Jeremiah 2
1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
And he said, Thus says the Lord,
2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem. Say, 'Yahweh says this: I have called to mind on your behalf the covenant faithfulness in your youthfulness, your love at the time when we were engaged, when you went after me in the wilderness, the land that was not sown.
I remember the kindness of your youth, and the love of your espousals,
3 Israel was set apart to Yahweh, the firstfruits of his harvest! All who ate from the firstfruits were held guilty; disaster came upon them—this is Yahweh's declaration.'”
in following the Holy One of Israel, says the Lord, Israel was the holy [people] to the Lord, [and] the first fruits of his increase: all that devoured him shall offend; evils shall come upon them, says the Lord.
4 Hear the word of Yahweh, house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.
Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel.
5 Yahweh says this, “What did your fathers find wrong with me, that they went far from following me? That they went after useless idols and became useless themselves?
Thus says the Lord, What trespass have your fathers found in me, that they have revolted far from me, and gone after vanities, and become vain?
6 They did not say, 'Where is Yahweh, who brought us up from the land of Egypt? Where is Yahweh, who led us to the wilderness, into the land of the Arabah and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, a land through which no one passes and where no one lives?'
And they said not, Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who guided us in the wilderness, in an untried and trackless land, in a land which no man at all went through, and no man lived there?
7 But I brought you to the land of Carmel, to eat its fruit and other good things! Yet when you came, you defiled my land, you made my inheritance an abomination!
And I brought you to Carmel, that you should eat the fruits thereof, and the good thereof; and you went in, and defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
8 The priest did not say, 'Where is Yahweh?' and the experts in the law did not care about me! The shepherds transgressed against me. The prophets prophesied for Baal and walked after unprofitable things.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that held by the law knew me not: the shepherds also sinned against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after that which profited not.
9 So I will still accuse you—this is Yahweh's declaration—and I will accuse your sons' sons.
Therefore I will yet plead with you, and will plead with your children's children.
10 For cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look. Send messengers out to Kedar and find out and see if there has ever before been anything like this.
For go to the isles of the Chettians, and se; and send to Kedar, and observe accurately, and see if such things have been done;
11 Has a nation exchanged gods, even though they were not gods? But my people have exchanged their glory for what cannot help them.
if the nations will change their gods, though they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory, [for that] from which they shall not be profited.
12 Shudder, heavens, because of this! Be shocked and horrified—this is Yahweh's declaration.
The heaven is amazed at this, and is very exceedingly horror-struck, says the Lord.
13 For my people have committed two evils against me: They have abandoned the springs of living waters, and they have dug out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
For my people has committed two [faults], and evil ones: they have forsaken me, the fountain of water of life, and hewn out for themselves broken cisterns, which will not be able to hold water.
14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born in his master's home? So why has he become plunder?
Is Israel a servant, or a home-born slave? why has he become a spoil?
15 Young lions roared against him. They made a lot of noise and made his land a horror. His cities are destroyed without any inhabitants.
The lions roared upon him, and uttered their voice, which have made his land a wilderness: and his cities are broken down, that they should not be inhabited.
16 Also, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes will shave your skull.
Also the children of Memphis and Taphnas have known you, and mocked you.
17 Did you not do this to yourselves when you abandoned Yahweh your God, while he was leading you along the way?
Has not your forsaking me brought these things upon you? says the Lord your God.
18 So now, why take the road to Egypt and drink the waters of Shihor? Why take the road to Assyria and drink the waters of the Euphrates River?
And now what have you to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon? and what have you to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of rivers?
19 Your wickedness rebukes you, and your faithlessness punishes you. So think about it and understand that it is wicked and bitter when you forsake Yahweh your God, and have no fear of me—this is the declaration of Lord Yahweh of hosts.
Your apostasy shall correct you, and your wickedness shall reprove you: know then, and see, that your forsaking me [has been] bitter to you, says the Lord your God; and I have taken no pleasure in you, says the Lord your God.
20 For I broke your yoke that you had in ancient days; I tore your fetters off you. Still you said, 'I will not serve!' since you bowed down on every high hill and beneath every leafy tree, you adulterer.
For of old you have broken your yoke, and plucked asunder your bands; and you has said, I will not serve you, but will go upon every high hill, and under every shady tree, there will I indulge in my fornication.
21 I planted you as a choice vine, completely from pure seed. How then have you have changed yourself into a corrupt, worthless vine?
Yet I planted you a fruitful vine, entirely of the right sort: how are you a strange vine turned to bitterness!
22 For even if you clean yourself in the river or wash with strong soap, your iniquity is a stain before me—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.
Though you should wash yourself with nitre, and multiply to yourself soap, [still] you are stained by your iniquities before me, says the Lord.
23 How can you say, 'I am not defiled! I have not walked after the Baals'? Look at what you did in the valleys! Consider what you have done—you are a swift female camel running here and there,
How will you say, I am not polluted, and have not gone after Baal? behold your ways in the burial-ground, and know what you have done: her voice has howled in the evening:
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None of the males need wear themselves out pursuing her; at mating time they will find her.
she has extended her ways over the waters of the desert; she was hurried along by the lusts of her soul; she is given up [to them], who will turn her back? none that seek her shall be weary; at [the time of] her humiliation they shall find her.
25 You must restrain your feet from becoming bare and your throat from being thirsty! But you have said, 'It is hopeless! No, I love strangers and go after them!'
Withdraw your foot from a rough way, and your throat from thirst: but she said I will strengthen myself: for she loved strangers, and went after them.
26 Like the shame of a thief when he is found, so the house of Israel will be ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, and their priests and prophets!
As is the shame of a thief when he is caught, so shall the children of Israel be ashamed; they, and their kings, and their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
27 These are the ones who say to the tree, 'You are my father,' and to the stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For their back faces me and not their faces. Nevertheless, they say in the time of troubles, 'Arise and save us!'
They said to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You has begotten me: and they have turned [their] backs to me, and not their faces: yet in the time of their afflictions they will say, Arise, and save us.
28 Yet where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them arise if they wish to save you in your time of troubles, for your idols equal your cities in number, Judah!
And where are your gods, which you made for yourself? will they arise and save in the time of your affliction? for according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they sacrificed to Baal.
29 So why do you accuse me of doing wrong? All of you have sinned against me—this is Yahweh's declaration.
Therefore do you speak to me? you all have been ungodly, and you all have transgressed against me, says the Lord.
30 I have punished your people in vain. They would not accept discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destructive lion!
In vain have I struck your children; you have not received correction: a sword has devoured your prophets as a destroying lion; yet you feared not.
31 You who belong to this generation! Pay attention to my word, the word of Yahweh! Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of deep darkness? Why would my people say, 'Let us wander around, we will not go to you anymore'?
Hear you the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord, Have I been a wilderness or a dry land to Israel? therefore has my people said, We will not be ruled over, and will not come to you any more?
32 Will a virgin forget her jewelry, a bride her veils? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number!
Will a bride forget her ornaments, or a virgin her girdle? but my people has forgotten me days without number.
33 How well you make your way to look for love. You have even taught your ways to wicked women.
What fair device will you yet employ in your ways, so as to seek love? [it shall] not [be] so; moreover you has done wickedly in corrupting your ways;
34 The blood that was the life of innocent, poor people has been found on your clothes. These people were not discovered in acts of burglary.
and in your hands has been found the blood of innocent souls; I have not found them in holes, but on every oak.
35 Yet you say, 'I am innocent; surely his anger has turned away from me.' But look! I will bring down judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'
Yet you said, I am innocent: only let his wrath be turned away from me. Behold, I [will] plead with you, whereas you say, I have not sinned.
36 Why do you treat so very lightly this change in your ways? You will also be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria.
For you has been so exceedingly contemptuous as to repeat your ways; but you shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assur.
37 You will also go out from there dejected, with your hands on your head, for Yahweh has rejected the ones whom you trusted, so you will not be helped by them.”
For you shall go forth thence also with your hands upon your head; for the Lord has rejected your hope, and you shall not prosper in it.
