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Yahweh Remembers Israel’s Faithfulness

And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,[a] “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying,[b] ‘Thus says Yahweh,

“I remember concerning you the loyal love of your childhood,[c]
    the love of your betrothal-time,
your going[d] after me in the desert,[e]
    in the land not sown.
Israel was holy to Yahweh,
    the first fruit of his produce.
All those who ate it were held guilty;
    disaster came to them,” declares[f] Yahweh.’”

The Unfaithfulness of Israel’s Ancestors

Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob, and all the clans[g] of the house of Israel. Thus says Yahweh:

“What injustice did your ancestors[h] find in me
    that they were far from me,
and they went after the vanity,
    and they became vain?
And they did not say,
    ‘Where is Yahweh,
the one who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
    the one who led us in the desert,[i]
in a land of desert plains and gorges,[j]
    in a land of dryness and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,[k]
    and no human lives there?’
And I brought you to the land of the orchard,
    to eat its fruit, and its good things.[l]
But you entered and defiled my land,
    and my inheritance you made a detestable thing.[m]
The priests did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’
    and those who handle the law did not know me,
and the shepherds have rebelled against me,[n]
    and the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and they went after things which do not profit.

The Unfaithfulness of Contemporary Israel

Therefore[o] I again bring a lawsuit against you,” declares[p] Yahweh,
    “and with your children[q] I bring a lawsuit.
10 For go over to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
    and send to Kedar and consider very closely,
    and see if there has been a thing like this:
11 Has a nation exchanged gods? And they are not gods!
    But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder;
    be utterly desolate,” declares[r] Yahweh.
13 “For my people have committed two evils:
    they have forsaken me, the source[s] of living water,
    to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.
14 Is Israel a slave? Or a slave born in a house?[t]
    Why has he become plunder?
15 The young lions have roared against him,
    they have raised[u] their voices.[v]
And they have made his land as horror;
    his cities are destroyed, without[w] an inhabitant.
16 Moreover, people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
    will shave[x] your skull.[y]
17 Did you not do this to yourself,
    by forsaking Yahweh, your God,
    at the time of your leading in the way?
18 And now why do you go[z] the way of Egypt
    to drink the waters of the Shihor?
And why do you go[aa] the way of Assyria
    to drink the waters of the Euphrates?[ab]
19 Your wickedness will chastise you,
    and your apostasies will reprove you.
Therefore know and see that it is evil and bitter,
    your forsaking of Yahweh, your God,
and fear of me is not in you,”
    declares[ac] the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
20 “For from long ago you have broken your yoke,
    you tore to pieces your bonds.
And you said, ‘I will not serve!’
    But on every high hill and under every leafy tree
    you were lying down as a prostitute.
21 Yet I planted you as a choice vine,
    all of it a seed of trustworthiness.
How then have you altered before me
    into something that is degenerate, the foreign vine?
22 For if you wash with natron,
    and you use much soap,[ad]
your guilt is sticking as a stain before[ae] me,”
    declares[af] the Lord Yahweh.
23 “How can you say, ‘I have not defiled myself,
    I have not gone after the Baals?’
Look at your way in the valley,
    know what you have done.
You are a young she-camel,
    interweaving her ways.
24 A wild ass accustomed to the desert,[ag]
    in the desire of her soul.
She gasps for wind in her rutting time.
    Who can quell[ah] her lust?
All those who seek her will not grow weary,
    in her month they will find her.
25 Restrain your foot from being barefoot,
    and your throat from thirst.
But you said, ‘It is hopeless.
    No! For I have loved strangers,
    and after them I will go.’[ai]
26 As the shame of a thief when he is caught in the act,
    so the house of Israel will be ashamed.
They, their kings, their officials,
    and their priests, and their prophets.
27 Those who say to the tree, ‘You are my father,’
    and to the stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
For they have turned their backs[aj] to me, and not their faces.
    But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us.’
28 But where are your gods that you made for yourself?
    Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble.
For according to the number of your towns
    are your gods, O Judah.
29 Why do you complain to me?
    All of you have rebelled against me,”[ak] declares[al] Yahweh.
30 “For in vain[am] I have struck your children.
    They accepted no discipline.
Your sword devoured your prophets,
    like a ravening[an] lion.
31 O generation, you see the word of Yahweh.
    Have I been a desert[ao] to Israel? Or a land of great darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We roam about freely,
    we will not come again to you’?
32 Can a young woman forget her ornaments?[ap] Or a bride her sashes?
    Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 How well you do on your way to seek love!
    Therefore[aq] even to the wicked woman you can teach your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
    the blood of the life of the innocent, the poor.
You did not find them in the act of breaking into a house.
    But in spite of all these things,
35 yet you say, ‘But I am innocent,
    surely his anger has turned away from me.’
Look, I am entering into judgment with you
    because of your saying, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 How you go about so much changing your way!
    Also by Egypt you will be put to shame,
    just as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37 Also from there you will come out
    with your hands on your head,
for Yahweh has rejected those in whom you trust,[ar]
    and you will not prosper through them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 2:1 Literally “to say”
  2. Jeremiah 2:2 Literally “to say”
  3. Jeremiah 2:2 Or “youth”
  4. Jeremiah 2:2 Or “walking”
  5. Jeremiah 2:2 Or “wilderness”
  6. Jeremiah 2:3 Literally “a declaration of”
  7. Jeremiah 2:4 Or “families”
  8. Jeremiah 2:5 Or “fathers”
  9. Jeremiah 2:6 Or “wilderness”
  10. Jeremiah 2:6 Hebrew “gorge”
  11. Jeremiah 2:6 Literally “no man passes through in it”
  12. Jeremiah 2:7 Hebrew “good thing”
  13. Jeremiah 2:7 Or “abomination”
  14. Jeremiah 2:8 Literally “broken with me”
  15. Jeremiah 2:9 Literally “To thus”
  16. Jeremiah 2:9 Literally “a declaration of”
  17. Jeremiah 2:9 Literally “sons of your sons”
  18. Jeremiah 2:12 Literally “a declaration of”
  19. Jeremiah 2:13 Or “fountain”
  20. Jeremiah 2:14 Literally “born of a house”
  21. Jeremiah 2:15 Literally “given”
  22. Jeremiah 2:15 Hebrew “voice”
  23. Jeremiah 2:15 Literally “from not”
  24. Jeremiah 2:16 Literally “pasture”
  25. Jeremiah 2:16 Or “crown of your head”
  26. Jeremiah 2:18 Literally “what for you”
  27. Jeremiah 2:18 Literally “what for you”
  28. Jeremiah 2:18 Literally “river”
  29. Jeremiah 2:19 Literally “a declaration of”
  30. Jeremiah 2:22 Literally “make numerous for yourself alkaline salt”
  31. Jeremiah 2:22 Literally “to the face of”
  32. Jeremiah 2:22 Literally “a declaration of”
  33. Jeremiah 2:24 Or “wilderness”
  34. Jeremiah 2:24 Or “restrain”
  35. Jeremiah 2:25 Or “walk”
  36. Jeremiah 2:27 Literally “neck”
  37. Jeremiah 2:29 Literally “broken with me”
  38. Jeremiah 2:29 Literally “a declaration of”
  39. Jeremiah 2:30 Literally “the vanity”
  40. Jeremiah 2:30 Or “destroying”
  41. Jeremiah 2:31 Or “wilderness”
  42. Jeremiah 2:32 Or “jewelry”
  43. Jeremiah 2:33 Literally “To thus”
  44. Jeremiah 2:37 Literally “in your objects of trust”

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.

Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that 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 man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I plead.

10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?

18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.

20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.

23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.

27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

28 But where are thy gods that 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 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.

30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31 O generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?

32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33 Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

37 Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

Ginsikway sang Israel ang Dios

Nagsiling ang Ginoo sa akon, “Lakat ka kag ihambal ini sa mga taga-Jerusalem: Nadumduman ko kon daw ano ang inyo katutom kag pagpalangga sa akon sang una pareho sang isa ka bataon nga babayi nga bag-o lang ginkasal. Nagsunod kamo sa akon bisan pa sa kamingawan nga wala sing mga tanom. Kamo nga mga Israelinhon ginseparar para sa akon. Kaangay kamo sa nahauna nga parte sang patubas nga ginahatag sa akon. Ang mga naghalit sa inyo ginsilutan ko, kag nalaglag sila. Ako, ang Ginoo, ang nagasiling sini.”

Kamo nga katawhan sang Israel nga mga kaliwat ni Jacob, pamatii ninyo ang ginasiling sang Ginoo. Amo ini ang iya ginasiling: “Ano bala nga sala ang nakita sang inyo mga katigulangan sa akon nga nagpalayo gid sila sa akon? Nagsunod sila sa mga dios-dios nga wala sing pulos, kag tungod sini nangin wala man sila sing pulos. Wala na sila nagpangita sa akon bisan ako pa ang nagpaguwa sa ila sa Egipto kag nagpanguna sa ila sa kamingawan nga wala sing mga tanom—ang duta nga desierto, may mga buho, mamala, delikado, kag wala sing tawo nga nagaestar ukon nagaagi. Gindala ko kamo sa maayo nga duta sa pagpulos sang maayo nga mga patubas sini. Pero pag-abot ninyo didto, ginhigkuan ninyo ang duta nga akon ginapanag-iyahan, kag ginhimo ninyo ini nga makangilil-ad. Bisan ang mga pari wala nagpangita sa akon. Ang mga nagatudlo sang kasuguan wala makakilala[a] sa akon. Ang mga pangulo nagrebelde kontra sa akon. Kag ang mga propeta naghambal sang mga mensahi sa ngalan ni Baal, kag nagsunod sa mga dios-dios nga wala sing pulos. Gani akusaron ko kamo liwat kag ang inyo mga kaliwat sa palaabuton. Ako, ang Ginoo, ang nagasiling sini.

10 “Magkadto kamo sa nakatundan, sa mga isla sang Kitim, kag magkadto man kamo sa sidlangan, sa duta sang Kedar. Usisaa ninyo kon may natabo nga pareho sini: 11 May nasyon bala nga nagbaylo sang iya dios, bisan pa nga indi ini matuod nga dios? Pero ang akon katawhan ginbaylo nila ako nga ila dungganon nga Dios sa mga dios nga wala sing pulos. 12 Naurungan ang kalangitan sa ginhimo sang akon katawhan; daw sa nagkurog ini tungod sa puwerte nga kahangawa. Ako, ang Ginoo, ang nagasiling sini.

13 “Ang akon katawhan nakahimo sang duha ka sala: Ginsikway nila ako, ang tuburan nga nagahatag sang kabuhi, kag ginsimba nila ang iban nga mga dios, nga daw pareho lang nga nagbuho sila sang pulunduhan sang tubig nga nagakahubas. 14 Ang Israel wala natawo nga ulipon. Ngaa nga ginabiktima siya sang mga kaaway? 15 Ang iya mga kaaway daw leon nga nagangurob sa iya. Ginlaglag nila ang iya duta, kag ginsunog ang iya mga banwa, kag wala na ini ginaestaran. 16 Ang mga tawo sang Memfis kag Tapanhes ang naglaglag sa iya.[b]

17 “Kamo mismo nga mga Israelinhon ang nagdala sang sini nga kalaglagan sa inyo. Kay ginsikway ninyo ako, ang Ginoo nga inyo Dios, sang ginpangunahan ko kamo sa dalanon. 18 Karon, ano ang inyo nakuha sa pagdangop ninyo sa Egipto kag sa Asiria? Ngaa nagakadto pa kamo sa Suba sang Nilo[c] kag sa Suba sang Eufrates? 19 Tungod sa inyo kalautan kag pagtalikod sa akon, silutan ko kamo. Hunahunaa ninyo sing maayo kon daw ano kalain kag kapait nga sikwayon ninyo ang Ginoo nga inyo Dios kag indi pagtahuron. Ako, ang Ginoong Dios nga Makagagahom, ang nagasiling sini.

20 “Sadto anay, sang gin-ulipon kamo, pareho kamo sa baka nga may gota ukon sa priso nga may kadena, pero sang ginhilway ko na kamo, indi kamo mag-alagad sa akon. Sa baylo, nagsimba kamo sa mga dios-dios sa tagsa ka mataas nga bukid kag sa idalom sang tagsa ka madabong nga kahoy. Pareho kamo sa babayi nga nagabaligya sang iya lawas. 21 Gintanom ko kamo pareho sang isa ka maayo gid nga klase sang ubas. Pero ngaa nangin isa kamo ka dunot kag wala sing pulos nga ubas? 22 Bisan magpaligo pa kamo kag magpanghabon sing tudo makita ko man gihapon ang higko sang inyo sala. Ako, ang Ginoong Dios, ang nagasiling sini.

23 “Paano kamo makasiling nga wala kamo mahigkui kag wala kamo nagsimba sa mga imahen ni Baal? Hunahunaa ninyo kon ano nga pagpakasala ang ginhimo ninyo sa pulopatag sang Hinom. Talupangda ang sala nga inyo nahimo. Pareho kamo sa isa ka babayi nga kamelyo nga nagapahigal,[d] nga wala nagapahimunong. 24 Pareho man kamo sa isa ka babayi nga asno nga talunon nga nagaaliwasa kay gusto na gid magpakasta. Kon magpahigal siya wala sing may makapugong sa iya. Indi na mabudlayan sa pagpangita sa iya ang lalaki nga asno sa tion sang tigkalasta.

25 Mga Israelinhon, nagkalaupod na ang inyo mga sandalyas, kag nagmalala na ang inyo mga tutunlan sa pagsunod sa iban nga mga dios. Pero nagsiling kamo, ‘Indi mahimo nga talikdan namon ang iban nga mga dios. Ginahigugma namon sila kag magasunod kami sa ila.’

26 “Pareho sang isa ka kawatan nga mahuy-an kon siya madakpan, mahuy-an man kamo nga katawhan sang Israel. Huo, mahuy-an kamo kag ang inyo mga hari, mga opisyal, mga pari, kag mga propeta. 27 Nagasiling kamo nga ang kahoy inyo amay kag ang bato inyo iloy. Nagtalikod kamo sa akon, pero kon ara kamo sa kalisod nagapangayo kamo sing bulig sa akon. 28 Diin na ang mga dios nga inyo ginhimo para sa inyo kaugalingon? Palapita sila kon matuod nga maluwas nila kamo sa inyo kalisod. Kadamo gid sang inyo mga dios, pareho kadamo sang mga banwa sa Juda. 29 Ngaa magreklamo kamo sa akon? Indi bala nga kamo ang nagrebelde sa akon? 30 Ginsilutan ko ang inyo mga anak, pero wala ini sang maayo nga nahimo sa ila. Indi sila gusto nga disiplinahon. Kamo mismo ang nagpamatay sang inyo mga propeta, pareho sang pagpatay sang gutom nga leon sa iya biktima.

31 “Kamo nga katawhan sa sini nga henerasyon, pamatii ang akon ginasiling. Pareho bala ako sang isa ka desierto sa inyo nga mga taga-Israel, ukon pareho sang isa ka lugar nga tama kadulom? Ti, ngaa nagasiling kamo, ‘Pagusto na kami sa amon himuon. Indi na kami magpalapit sa Dios.’

32 “Malimtan bala sang isa ka dalaga ang iya alahas, ukon ang iya bayo sa kasal? Pero kamo nga akon katawhan, ginkalimtan ninyo ako sa malawig nga tion. 33 Maayo gid kamo maglagas sa inyo mga ginapalangga nga mga dios-dios. Bisan ang babayi nga hanas sa pagbaligya sang iya lawas makatuon sa inyo. 34 Ang inyo mga bayo may mantsa sang dugo sang inosente nga mga imol. Ginpamatay ninyo sila bisan wala sila nadakpan nga nagsulod sa inyo balay sa pagpangawat. Pero bisan ginhimo ninyo ini, 35 nagsiling pa kamo, ‘Wala kami sing sala. Ang Ginoo indi akig sa amon.’ Pero pagasilutan ko gid kamo tungod nga nagsiling kamo nga wala kamo sing sala.

36 “Ordinaryo lang sa inyo ang pagbaylo-baylo sang mga kadampig nga nasyon. Pero pakahuy-an gid kamo sang Egipto nga inyo kadampig pareho sang pagpakahuya sa inyo sang Asiria. 37 Pahalinon kamo sa sini nga duta[e] nga ang inyo mga kamot nagatungtong sa inyo mga ulo sa dako nga kasubo. Kay ginsikway ko ang mga nasyon nga inyo ginasaligan. Ini nga mga nasyon indi makabulig sa inyo.”

Footnotes

  1. 2:8 makakilala: ukon, malapit nga relasyon.
  2. 2:16 naglaglag sa iya: sa Syriac, nagbuka sang iya ulo.
  3. 2:18 Nilo: sa Hebreo, Shihor, nga isa ka bahin sang Suba sang Nilo.
  4. 2:23 nagapahigal: buot silingon, gusto magpakasta.
  5. 2:37 Pahalinon kamo sa sini nga duta: Indi klaro ang buot silingon sang Hebreo sini.