14 “Is Israel (A)a slave? Or is he a servant born in the home?
Why has he become plunder?
15 The young (B)lions have roared at him,
They have [a]roared loudly.
And they have (C)made his land a waste;
His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant.
16 Also the [b]men of (D)Memphis and Tahpanhes
Have [c]shaved (E)your head.
17 Have you not (F)done this to yourself
By your abandoning the Lord your God
When He (G)led you in the way?
18 But now what are you doing (H)on the road to Egypt,
Except to drink the waters of the [d](I)Nile?
Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria,
Except to drink the waters of the Euphrates River?
19 (J)Your own wickedness will correct you,
And your (K)apostasies will punish you;
Know therefore and see that it is evil and (L)bitter
For you to abandon the Lord your God,
And (M)the fear of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord [e]God of armies.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 2:15 Lit given their voice
  2. Jeremiah 2:16 Lit sons
  3. Jeremiah 2:16 Lit grazed
  4. Jeremiah 2:18 Heb Shihor
  5. Jeremiah 2:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

Consequences of Apostasy

14 Is Israel a slave?
Was he born into slavery?[a]
Why else has he become a prey?
15 The young lions have roared at him;(A)
they have roared loudly.
They have laid waste his land.(B)
His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes(C)
have also broken your skull.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself(D)
by abandoning the Lord your God
while he was leading you along the way?
18 Now what will you gain
by traveling along the way to Egypt(E)
to drink the water of the Nile?[b]
What will you gain
by traveling along the way to Assyria(F)
to drink the water of the Euphrates?(G)
19 Your own evil will discipline you;(H)
your own apostasies will reprimand you.
Recognize[c] how evil and bitter(I) it is
for you to abandon the Lord your God
and to have no fear of me.
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:14 Lit born of a house
  2. 2:18 Lit of Shihor
  3. 2:19 Lit Know and see