Jeremiah 2

1 The word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

The Lord's message came to me, saying,

2 "Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah, "I remember you, the devotion of your youth, the love of your weddings; how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Go and announce to the people of Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember when you were young how devoted to me you were. I remember how you loved me when you were my bride. I remember how you followed me in the desert, in a land where nothing is grown.

3 Israel was holiness to Jehovah, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him shall be held guilty. Evil shall come on them,"' says Jehovah."

Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. Anyone who ate this harvest was guilty of sin, and they experienced the disastrous results, declares the Lord.

4 Hear the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

Listen to the Lord's message, descendants of Jacob, all you Israelites.

5 Thus says Jehovah, "What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

This is what the Lord says: What did your forefathers think was wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They went off to worship useless idols, and as a result became useless themselves!

6 Neither 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 lived?'

They didn't ask themselves, “Where is the Lord who led us from Egypt, who led us through the wasteland, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and darkness, a land that no one travels through and where 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 led you into a productive land to eat all the good things that grow there. But you came and made my land unclean, making it offensive to me.

8 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.

Your priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” Your teachers of the law no longer believed in me, and your leaders rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied by calling on Baal and followed worthless idols.

9 "Therefore I will yet contend with you," says Jehovah, "and I will contend with your children's children.

So I'm going to confront you again, declares the Lord, and I will bring charges against your children's children.

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

Travel over to the islands of Cyprus and take a look; go to the land of Kedar and examine carefully to see if anything like this has ever happened before.

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? —even though they're not gods at all! Yet my people have traded their glorious God for worthless idols.

12 "Be astonished, you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate," says Jehovah.

You heavens, you should be appalled, shocked and horrified! declares the Lord.

13 "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

For my people have done two evil things. They have abandoned me, the source of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that can't hold water.

14 Is Israel a servant? Is he a native-born slave? Why has he become a prey?

Are Israelites slaves? Were they born into slavery? So why have they become victims?

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

The young lions roared at you; they growled loudly. They have devastated your country; your towns lie in ruins. No one lives there.

16 The people of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also shaved the crown of your head.

The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.

17 "Haven't you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken Jehovah your God, when he led you by the way?

Didn't you bring this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God when he was leading you in the right way?

18 Now what have you to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have you to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

Now what will you benefit as you travel back to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor River? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates River?

19 "Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backsliding shall reprove you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that you have forsaken Jehovah your God, and that my fear is not in you," says Jehovah of hosts.

Your own wickedness will discipline you; your own disobedience will teach you a lesson. Think about it and you'll recognize what a bitter evil it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and not to respect me, declares the Lord God Almighty.

20 "For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bonds; and you said, 'I will not serve;' for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.

You broke off your yoke and ripped off your chains long ago. “I won't worship you!” you declared. On the contrary, you lay down like a prostitute on every high hill and under every green tree.

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

I was the one who planted you like the finest vine, grown from the very best seed. How could you degenerate into a useless wild vine?

22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me," says Jehovah.

Even bleach and plenty of soap can't get rid of your guilty stains. I still see them, declares the Lord God.

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 dare you say, “I'm not unclean! I haven't gone to worship the Baals!” Look at what you've been doing down in the valley. Admit what you've done! You're a young female camel, racing around everywhere.

24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire. 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.

You're a female donkey living in the desert, sniffing the wind for a mate because she's in heat. No one can control her at mating time. All those who're looking for her won't have trouble finding her when she's in heat.

25 "Withhold your foot from being unshod, 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 don't have to run around barefoot or have your throat go dry. But you reply, “No, it's impossible! I'm in love with foreign gods—I must go to them.”

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

In the same way that a thief feels guilty when they're caught, so the people of Israel have been shamed. All of them—their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.

27 who tell wood, 'You are my father;' and a stone, 'You have brought me out:' 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.'

They say to an idol made of wood, “You are my father,” and one made of stone, “You gave birth to me.” They turn their backs on me, and hide their faces from me. But when they're in trouble they come begging to me, saying, “Please come 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 according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah. And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they were sacrificing to Baal.

So where are these “gods” of yours that you made for yourselves? Let them come and help you when you're in trouble! Let them save you if they can, because you Israelites have as many gods as you have towns.

29 "Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me," says Jehovah.

Why are you complaining to me? It's all of you who have all rebelled against me! declares the Lord.

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

It was pointless of me to punish your children because they refused to accept any discipline. You used your own swords to kill your prophets, destroying them like a ferocious lion.

31 Generation, consider 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 to you no more?'

You people of today, think about what the Lord is saying: Israel, have I treated you like an empty desert, or a land of thick darkness? Why are my people saying, “We can go where we like! We don't have to come and worship you any 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 girl forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding dress? Yet my people have forgotten me for too many years to count.

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

How cleverly you look for your lovers! Even prostitutes could learn something from you!

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.

On top of that, your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and the innocent. It's not like you killed them breaking into your homes. Despite all this,

35 "Yet you said, 'I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.' "Look, I will judge you, because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

you go on saying, “I'm innocent! Surely he can't still be upset with me!” Watch out! I'm going to punish you because you go on saying, “I haven't sinned.”

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

You're just so fickle—you keep on changing your mind! You will end up just as disappointed by your alliance with Egypt as you were with Assyria.

37 From there also you shall go forth, with your hands on your head; for Jehovah has rejected those in whom you trust, and you shall not prosper with them.

In fact you will go into exile with your hands on your head as prisoners, because the Lord will have nothing to do with those you trust; they will be no help to you.