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

14 Is Israel (A)a servant?
Is he a homeborn slave?
Why is he plundered?
15 (B)The young lions roared at him, and growled;
They made his land waste;
His cities are burned, without inhabitant.
16 Also the people of [a]Noph and (C)Tahpanhes
Have [b]broken the crown of your head.
17 (D)Have you not brought this on yourself,
In that you have forsaken the Lord your God
When (E)He led you in the way?
18 And now why take (F)the road to Egypt,
To drink the waters of (G)Sihor?
Or why take the road to (H)Assyria,
To drink the waters of [c]the River?
19 Your own wickedness will (I)correct you,
And your backslidings will rebuke you.
Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing
That you have forsaken the Lord your God,
And the [d]fear of Me is not in you,”
Says the Lord God of hosts.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 2:16 Memphis in ancient Egypt
  2. Jeremiah 2:16 Or grazed
  3. Jeremiah 2:18 The Euphrates
  4. Jeremiah 2:19 dread