Today’s haftarah is the second in a series of three special haftorah readings that are chanted before the arrival of the Ninth Day of Av, the special day of Tisha B’Av that commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The three special haftorah readings are known as the "haftorahs of rebuke" because they recall the sins of Israel that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the First Commonwealth. The haftorah is taken from the writings of Jeremiah, chapters 2-4.

The prophet Jeremiah speaks of Israel’s lack of appreciation for all that God had done for Israel in the past. The religious leaders were indifferent to the teachings of the Torah. They worshipped the pagan god Baal. The prophet Jeremiah proclaims, "They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters." The Kingdom of Judah has made alliances with the nations of Assyria and Egypt, but these ties will not help her. Judah cannot wash herself clean of her sins, even if she uses the strongest soap! However, in Jewish tradition, the haftorah reading must end with a positive thought. If Israel returns to God and His teachings, then she will be blessed.