Jeremiah 2

1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

3 Israel was holiness to the LORD, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him will be held guilty. Evil will come on them,”’ says the LORD.”

Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.

4 Hear the LORD’s word, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel!

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.

5 The LORD says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?

This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

6 They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’

They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

7 I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.

8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ and those who handle the law did not know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.

The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

9 “Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says the LORD, “and I will contend with your children’s children.

Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.

10 For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see. Send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.

Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

11 Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

12 “Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says the LORD.

Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”

13 “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

14 Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?

Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?

15 The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.

16 The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.

The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

17 “Have not you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?

Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?

18 Now what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or why do you go on the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

19 “Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, GOD of Armies.

Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,”

20 “For long ago I broke off your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve;’ for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.

“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a pure and faithful seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the Lord GOD.

Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”

23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,

24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her craving. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will find her.

a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.

25 “Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’

You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so the house of Israel is ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets,

As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

27 who tell wood, ‘You are my father,’ and a stone, ‘You have given birth to me,’ for they have turned their back to me, and not their face, but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us!’

say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’

28 “But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble, for you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.

But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.

29 “Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says the LORD.

Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”

30 “I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

31 Generation, consider the LORD’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’?

You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?

32 “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.

Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.

33 How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.

How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.

34 Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You did not find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.

Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things

35 “Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.

37 You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper with them.

Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”