Isa. 44.10. sure the state must be very bad when Priests, Prophets and People were thus corrupt.

Marginal references: Rom. 2.19, 20, 21.