Jeremiah 2
1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
The word of Jehovah came 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 proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember the kindness shown thee in thy youth, The love with which I espoused thee, When thou wast led by me through the wilderness, Through a land that was 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 was a sacred thing to Jehovah, His first ripe fruit. All that devoured him were held guilty; Evil came upon them, saith Jehovah.
4 Hear the LORD’s word, O house of Jacob, and all the 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 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 saith Jehovah: What fault did your fathers find in me, That they went far from me, And walked after vanity, and practised folly?
6 They didn’t 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?’
They said not, Where is Jehovah, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and deathlike gloom, Through a land which no man passed through, And where no man dwelt?
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 brought you to a land of fruitful fields, To eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof; But when ye had come in, ye defiled my land, And made my inheritance an abomination.
8 The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ and those who handle the law didn’t know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.
The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? And the teachers of the law knew me not; The rulers also rebelled against me; The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal, And walked after things that could not profit.
9 “Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says the LORD, “and I will contend with your children’s children.
Therefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah; Yea, with your children's children will I contend.
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 over to the islands of the Chittaeans, and see; Send ye to Kedar, and inform yourselves well; And see if such a thing hath been done!
11 Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doesn’t profit.
Hath any nation changed their gods, even those that are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which cannot profit.
12 “Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says the LORD.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this! Shudder, and be amazed! saith Jehovah.
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 can’t hold water.
For my people have committed two evils; Me have they forsaken, the fountain of living water, And they have hewn out for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?
Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant? Why then hath he become a spoil?
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.
The young lions roar over him; They lift up their voice; They have made his land a desolation; His cities are burned so as to be without an inhabitant.
16 The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.
Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have consumed the crown of thy head.
17 “Haven’t you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?
Hath not this come upon thee, Because thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God, When he would have led thee 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 what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, To drink the waters of the Euphrates?
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 GOD your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, the LORD of Hosts.
Thy wickedness shall chasten thee, And thy transgressions reprove thee; And thou shalt know and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, And that the fear of me is not with thee, Saith the Lord, Jehovah 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.
Of old hast thou broken thy yoke, And burst thy bands, And said, “I will not be in subjection!” For upon every high hill, And under every green tree, Hast thou reclined, playing the 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?
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, Wholly a genuine seed; How then art thou changed to the degenerate shoot of a strange vine?
22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the Lord GOD.
For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity black before me, saith Jehovah.
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 canst thou say, “I am not polluted,” “I have not gone after Baals”? Behold thy way in the valley! Know what thou hast done, A swift young camel, traversing 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 ass, used to the wilderness, That in her desire snuffeth up the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her aside? All that seek her do not weary themselves; In her month they will 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 thy feet from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou sayest, There is no remedy! No! For I love strangers, And after them I will go.
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 a thief is ashamed when he is taken, So is the house of Israel ashamed, They, their kings, and their princes, 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!’
That say to a stock, Thou art my father, And to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth! For they turn the back to me, and not the face. Yet in the time of their trouble 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.
But where are thy gods, which thou hast 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 will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says the LORD.
Why do ye enter into controversy with me? Ye have all rebelled against me, saith Jehovah.
30 “I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
In vain have I smitten your children; They would receive no correction; Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, Like 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! Behold ye the word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of darkness? Why then say my people, “We will rove at pleasure, We will come no more to thee”?
32 “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.
Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her belt? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number!
33 How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.
Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? On this account hast thou accustomed thy ways to wickedness.
34 Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.
Upon thy skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor, Whom thou didst not find committing violence.
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.’
But notwithstanding all this, thou sayest, I am innocent; Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, Because thou sayest, “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.
Why dost thou run so eagerly, changing thy way? By Egypt also shalt thou be put to shame, Even as thou hast been put to shame by Assyria.
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 won’t prosper with them.
From Egypt also shalt thou go forth With thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah hath rejected the objects of thy confidence, Therefore shalt thou not prosper in them.
