Jeremiah 2
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
2 “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.
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Jehovah, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, how thou went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3 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.
Israel was holiness to Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase. All who devour him shall be held guilty. Evil shall come upon them, says Jehovah.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.
5 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?
Thus says Jehovah: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and have become vain?
6 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?’
Nor did they say, Where is Jehovah 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 none passed through, and where no man dwelt?
7 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.
And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit of it and the goodness of it. But when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
8 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.
The priests did not say, Where is Jehovah? And those who handle the law did not know me. The rulers also transgressed against me. And the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
Therefore I will yet contend with you, says Jehovah, and I will contend with your son's sons.
10 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:
For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see, and send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
Has a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
12 Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be ye very desolate, says Jehovah.
13 “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.
For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
Is Israel a servant? Is he a homebred one? Why has he become a prey?
15 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.
The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled, and they have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
The sons also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
Have thou not procured this to thyself, in that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God when he led thee by the way?
18 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?
And now what have thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
19 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,”
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, says the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
20 “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.
For from old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds. And thou said, I will not serve, for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou bowed thyself, playing the harlot.
21 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?
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then have thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?
22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”
For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, says the lord Jehovah.
23 “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,
How can thou say, I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baalim? See thy way in the valley. Know what thou have done, a swift dromedary traversing her ways,
24 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.
a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs up the wind in her desire. In her time of estrus who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month they shall find her.
25 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.’
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou said, It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go.
26 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
As the thief is shamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel shamed, they, their kings, their rulers, and their priests, and their prophets,
27 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!’
who say to a block of wood, Thou are my father, and to a stone, Thou have brought me forth. 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.
28 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.
But where are thy gods that thou have made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble. For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”
Why will ye contend with me? Ye have all transgressed against me, says Jehovah.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
In vain I have smitten your sons. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.
31 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’?
O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. 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 no more to thee?
32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.
Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
How thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore even the wicked women thou have taught thy ways.
34 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
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor. Thou did not find them breaking in. But it is because of all these things.
35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
Yet thou said, I am innocent. Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou say, I have not sinned.
36 How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
Why do thou gad about so much to change thy way? Thou shall be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou were ashamed of Assyria.
37 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.”
Thou shall also go forth from there with thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah has rejected those in whom thou trust. And thou shall not prosper with them.
