Jeremiah 2
1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,
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.
“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 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.'”
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 word of Yahweh, house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.
Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you families 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 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 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 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 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!
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 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 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 So I will still accuse you—this is Yahweh's declaration—and I will accuse your sons' sons.
Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.
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 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 exchanged gods, even though they were not gods? But my people have exchanged their glory for what cannot help them.
Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.
12 Shudder, heavens, because of this! Be shocked and horrified—this is Yahweh's declaration.
Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.
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 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? Was he born in his master's home? So why has he become plunder?
[Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?
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.
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 Also, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes will shave your skull.
Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the head!
17 Did you not do this to yourselves when you abandoned Yahweh your God, while he was leading you along 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 I planted you as a choice vine, completely from pure seed. How then have you have changed yourself into a corrupt, worthless vine?
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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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!'
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 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 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 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!'
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 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, 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 So why do you accuse me of doing wrong? All of you have sinned against me—this is Yahweh's declaration.
Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.
30 I have punished your people in vain. They would not accept discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destructive lion!
“I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying lion.
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'?
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 Will a virgin forget her jewelry, a bride her veils? 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 make your way to look for love. You have even taught your ways to wicked women.
Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked 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.
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 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.'
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 treat so very lightly this change in your ways? You will also be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by 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 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.”
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!”
