en_tn_condensed/jer/02/20.md

# For I broke your yoke that you had in ancient days; I tore your fetters off you. Still you said, 'I will not serve!'

Here "broke your yoke" and "tore your fetters off you" are metaphors for setting them free from slavery. The people of Israel had been slaves in Egypt. Alternate translation: "Long ago I released you from slavery, but still you refused to worship me!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# fetters

chains used to restrain a person or an animal

# Instead, on every high hill and beneath every leafy tree you lay down as a prostitute

Here "prostitute" translates a word that can also refer to a woman who commits adultery or fornication. It is a metaphor for someone who is unfaithful to God. To "lie down as a prostitute" is a metaphor for bowing down to the idols that people worshiped "on every high hill and beneath every leafy tree." Alternate translation: "On every high hill and beneath every leafy tree you bowed down to idols and worshiped them instead of me, like an adulterous wife who is unfaithful to her husband" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# on every high hill and beneath every leafy tree

This hyperbole is a merism that refers to every place a person could worship an idol. Alternate translation: "wherever you could" or "wherever you wanted to" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-merism]])

# beneath

below