Jeremiah 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
God Pleads with Israel to Repent
2 The word of the Lord came to me, saying: 2 Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord:
I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.(A)
3 Israel was holy to the Lord,
the first fruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
disaster came upon them,
says the Lord.(B)
4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:
What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me
and went after worthless things and became worthless themselves?(C)
6 They did not say, “Where is the Lord,
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?”(D)
7 I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land
and made my heritage an abomination.(E)
8 The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers[a] transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after things that do not profit.(F)
9 Therefore once more I accuse you,
says the Lord,
and I accuse your children’s children.(G)
10 Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look;
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing.
11 Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit.(H)
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked; be utterly desolate,
says the Lord,
13 for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.(I)
14 Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?
Why then has he become plunder?(J)
15 The lions have roared against him;
they have roared loudly.
They have made his land a waste;
his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.(K)
16 Moreover, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have broken the crown of your head.(L)
17 Have you not brought this upon yourself
by forsaking the Lord your God,
while he led you in the way?(M)
18 What then do you gain by going to Egypt,
to drink the waters of the Nile?
Or what do you gain by going to Assyria,
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?(N)
19 Your wickedness will punish you,
and your faithlessness will convict you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
for you to forsake the Lord your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
says the Lord God of hosts.(O)
20 For long ago you broke your yoke
and burst your bonds,
and you said, “I will not serve!”
On every high hill
and under every green tree
you sprawled and prostituted yourself.(P)
21 Yet I planted you as a choice vine
from the purest stock.
How then did you turn degenerate
and become a wild vine?(Q)
22 Though you wash yourself with lye
and use much soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,
says the Lord God.(R)
23 How can you say, “I am not defiled;
I have not gone after the Baals”?
Look at your way in the valley;
know what you have done:
a restive young camel interlacing her tracks,(S)
24 a wild ass at home in the wilderness
in her heat sniffing the wind!
Who can restrain her lust?
None who seek her need weary themselves;
in her month they will find her.(T)
25 Keep your feet from going bare
and your throat from thirst.
But you said, “It is no use,
for I have loved strangers,
and after them I will go.”(U)
26 As a thief is shamed when caught,
so the house of Israel shall be shamed:
they, their kings, their officials,
their priests, and their prophets,(V)
27 who say to a tree, “You are my father,”
and to a stone, “You gave me birth.”
For they have turned their backs to me
and not their faces.
But in the time of their trouble they say,
“Come and save us!”(W)
28 But where are your gods
that you made for yourself?
Let them come, if they can save you,
in your time of trouble,
for you have as many gods
as you have towns, O Judah.(X)
29 Why do you complain against me?
You have all rebelled against me,
says the Lord.(Y)
30 In vain I have struck down your children;
they accepted no correction.
Your own sword devoured your prophets
like a ravening lion.(Z)
31 And you, O generation, behold the word of the Lord![b]
Have I been a wilderness to Israel
or a land of thick darkness?
Why then do my people say, “We are free;
we will come to you no more”?(AA)
32 Can a young woman forget her ornaments
or a bride her attire?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.(AB)
33 How well you direct your course
to seek lovers!
So that even to wicked women
you have taught your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
the lifeblood of the innocent poor,
though you did not catch them breaking in.
Yet in spite of all these things[c](AC)
35 you say, “I am innocent;
surely his anger has turned from me.”
Now I am bringing you to judgment
for saying, “I have not sinned.”(AD)
36 Why do you go about so much
to change your way?
You shall be put to shame by Egypt
as you were put to shame by Assyria.(AE)
37 From there also you will come away
with your hands on your head,
for the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust,
and you will not prosper through them.(AF)
Jeremiah 2
International Standard Version
Israel’s Initial Fidelity
2 This message from the Lord came to me:
2 “Go and announce to Jerusalem:
‘This is what the Lord says:
“I remember the loyal devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride.
You followed me in the desert,
in a land that was not planted.
3 Israel was consecrated[a] to the Lord,
she was the first fruits[b] of his produce.
All who devoured her became guilty
and disaster came on them,”
declares the Lord.’”
Her Rejection of God’s Love
4 Listen to this message from the Lord,
you descendants of Jacob
and all the families of the descendants of Israel.
5 This is what the Lord says:
“What did your ancestors find wrong with me
that they left me,
and pursued worthless things,[c]
and so they became worthless?
6 “They didn’t ask, ‘Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us through the wilderness,
through the land of desert and pits,
through the land of dryness and deep darkness,
a land that people don’t pass through,
and where no one lives?’
7 “I brought you into the fruitful land to eat its fruit
and its good things.
But you came in, defiled my land,
and made my inheritance into an abomination.
8 “The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
and those handling the Law didn’t know me.
The rulers transgressed against me,
the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and they followed that which does not profit.[d]
9 “Therefore I’ll again accuse you,”
declares the Lord,
“and I’ll accuse your grandchildren.”
10 “Indeed, go over to the coasts of Cyprus and see,
send to Kedar and pay very close attention.
See if there has ever been such a thing as this!
11 Has a nation ever changed gods
when they aren’t even gods?
But my people have exchanged their glory
for that which does not profit.
12 Heavens, be appalled at this,
be shocked, be utterly[e] devastated,”
declares the Lord.
13 “Indeed, my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water,[f]
and they have dug cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
Consequences of Israel’s Unfaithfulness
14 “Is Israel a slave, or was he born a servant?[g]
Why then has he become plunder?
15 Young lions roar at him, they cry out loudly.
They have made his land into a wasteland,
and his cities are destroyed
so they are without inhabitants.
16 Also, people from Memphis and Tahpanhes[h]
have broken[i] your skull.
17 You have done this to yourselves, have you not,
by forsaking the Lord your God, when he
is the one who led you on the way?
18 Now, what are you doing on the road to Egypt,
to drink the waters of the Nile?
And what are you doing on the road to Assyria,
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Your wickedness will be punished,
and you will be corrected due to your acts of apostasy.
Know and see that it’s evil and bitter for you
to forsake the Lord your God,
but the fear of me is not in you,”
declares the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies.
20 “For long ago I broke your yoke
and tore off your bonds,
But you said, ‘I won’t serve you!’
Instead, on every high hill
and under every green tree,
you bend down to commit fornication.
21 I planted you myself as a choice vine,
from the very best seed.[j]
How did you turn against me
into a degenerate and foreign vine?
22 Though you wash yourself with lye
and use much soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Lord God.
Israel’s Passion for Sin
23 “How can you say, ‘I’m not defiled.
I haven’t gone after the Baals.’?[k]
Look at what you’ve done[l] in the valley.
Know what you have done.
You are a swift young camel galloping aimlessly;
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her passion.
When she’s in heat,
who can turn her away?
None of the males who pursue her need to tire themselves out,
for in her month[m] they’ll find her.”
25 “Don’t run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.[n]
But you say, ‘It’s hopeless!
Because I love foreign gods,[o] I’ll go after them!’”
26 “As a thief is disgraced when he’s caught,
so the house of Israel is disgraced—
they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets,
27 who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
They have turned their back to me,
but not their faces.
In the time of their trouble, they’ll say,
‘Rise up! Deliver us!’”
28 “But where are your gods
that you made for yourselves?
Let them rise up, if they can deliver you
in the time of your trouble.
You have as many gods as you have towns, Judah.
29 Why do you contend with me?
You have rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
30 “I’ve punished your children with no results,[p]
they have accepted no discipline.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
like a destroying lion.”
31 “You, generation,
pay attention to[q] this message from the Lord!
Am I the desert to Israel,
or a land of gloom?
Why do my people say, ‘We’re free to roam?
We won’t come to you anymore.’
32 Will a young woman forget her wedding[r] ornaments,
or a bride her attire?
But my people have forgotten me
days without number.
33 How well you perfect your techniques[s] for seeking love.
Therefore you can teach even the most immoral women[t] your techniques.[u]
34 On your skirts is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor,
even though you didn’t catch them breaking in.
Yet despite all these things,
35 you say, ‘I’m innocent.
Surely his anger has turned away from me.’”
“I’m about to bring charges against you[v]
because you say, ‘I haven’t sinned.’
36 Why do you go about changing your mind so much?
You will also be disappointed[w] by Egypt,
just as you were disappointed[x] by Assyria.
37 You will also go out from this place
with your hands over your heads.[y]
For the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust,
and you won’t prosper through them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:3 Or set apart
- Jeremiah 2:3 I.e. the first and best
- Jeremiah 2:5 I.e. idols or false gods
- Jeremiah 2:8 I.e. idols or false gods
- Jeremiah 2:12 Lit. very
- Jeremiah 2:13 I.e. fresh water
- Jeremiah 2:14 Lit. was he a home born servant (cf. Exod 21:4)
- Jeremiah 2:16 I.e. Egyptian cities
- Jeremiah 2:16 Or shaved
- Jeremiah 2:21 Lit. faithful seed
- Jeremiah 2:23 I.e. images of the Canaanite storm god
- Jeremiah 2:23 Lit. at your way
- Jeremiah 2:24 I.e. at mating time
- Jeremiah 2:25 Lit. Hold back your feet from being bare and your throat from being dry
- Jeremiah 2:25 Or foreigners
- Jeremiah 2:30 Lit. in vain
- Jeremiah 2:31 Or see
- Jeremiah 2:32 The Heb. lacks wedding
- Jeremiah 2:33 Lit. your way
- Jeremiah 2:33 Lit. the wicked women
- Jeremiah 2:33 Lit. your ways
- Jeremiah 2:35 Lit. enter into judgment with you
- Jeremiah 2:36 Or put to shame
- Jeremiah 2:36 Or put to shame
- Jeremiah 2:37 I.e. in a gesture indicating mourning
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