Jeremiah 2
New Living Translation
The Lord’s Case against His People
2 The Lord gave me another message. He said, 2 “Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says:
“I remember how eager you were to please me
as a young bride long ago,
how you loved me and followed me
even through the barren wilderness.
3 In those days Israel was holy to the Lord,
the first of his children.[a]
All who harmed his people were declared guilty,
and disaster fell on them.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
4 Listen to the word of the Lord, people of Jacob—all you families of Israel! 5 This is what the Lord says:
“What did your ancestors find wrong with me
that led them to stray so far from me?
They worshiped worthless idols,
only to become worthless themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord
who brought us safely out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness—
a land of deserts and pits,
a land of drought and death,
where no one lives or even travels?’
7 “And when I brought you into a fruitful land
to enjoy its bounty and goodness,
you defiled my land and
corrupted the possession I had promised you.
8 The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who taught my word ignored me,
the rulers turned against me,
and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal,
wasting their time on worthless idols.
9 Therefore, I will bring my case against you,”
says the Lord.
“I will even bring charges against your children’s children
in the years to come.
10 “Go west and look in the land of Cyprus[b];
go east and search through the land of Kedar.
Has anyone ever heard of anything
as strange as this?
11 Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones,
even though they are not gods at all?
Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God[c]
for worthless idols!
12 The heavens are shocked at such a thing
and shrink back in horror and dismay,”
says the Lord.
13 “For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!
The Results of Israel’s Sin
14 “Why has Israel become a slave?
Why has he been carried away as plunder?
15 Strong lions have roared against him,
and the land has been destroyed.
The towns are now in ruins,
and no one lives in them anymore.
16 Egyptians, marching from their cities of Memphis[d] and Tahpanhes,
have destroyed Israel’s glory and power.
17 And you have brought this upon yourselves
by rebelling against the Lord your God,
even though he was leading you on the way!
18 “What have you gained by your alliances with Egypt
and your covenants with Assyria?
What good to you are the streams of the Nile[e]
or the waters of the Euphrates River?[f]
19 Your wickedness will bring its own punishment.
Your turning from me will shame you.
You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is
to abandon the Lord your God and not to fear him.
I, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!
20 “Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you
and tore away the chains of your slavery,
but still you said,
‘I will not serve you.’
On every hill and under every green tree,
you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.
21 But I was the one who planted you,
choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.
How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?
22 No amount of soap or lye can make you clean.
I still see the stain of your guilt.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
Israel, an Unfaithful Wife
23 “You say, ‘That’s not true!
I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’
But how can you say that?
Go and look in any valley in the land!
Face the awful sins you have done.
You are like a restless female camel
desperately searching for a mate.
24 You are like a wild donkey,
sniffing the wind at mating time.
Who can restrain her lust?
Those who desire her don’t need to search,
for she goes running to them!
25 When will you stop running?
When will you stop panting after other gods?
But you say, ‘Save your breath.
I’m in love with these foreign gods,
and I can’t stop loving them now!’
26 “Israel is like a thief
who feels shame only when he gets caught.
They, their kings, officials, priests, and prophets—
all are alike in this.
27 To an image carved from a piece of wood they say,
‘You are my father.’
To an idol chiseled from a block of stone they say,
‘You are my mother.’
They turn their backs on me,
but in times of trouble they cry out to me,
‘Come and save us!’
28 But why not call on these gods you have made?
When trouble comes, let them save you if they can!
For you have as many gods
as there are towns in Judah.
29 Why do you accuse me of doing wrong?
You are the ones who have rebelled,”
says the Lord.
30 “I have punished your children,
but they did not respond to my discipline.
You yourselves have killed your prophets
as a lion kills its prey.
31 “O my people, listen to the words of the Lord!
Have I been like a desert to Israel?
Have I been to them a land of darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God!
We don’t need him anymore!’
32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
or a bride her wedding dress?
Yet for years on end
my people have forgotten me.
33 “How you plot and scheme to win your lovers.
Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you!
34 Your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor,
though you didn’t catch them breaking into your houses!
35 And yet you say,
‘I have done nothing wrong.
Surely God isn’t angry with me!’
But now I will punish you severely
because you claim you have not sinned.
36 First here, then there—
you flit from one ally to another asking for help.
But your new friends in Egypt will let you down,
just as Assyria did before.
37 In despair, you will be led into exile
with your hands on your heads,
for the Lord has rejected the nations you trust.
They will not help you at all.
Jeremiah 2
Legacy Standard Bible
Judah Transgresses Against Yahweh
2 Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2 “Go and (A)call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh,
“I remember concerning you the (B)lovingkindness of your youth,
The love of your betrothals,
(C)Your walking after Me in the wilderness,
Through a land not sown.
3 Israel was (D)holy to Yahweh,
The (E)first of His produce.
(F)All who ate of it became guilty;
Evil came upon them,” declares Yahweh.’”
4 Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says Yahweh,
“(G)What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from Me
And walked after (H)vanity and became vain?
6 They did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh
Who (I)brought us up out of the land of Egypt,
Who (J)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 crossed
And where no man inhabited?’
7 I brought you into the (K)fruitful land
To eat its fruit and its good things.
But you came and (L)defiled My land,
And My inheritance you made an abomination.
8 The (M)priests did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’
And those who handle the law (N)did not know Me;
The [a]shepherds also transgressed against Me,
And the (O)prophets prophesied by Baal
And walked after (P)things that did not profit.
9 “Therefore I will yet (Q)contend with you,” declares Yahweh,
“And with your sons’ sons I will contend.
10 For (R)cross to the coastlands of [b]Kittim and see,
And send to (S)Kedar and perceive closely
And see if there has been such a thing as this!
11 Has a nation changed gods
Though (T)they were not gods?
But My people have (U)changed their glory
For that which does not profit.
12 Be appalled, (V)O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid, be very devastated,” declares Yahweh.
13 “For My people have done two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The (W)fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves (X)cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.
14 “Is Israel (Y)a slave? Or is he a homeborn slave?
Why has he become plunder?
15 The young (Z)lions have roared at him;
They have given forth their voice.
And they have (AA)made his land a desolation;
His cities have been turned into ruin, without inhabitant.
16 Also the [c]men of (AB)Memphis and Tahpanhes
Have [d]shaved the (AC)top of your head.
17 Have you not (AD)done this to yourself
By your forsaking Yahweh your God
When He (AE)led you in the way?
18 But now what are you doing (AF)on the road to Egypt,
To drink the waters of the [e](AG)Nile?
Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria,
To drink the waters of the [f]River?
19 (AH)Your own evil will chastise you,
And your (AI)acts of faithlessness will reprove you;
Know therefore and see that it is evil and (AJ)bitter
For you to forsake Yahweh your God,
And (AK)the dread of Me is not in you,” declares Lord Yahweh of hosts.
20 “For long ago [g](AL)I broke your yoke
And tore off your bonds;
But you said, ‘I will not serve!’
For on every (AM)high hill
And under every green tree
You have lain down as a harlot.
21 Yet I (AN)planted you a choice vine,
A completely true seed.
How then have you turned yourself before Me
Into the (AO)degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
22 Although you (AP)wash yourself with lye
And [h]use much soap,
The (AQ)stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.
23 “(AR)How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;
I have not walked after the (AS)Baals’?
Look at your way in the (AT)valley!
Know what you have done!
You are a swift young camel (AU)entangling her ways,
24 A (AV)wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,
That sniffs the wind in her passion.
In the time of her [i]heat who can turn her away?
All who seek her will not become weary;
In her month they will find her.
25 Keep your feet from being barefoot
And your throat from thirst;
But you said, ‘(AW)It is [j]hopeless!
No! For I have (AX)loved strangers,
And after them I will walk.’
26 “As the (AY)thief is shamed when he is found,
So the house of Israel is shamed;
They, their kings, their princes,
And their priests and their prophets,
27 Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their (AZ)back to Me
And not their face;
But in the (BA)time when their evil comes they will say,
‘Arise and save us.’
28 But where are your (BB)gods
Which you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can (BC)save you
In the time when your evil comes;
For (BD)according to the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.
29 “Why do you contend with Me?
You have (BE)all transgressed against Me,” declares Yahweh.
30 “(BF)In vain I have struck your sons;
They received no discipline.
Your (BG)sword has devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31 O generation, [k]behold the word of Yahweh.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel
Or a (BH)land of thick darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘(BI)We are free to roam;
We will no longer come to You’?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
Or a bride her attire?
Yet My people have (BJ)forgotten Me
Days without number.
33 How well you prepare your way
To seek love!
Therefore even [l]the wicked women
You have taught your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
The (BK)lifeblood of the innocent needy;
You did not find them (BL)breaking in.
But in spite of all these things,
35 Yet you said, ‘I am innocent;
Surely His anger is turned away from me.’
Behold, I will (BM)enter into judgment with you
Because you (BN)say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you (BO)despise Him so much
In changing your way?
Also, (BP)you will be put to shame by Egypt
As you were put to shame by (BQ)Assyria.
37 From this place also you will go out
With (BR)your hands on your head;
For Yahweh has rejected (BS)those in whom you trust,
And you will not succeed with them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:8 Rulers
- Jeremiah 2:10 Cyprus and other islands
- Jeremiah 2:16 Or sons
- Jeremiah 2:16 Lit grazed
- Jeremiah 2:18 Heb Shihor
- Jeremiah 2:18 The Euphrates River
- Jeremiah 2:20 Or you
- Jeremiah 2:22 Lit cause to be great to you
- Jeremiah 2:24 Lit occasion
- Jeremiah 2:25 Or desperate
- Jeremiah 2:31 Lit see
- Jeremiah 2:33 Or in wickedness
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