5. Lovers. The surrounding nations, the Assyrians and the Egyptians, upon which Israel relied to help her when in danger from her enemies, are elsewhere so designated (see on Jer. 3:1; 22:20; 30:14). However, the reference here seems to be more particularly to the foreign gods whose worship the Israelites avidly accepted (see on 13).
My bread and my water. Instead of being grateful to God for supplying them with their needs and comforts, as was David (see 1 Chron. 29:10-14), the apostate Israelites shamelessly credited their idols with giving them the necessities of life (see Jer. 44:17, 18). This same lack of gratitude to God for furnishing the material benefits of life is all too current today.