Jeremiah 2:14-19
Amplified Bible
14
“Is Israel a servant? Is he a slave by birth?
Why has he become a captive and a prey?
15
“The young lions have roared at him,
They have made their voices heard and roared loudly.
And they have made his land a waste;
His cities have been destroyed and are burned ruins, without inhabitant.
16
“Moreover, the men of [a]Memphis and [b]Tahpanhes [as powerful enemies]
Have shaved the crown of your head [to degrade you].
17
“Have you not brought this on yourself
By abandoning (rejecting) the Lord your God
When He led you in the way?
18
“Now what are you doing by going to Egypt [in search of an ally],
To drink the [muddy] waters of the Nile?
Or what are you doing by going to Assyria [in search of an ally],
To drink the [muddy] waters of the Euphrates?
19
“Your own wickedness will discipline you,
And your desertion of the faith will punish you.
Know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing
For you to abandon (reject) the Lord your God,
And for you to be indifferent to Me and dismiss the [reverent] fear of Me,” says the Lord God of hosts.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:16 The ruins of ancient Memphis are located on the west bank of the Nile River, about twelve miles south of Cairo.
- Jeremiah 2:16 This city was located on the eastern edge of the Nile delta. Known today as Tell Defenneh (Defneh). Memphis and Tahpanhes were the most powerful Egyptian cities at this time.
Jeremiah 2:14-19
New American Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 2:15 Lit given their voice
- Jeremiah 2:16 Lit sons
- Jeremiah 2:16 Lit grazed
- Jeremiah 2:18 Heb Shihor
- Jeremiah 2:19 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.