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Jeremiah 2:4-19
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 2:4-19
English Standard Version
4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:
(A)“What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
(B)and went after (C)worthlessness, and became worthless?
6 They did not say, (D)‘Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us (E)in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that none passes through,
where no man dwells?’
7 (F)And I brought you into a plentiful land
to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in, (G)you defiled my land
and made my heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
(H)Those who handle the law did not know me;
(I)the shepherds[a] transgressed against me;
(J)the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after (K)things that do not profit.
9 “Therefore (L)I still contend with you,
declares the Lord,
and (M)with your children's children I will contend.
10 For cross to the coasts of (N)Cyprus and see,
or send to (O)Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has been such a thing.
11 (P)Has a nation changed its gods,
(Q)even though they are no gods?
But my people (R)have changed their glory
for (S)that which does not profit.
12 Be appalled, (T)O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
13 for my people have committed two evils:
(U)they have forsaken (V)me,
the fountain of (W)living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
14 (X)“Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?
Why then has he become a prey?
15 (Y)The lions have roared against him;
they have roared loudly.
They have made his land a waste;
his cities are in ruins, (Z)without inhabitant.
16 Moreover, the men of (AA)Memphis and (AB)Tahpanhes
(AC)have shaved[b] the crown of your head.
17 (AD)Have you not brought this upon yourself
by forsaking the Lord your God,
when (AE)he led you in the way?
18 (AF)And now what do you gain by going to Egypt
to drink the waters of (AG)the Nile?
(AH)Or what do you gain by going to Assyria
to drink the waters of (AI)the Euphrates?[c]
19 (AJ)Your evil will chastise you,
and (AK)your apostasy will reprove you.
Know and see that it is evil and (AL)bitter
for (AM)you to forsake the Lord your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
declares the Lord God of hosts.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:8 Or rulers
- Jeremiah 2:16 Hebrew grazed
- Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew the River
Jeremiah 2:4-19
New International Version
Jeremiah 2:4-19
New International Version
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(A)
and became worthless(B) themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
who brought us up out of Egypt(C)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts(D) and ravines,(E)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
a land where no one travels(F) and no one lives?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.(G)
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.(H)
8 The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;(I)
the leaders(J) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,(K)
following worthless idols.(L)
9 “Therefore I bring charges(M) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus(N) and look,
send to Kedar[a](O) 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(P) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious(Q) 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(R) me,
the spring of living water,(S)
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Is Israel a servant, a slave(T) by birth?
Why then has he become plunder?
15 Lions(U) have roared;
they have growled at him.
They have laid waste(V) his land;
his towns are burned(W) and deserted.(X)
16 Also, the men of Memphis(Y) and Tahpanhes(Z)
have cracked your skull.
17 Have you not brought this on yourselves(AA)
by forsaking(AB) the Lord your God
when he led you in the way?
18 Now why go to Egypt(AC)
to drink water from the Nile[b]?(AD)
And why go to Assyria(AE)
to drink water from the Euphrates?(AF)
19 Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding(AG) will rebuke(AH) you.
Consider then and realize
how evil and bitter(AI) it is for you
when you forsake(AJ) the Lord your God
and have no awe(AK) of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
- Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew Shihor; that is, a branch of the Nile
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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.