Jeremiah 2:14-19
New Century Version
14 Have the people of Israel become slaves?
Have they become like someone who was born a slave?
Why were they taken captive?
15 Enemies have roared like lions at Israel;
they have growled at Israel.
They have destroyed the land of Israel.
The cities of Israel lie in ruins,
and all the people have left.
16 The men from the cities of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have disgraced you by shaving the top of your head.
17 Haven’t you brought this on yourselves
by turning away from the Lord your God
when he was leading you in the right way?
18 It did not help to go to Egypt
and drink from the Shihor River.
It did not help to go to Assyria
and drink from the Euphrates River.
19 Your evil will bring punishment to you,
and the wrong you have done will teach you a lesson.
Think about it and understand
that it is a terrible evil to turn away from the Lord your God.
It is wrong not to fear me,”
says the Lord God All-Powerful.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.