Jeremiah 2

1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

And there is a word of YHWH 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 you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a 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 [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.

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

Hear a word of YHWH, 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?

Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become vain,

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?’

And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?

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.

Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance an abomination.

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 have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.

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

Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.

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.

For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has 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 changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.

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

Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.

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 done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.

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

[Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a 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.

Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.

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

Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the 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?

Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading 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?

And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?

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 wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.

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 from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a harlot.

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?

And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?

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

But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.

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 have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,

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 accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month they 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.’

Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I 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 shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, And 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!’

Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, They say, Arise, 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.

And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,

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

Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.

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 have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying 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’?

O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.

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

Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And 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.

Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked 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.

Also the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.

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.’

And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, 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.

What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,

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.

Also you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”