Jeremiah 2:1-13
New International Version - UK
Israel forsakes God
2 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 ‘Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:
‘This is what the Lord says:
‘“I remember the devotion of your youth,
how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,
through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest;
all who devoured her were held guilty,
and disaster overtook them,”’
declares the Lord.
4 Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.
5 This is what the Lord says:
‘What fault did your ancestors find in me,
that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.
6 They did not ask, “Where is the Lord,
who brought us up out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts and ravines,
a land of drought and utter darkness,
a land where no one travels and no one lives?”
7 I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.
8 The priests did not ask,
“Where is the Lord?”
Those who deal with the law did not know me;
the leaders rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
following worthless idols.
9 ‘Therefore I bring charges against you again,’
declares the Lord.
‘And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar[a] and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious God
for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, you heavens,
and shudder with great horror,’
declares the Lord.
13 ‘My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
Jeremiah 2:1-13
New International Version
Israel Forsakes God
2 The word(A) of the Lord came to me: 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:
“This is what the Lord says:
“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,(B)
how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,(C)
through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy(D) to the Lord,(E)
the firstfruits(F) of his harvest;
all who devoured(G) her were held guilty,(H)
and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.
4 Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.
5 This is what the Lord says:
“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols(I)
and became worthless(J) themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
who brought us up out of Egypt(K)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts(L) and ravines,(M)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
a land where no one travels(N) and no one lives?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.(O)
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.(P)
8 The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;(Q)
the leaders(R) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,(S)
following worthless idols.(T)
9 “Therefore I bring charges(U) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus(V) and look,
send to Kedar[a](W) and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods(X) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious(Y) God
for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, you heavens,
and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken(Z) me,
the spring of living water,(AA)
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
Jeremiah 2:20-25
New International Version - UK
20 ‘Long ago you broke off your yoke
and tore off your bonds;
you said, “I will not serve you!”
Indeed, on every high hill
and under every spreading tree
you lay down as a prostitute.
21 I had planted you like a choice vine
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 Although you wash yourself with soap
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,’
declares the Sovereign Lord.
23 ‘How can you say, “I am not defiled;
I have not run after the Baals”?
See how you behaved in the valley;
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running here and there,
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her craving –
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, “It’s no use!
I love foreign gods,
and I must go after them.”
Jeremiah 2:20-25
New International Version
20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke(A)
and tore off your bonds;(B)
you said, ‘I will not serve you!’(C)
Indeed, on every high hill(D)
and under every spreading tree(E)
you lay down as a prostitute.(F)
21 I had planted(G) you like a choice vine(H)
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt,(I) wild vine?
22 Although you wash(J) yourself with soap(K)
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.(L)
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;(M)
I have not run after the Baals’?(N)
See how you behaved in the valley;(O)
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running(P) here and there,
24 a wild donkey(Q) accustomed to the desert,(R)
sniffing the wind in her craving—
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!(S)
I love foreign gods,(T)
and I must go after them.’(U)
Jeremiah 4:1-4
New International Version - UK
4 ‘If you, Israel, will return,
then return to me,’
declares the Lord.
‘If you put your detestable idols out of my sight
and no longer go astray,
2 and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear, “As surely as the Lord lives,”
then the nations will invoke blessings by him
and in him they will boast.’
3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:
‘Break up your unploughed ground
and do not sow among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
circumcise your hearts,
you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire
because of the evil you have done –
burn with no one to quench it.
Jeremiah 4:1-4
New International Version
4 “If you, Israel, will return,(A)
then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols(B) out of my sight
and no longer go astray,
2 and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear,(C) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(D)
then the nations will invoke blessings(E) by him
and in him they will boast.(F)”
3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground(G)
and do not sow among thorns.(H)
4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
circumcise your hearts,(I)
you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath(J) will flare up and burn like fire(K)
because of the evil(L) you have done—
burn with no one to quench(M) it.
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.