Jeremiah 2
2
Judah Was Not Faithful
1The Lord’s message came to me: 2“Jeremiah, go and speak to the people of Jerusalem. Tell them that this is what the Lord says:
“‘At the time you were a young nation, you were faithful to me.
You followed me like a young bride.
You followed me through the desert,
through a land that had never been used for farmland.
3The people of Israel were a holy gift to the Lord.
They were the first fruit he gathered.
Any people who tried to hurt them were judged guilty.
Bad things happened to those wicked people.’”
This message is from the Lord.
4Family of Jacob, hear the Lord’s message.
Tribes of Israel, listen.
5This is what the Lord says:
“Do you think that I was not fair to your ancestors?
Is that why they turned away from me?
Your ancestors worshiped worthless idols,
and they became worthless themselves.
6Your ancestors did not say,
‘The Lord brought us out of Egypt.
He led us through the desert,
through a dry and rocky land.
He led us through a dark and dangerous land.
No one lives there;
people don’t even travel through that land.
But the Lord led us through that land.
So where is he now?’
7“I brought you into a good land,
a land filled with many good things.
I did this so that you could eat the fruit and crops that grow there.
But you only made my land ‘dirty.’
I gave that land to you,
but you made it a bad place.
8“The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
The people who know the law did not want to know me.
The leaders of the people of Israel turned against me.
The prophets spoke#2:8 spoke Or “prophesied.” in the name of the false god Baal.
They worshiped worthless idols.”
9The Lord says, “So now I will accuse you again,
and I will also accuse your grandchildren.
10Go across the sea to the Islands of Kittim.#2:10 Islands of Kittim The name means the Island of Cyprus. But the name was often used for the other islands and coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea.
Send someone to the land of Kedar.
Look very carefully.
See if anyone has ever done anything like this.
11Has any nation ever stopped worshiping their old gods
so that they could worship new gods?
No! And their gods are not really gods at all!
But my people stopped worshiping their glorious God
and started worshiping idols that are worth nothing.
12“Skies, be shocked at what happened!
Shake with great fear!”
This message is from the Lord.
13“My people have done two evil things.
They turned away from me,
and they dug their own water cisterns.#2:13 they dug … cisterns That is, they made false gods.
I am the source of living water;
those cisterns are broken and cannot hold water.
14“Israel is not a slave, is he?
He was not born a slave, was he?
Then why did the enemy carry him away as a captive?
15Like a lion the enemy has roared at Israel.
They have destroyed your#2:15 your Hebrew, “his,” referring to “Israel,” which here means his people, as in verse 16. land.
Your cities have been burned,
and no one is left in them.
16People from Memphis and Tahpanhes#2:16 Memphis and Tahpanhes Two cities in Egypt.
have smashed the top of your head.
17This trouble is your own fault.
The Lord your God was leading you the right way,#2:17 was leading … way This is not in the ancient Greek version.
but you turned away from him.
18People of Judah, think about this:
How did it help you to go to Egypt and drink from the Nile River?
How did it help you to go to Assyria and drink from the Euphrates River?
19You have done wrong,
and that will only bring punishment to you.
Trouble will come to you,
and it will teach you a lesson.
Think about it and understand how bad it is to turn away from the Lord your God.
It is wrong not to fear and respect me.”
This message is from Lord GOD All-Powerful.
20“Judah, long ago you broke free from me,
like an ox that breaks its yoke and the ropes that held it.
You said to me, ‘I will not serve you!’
On every high hill and under every green tree,
you acted like a prostitute.#2:20 On every … prostitute This means the people worshiped their false gods in these places.
21Judah, I planted you like a special vine.
You were all from good seed.
How did you turn into a different vine
that grows bad fruit?
22Even if you wash yourself with lye,
even if you use much soap,
I can still see your guilt.”
This message is from the Lord GOD.
23“Judah, how can you say to me,
‘I am not guilty because I have not worshiped the Baal idols’?
Think about what you did in the valley.
Think about what you have done.
You are like a fast she-camel
that runs from place to place.
24You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert.
At mating time, she sniffs the wind.
No one can control her when she is in heat.
At mating time, every male that wants her will get her.
She is easy to find.
25Judah, stop chasing after idols!
Stop wanting those other gods.
But you say, ‘It is no use! I cannot stop!
I love those other gods.
I can’t stop chasing them.’
26“A thief is ashamed
when people catch him stealing.
The people of Israel should be ashamed too
and so should their kings and leaders, priests and prophets.
27They say to pieces of wood,
‘You are my father.’
They say to a rock,
‘You gave birth to me.’
All these people will be ashamed.
They don’t look to me for help.
They have turned their backs to me.
But when the people of Judah get into trouble, they say to me,
‘Come and save us!’
28But where are the idols you made for yourselves?
Let’s see if they come and save you when you are in trouble!
People of Judah, you have as many idols
as you have cities!
29“Why do you argue with me?
You have all turned against me.”
This message was from the Lord.
30“I punished you people of Judah,
but it did not help.
You did not come back
when you were punished.
With your swords you killed the prophets who came to you.
Like a dangerous lion, you killed the prophets.”
31People of this generation,
pay attention to the Lord’s message!
“Have I been like a desert to the people of Israel?
Have I been like a dark and dangerous land to them?
My people say, ‘We are free to go our own way.
We will not come back to you!’
Why do they say these things?
32A young woman does not forget her jewelry.
A bride does not forget to wear her wedding dress.
But my people have forgotten me
too many times to count.
33“Judah, you have become so good at finding lovers.
Even the worst women could learn some evil ways from you.
34You have blood on your hands!
It is the blood of poor, innocent people.
You did not catch them breaking into your house.
You killed them for no reason!
35But still, you say, ‘I am innocent.
God is not angry with me.’
So I will also judge you guilty of lying, because you say,
‘I have done nothing wrong.’
36You go from one place to another looking for help,
always changing your mind.
But Egypt will also disappoint you,
just as Assyria did.
37So you will eventually leave Egypt too,
and you will hide your face in shame.
You trusted these countries,
but the Lord rejected them,
so they cannot help you win.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Jeremiah 2
2
Judah Rebuked for Her Sins
1Again the word of Adonai came to me, saying:
2“Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, thus says Adonai: I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, and the way you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
3Israel was kadosh to Adonai, the firstfruits of the harvest. All who devoured him were held guilty. Catastrophe overtook them.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
4Hear the word of Adonai, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.
5Thus says Adonai: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me? They walked after worthless things, becoming worthless themselves?
6They did not ask ‘Where is Adonai, who brought us up from the land of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, through a land of drought and distress, through a land where no one travels, where no one lives?’
7Yet I brought you into a fertile land, to eat of its fruit and goodness. When you came, you defiled My land. You made My heritage an abomination.
8The kohanim did not ask, ‘Where is Adonai?’ The Torah experts did not know Me. The shepherds rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and went after unprofitable things.
9Therefore I will plead with you again!” It is a declaration of Adonai. “I will contend with your children’s children.
10Cross to the coasts of Kittim and see! Send to Kedar, and observe carefully. See if there has been anything like this.
11Has a nation changed its gods— even though they are not gods? Yet My people have exchanged their glory for worthless things.
12Be appalled at this, O heavens! Be utterly horrified and dumbfounded.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
13“My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me —the spring of living water— and they dug their own cisterns— cracked cisterns that hold no water.
14Is Israel a servant—a slave by birth? Then why has he become plunder?
15Young lions have roared at him they have roared loudly. They made his land a waste— his cities are in ruins and uninhabited.
16Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have grazed on the crown of your head.
17Have you not brought this on yourself, when He led you in the way?
18But now, what is on the road to Egypt? Drinking the waters of the Nile? Or what is on the road to Assyria? Drinking the waters of the Euphrates?
19Your own wickedness will rebuke you and your backslidings will chide you. Know then and see how bad and bitter it is for you to forsake Adonai your God. Nor is fear of Me in you.” It is a declaration of the Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot.
20“Indeed, long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve!’ Instead, on every high hill and under every green tree you sprawled out as a prostitute.
21Yet I had planted you as a choice vine from completely faithful seed. How then did you become to Me a wandering wild vine?
22Even though you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your iniquity is before Me.” It is a declaration of the Lord Adonai.
23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled— I have not gone after the Baalim? Look at your behavior in the Valley! Recognize what you have done. You are a swift young camel galloping aimlessly,
24a wild donkey used to the wilderness— sniffing the wind in her passion— in her heat, who can restrain her? All males that pursue her will not tire themselves. At mating time they will find her.
25Do not run while your feet are bare and your throat is thirsty. But you said ‘There is no hope! No! For I have loved foreign gods and I will go after them.’
26As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel is shamed— they, their kings, their princes, their kohanim and their prophets.
27They say to wood, ‘You are my father’ and to a stone, ‘You birthed me.’ They have turned their back to Me and not their face. Yet when they are in trouble they say, ‘Rise up and save us!’
28Where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them come—if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as y0u have cities, O Judah.
29Why do you strive with Me? You have all rebelled against Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
30“In vain I struck your children. They took no correction. Your sword devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.”
31You, generation, heed Adonai’s word! “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam. We won’t come to You any more’?
32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number.
33How clever are your ways of seeking love. Therefore you even taught wicked women your ways.
34Moreover on your skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor —you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things,
35you say, ‘I am innocent— surely His anger is turned away from me?’ See, I will pass judgment on you, since you say: ‘I haven’t sinned!’
36Why do you make light of changing your way? You will be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37You will also go out from there with your hands on your head. For Adonai has rejected those in whom you trust— you will not prosper by them.”
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