Jeremiah 2
1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And 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 cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land 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 holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him are guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.
4 Hear the LORD’s word, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel!
Hear the word of Jehovah, 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 injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?
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?’
And they said not, Where is Jehovah, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and of pits, in a land of drought and of the shadow of death, in a land that no one passeth through, and where no man dwelleth?
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.
And I brought you into a fruitful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; and ye entered and defiled my land, and made my heritage 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 they that handled the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me; and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.
9 “Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says the LORD, “and I will contend with your children’s children.
Therefore will I yet plead with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I plead.
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 isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there have been such a thing.
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 a nation changed [its] gods? and they are no gods; — but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12 “Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says the LORD.
Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be amazed very much, 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: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.
14 Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?
Is Israel a bondman? Is he a home-born [slave]? Why is 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 burnt up, without inhabitant.
The young lions roared against him, they gave forth their voice, and they made his land desolate: his cities are burned, without inhabitant.
16 The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.
Even the children of Noph and Tahapanes have fed on 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?
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, at the time he was leading 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 Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
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.
Thine own wickedness chastiseth thee, and thy backslidings reprove thee: know then and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in 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.
For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, 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?
And I, — I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me?
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 potash, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord 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 sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done — a swift dromedary 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 snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall 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 foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I 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 found, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed — they, their kings, 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!’
saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will 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.
Where then are thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for as 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.
Wherefore would ye contend with me? Ye all have transgressed 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 received 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, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?
32 “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.
Doth a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her attire? But 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.
How dost thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore hast thou also 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.
Yea, in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor, whom thou didst not encounter breaking in, but [it is found] upon all these.
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.’
And thou sayest, Indeed I am innocent; his anger will turn 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 gad about so much, and change thy way? Thou shalt also be brought to shame by Egypt, as thou wast brought 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.
Thou shalt indeed go forth from her with thy hands upon thy head; for Jehovah hath rejected those thou confidest in, and thou shalt not prosper by them.
