Jeremiah 2
2
Judah’s Apostasy
1Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord,
“I remember [earnestly] the lovingkindness and devotion of #In 2:2-3:5 you and your are plural and their antecedent is always the nation of Israel. The nation is sometimes called “Israel” and sometimes “the house of Israel.”your youth,
Your time of betrothal [like that of a bride during the early years in Egypt and again at Sinai],
When you followed Me in the wilderness,
Through a land not sown.
3 # In general, sons (children) of Israel or Israel or Israelites refers to all the people (males and females) of the various tribes descended from the twelve sons (Gen 35:23-26) of Jacob (later renamed Israel by God). Israel was holy [something set apart from ordinary purposes, consecrated] to the Lord,
The first fruits of His harvest [in which no outsider was allowed to share].
All who ate of it [injuring Israel] became guilty;
Evil came on them,” says the Lord.’ ”
4Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5Thus says the Lord,
“What injustice or unrighteousness did your fathers find in Me,
That they have wandered far from Me
And [habitually] walked after emptiness and futility and became empty?
6They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord
Who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
Who led us through the wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and of pits,
Through a land of drought and of the deep darkness [of the shadow of death],
Through a land that no man passed through
And where no man lived?’
7I brought you into a plentiful land
To eat its fruit and [enjoy] its good things.
But you came and defiled My land
And you made My inheritance repulsive.
8[Even] the priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
And those who deal with the law [given to Moses] did not know Me.
The rulers and shepherds also transgressed against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by [the authority and in the name of] Baal
And walked after [idolatrous] things that did not benefit [them].
9“Therefore I will still contend (struggle) with you [by bringing judgment on you],” says the Lord,
“And I will contend with your children’s children.”
10“For cross over to the coasts of Kittim (Cyprus) [to the west] and see,
Send also to Kedar (Arabia) [to the east] and carefully observe and consider
And see whether there has been such [a thing] as this!
11Has a nation [ever] changed gods
Even though they were not gods [but merely man-made objects]?
But My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God)
For that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them].
12Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
Be shocked and shudder with horror [at the behavior of the people],” says the Lord.
13“For My people have committed two evils:
They have abandoned (rejected) Me,
The fountain of living water,
And they have carved out their own cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That cannot hold water.
14“Is Israel a servant? Is he a slave by birth?
Why has he become a captive and a prey?
15The 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.
16Moreover, the men of #The ruins of ancient Memphis are located on the west bank of the Nile River, about twelve miles south of Cairo.Memphis and #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.Tahpanhes [as powerful enemies]
Have shaved the crown of your head [to degrade you].
17Have you not brought this on yourself
By abandoning (rejecting) the Lord your God
When He led you in the way?
18Now 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?
19Your 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.
20“For long ago you broke your yoke [in deliberate disobedience]
And tore off your bonds [of the law that I gave you];
You said, ‘I will not serve and obey You!’
For on every high hill
And under every green tree
You have lain down [in idolatrous worship] like a [compliant] prostitute.
21Yet I had planted you [O house of Israel as] a choice vine,
A completely faithful seed.
How then have you turned against Me
Into degenerate shoots of a foreign and wild vine [alien to Me]?
22For though you wash yourself with lye
And use much soap,
The stain of your guilt is [still] before Me [and you are soiled and dirty],” says the Lord God.
23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled,
I have not gone after [man-made gods like] the Baals’?
Look at your way in the valley;
Know [without any doubt] what you have done!
You are a swift and restless young [female] camel [in the heat of her passion] running here and there,
24Or [you have the untamed and reckless nature of] a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,
That sniffs the wind in her passion [for the scent of a mate].
In her mating season who can restrain her?
No males seeking her need to weary themselves;
In her month they will find her [looking for them].
25[Cease your mad running after idols to]
Keep your feet from becoming bare
And your throat from becoming dry;
But you said, ‘It is hopeless!
For I have loved strangers and foreign gods,
And I will walk after them.’
26“As the thief is shamed when he is caught,
So the house of Israel is shamed—
They, their kings, their leaders,
Their priests, and their prophets—
27Who 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 will say,
‘Arise [O Lord] and save us.’
28But where are your gods
Which you made for yourself?
Let them get up, if they can save you
In the time of your trouble!
For [as many as] the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah. [Why do not your many man-made idols run to help you?]
29“Why do you complain and contend with Me?
You have all rebelled (transgressed) against Me,” says the Lord.
30“In vain I have punished your people [with the consequences of their disobedience];
They received no insight from correction [and refused to change].
Your [own] sword has devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31O generation [that you are], consider and regard carefully the word of the Lord.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel [like a land without food],
A land of thick and deep darkness [like a path without light]?
Why do My people say, ‘We [have broken loose and we] are free to roam [at will];
We will no longer come to You’?
32Can a virgin forget [to wear] her ornaments,
Or a bride her attire [that identifies her as a married woman]?
Yet My people have forgotten Me
Days without number.
33How well you prepare your path
To seek and obtain [adulterous] love!
Even the most wicked of women
Have learned [indecent] ways from you.
34Also on your skirts is found
The lifeblood of the innocent poor;
You did not find them breaking in [a house].
But in spite of all these things [your disobedience, your love of idolatry, your lack of compassion]—
35Yet you keep saying, ‘I am innocent;
Surely His anger has turned away from me.’
Behold (listen very carefully), I will bring you to judgment and will plead my case against you
Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36Why do you go around and wander so much
Changing your way?
Also, you will be shamed by Egypt
As you were shamed by Assyria.
37From Egypt also you will come away [as captives]
With your hands on your head;
For the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust (confide),
And you will not be successful with them.”
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Jeremiah 2
2
Yahweh Remembers Israel’s Faithfulness
1And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,#Literally “to say” 2“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying,#Literally “to say” ‘Thus says Yahweh,
“I remember concerning you the loyal love of your childhood,#Or “youth”
the love of your betrothal-time,
your going#Or “walking” after me in the desert,#Or “wilderness”
in the land not sown.
3Israel was holy to Yahweh,
the first fruit of his produce.
All those who ate it were held guilty;
disaster came to them,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.’ ”
The Unfaithfulness of Israel’s Ancestors
4Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob, and all the clans#Or “families” of the house of Israel. 5Thus says Yahweh:
“What injustice did your ancestors#Or “fathers” find in me
that they were far from me,
and they went after the vanity,
and they became vain?
6And they did not say,
‘Where is Yahweh,
the one who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
the one who led us in the desert,#Or “wilderness”
in a land of desert plains and gorges,#Hebrew “gorge”
in a land of dryness and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,#Literally “no man passes through in it”
and no human lives there?’
7And I brought you to the land of the orchard,
to eat its fruit, and its good things.#Hebrew “good thing”
But you entered and defiled my land,
and my inheritance you made a detestable thing.#Or “abomination”
8The priests did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’
and those who handle the law did not know me,
and the shepherds have rebelled against me,#Literally “broken with me”
and the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and they went after things which do not profit.
The Unfaithfulness of Contemporary Israel
9Therefore#Literally “To thus” I again bring a lawsuit against you,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh,
“and with your children#Literally “sons of your sons” I bring a lawsuit.
10For go over to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
and send to Kedar and consider very closely,
and see if there has been a thing like this:
11Has a nation exchanged gods? And they are not gods!
But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.
12Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder;
be utterly desolate,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.
13“For my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the source#Or “fountain” of living water,
to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.
14Is Israel a slave? Or a slave born in a house?#Literally “born of a house”
Why has he become plunder?
15The young lions have roared against him,
they have raised#Literally “given” their voices.#Hebrew “voice”
And they have made his land as horror;
his cities are destroyed, without#Literally “from not” an inhabitant.
16Moreover, people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
will shave#Literally “pasture” your skull.#Or “crown of your head”
17Did you not do this to yourself,
by forsaking Yahweh, your God,
at the time of your leading in the way?
18And now why do you go#Literally “what for you” the way of Egypt
to drink the waters of the Shihor?
And why do you go#Literally “what for you” the way of Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?#Literally “river”
19Your wickedness will chastise you,
and your apostasies will reprove you.
Therefore know and see that it is evil and bitter,
your forsaking of Yahweh, your God,
and fear of me is not in you,”
declares#Literally “a declaration of” the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
20“For from long ago you have broken your yoke,
you tore to pieces your bonds.
And you said, ‘I will not serve!’
But on every high hill and under every leafy tree
you were lying down as a prostitute.
21Yet I planted you as a choice vine,
all of it a seed of trustworthiness.
How then have you altered before me
into something that is degenerate, the foreign vine?
22For if you wash with natron,
and you use much soap,#Literally “make numerous for yourself alkaline salt”
your guilt is sticking as a stain before#Literally “to the face of” me,”
declares#Literally “a declaration of” the Lord Yahweh.
23“How can you say, ‘I have not defiled myself,
I have not gone after the Baals?’
Look at your way in the valley,
know what you have done.
You are a young she-camel,
interweaving her ways.
24A wild ass accustomed to the desert,#Or “wilderness”
in the desire of her soul.
She gasps for wind in her rutting time.
Who can quell#Or “restrain” her lust?
All those who seek her will not grow weary,
in her month they will find her.
25Restrain your foot from being barefoot,
and your throat from thirst.
But you said, ‘It is hopeless.
No! For I have loved strangers,
and after them I will go.’#Or “walk”
26As the shame of a thief when he is caught in the act,
so the house of Israel will be ashamed.
They, their kings, their officials,
and their priests, and their prophets.
27Those who say to the tree, ‘You are my father,’
and to the stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
For they have turned their backs#Literally “neck” to me, and not their faces.
But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us.’
28But where are your gods that you made for yourself?
Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble.
For according to the number of your towns
are your gods, O Judah.
29Why do you complain to me?
All of you have rebelled against me,”#Literally “broken with me” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.
30“For in vain#Literally “the vanity” I have struck your children.
They accepted no discipline.
Your sword devoured your prophets,
like a ravening#Or “destroying” lion.
31O generation, you see the word of Yahweh.
Have I been a desert#Or “wilderness” to Israel? Or a land of great darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We roam about freely,
we will not come again to you’?
32Can a young woman forget her ornaments?#Or “jewelry” Or a bride her sashes?
Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33How well you do on your way to seek love!
Therefore#Literally “To thus” even to the wicked woman you can teach your ways.
34Also on your skirts is found
the blood of the life of the innocent, the poor.
You did not find them in the act of breaking into a house.
But in spite of all these things,
35yet you say, ‘But I am innocent,
surely his anger has turned away from me.’
Look, I am entering into judgment with you
because of your saying, ‘I have not sinned.’
36How you go about so much changing your way!
Also by Egypt you will be put to shame,
just as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37Also from there you will come out
with your hands on your head,
for Yahweh has rejected those in whom you trust,#Literally “in your objects of trust”
and you will not prosper through them.
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