Jeremiah 2
2
The People Continue to Reject the LORD’s Love for Them
1The Lord spoke his word to me,
2“Go and announce to Jerusalem,
‘This is what the Lord says:
I remember the unfailing loyalty of your youth,
the love you had for me as a bride.
I remember how you followed me into the desert,
into a land that couldn’t be farmed.
3Israel was set apart for the Lord.
It was the best part of the harvest.
All who devoured it became guilty,
and disaster struck them,’ ” declares the Lord.
4Listen to the Lord’s word, descendants of Jacob,
all the families in the nation of Israel.
5This is what the Lord says:
What did your ancestors find wrong with me
that they went so far away from me?
They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6They didn’t ask, “Where is the Lord,
who brought us from Egypt?
He led us through the desert,
through a wasteland and its pits,
a land of drought and the shadow of death.
No one lives there or travels there.”
7I brought them into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and its produce.
They came and made my land unclean.#2:7 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.
They made my property disgusting.
8The priests didn’t ask, “Where is the Lord?”
Those who deal with my teachings didn’t know me.
The rulers rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal
and followed statues that couldn’t help them.
9“That is why I am bringing charges against you,” declares the Lord,
“and I am bringing charges against your grandchildren.
10Go over to the coasts of Cyprus, and see.
Send ⌞someone⌟ to Kedar, and observe closely.
See if there has ever been anything like this.
11Has any nation ever exchanged gods?
(Their gods aren’t really gods.)
Yet, my people have exchanged their Glory
for something that doesn’t help them.
12Be horrified over this, heaven.
Be terribly afraid,” declares the Lord.
13“My people have done two things wrong.
They have abandoned me,
the fountain of life-giving water.
They have also dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
14“Are the people of Israel slaves?
Were they born into slavery?
Why, then, have they become someone’s property?
15Young lions have roared very loudly at them.
Young lions have turned the land into a wasteland.
The cities have been burned down, and everyone has left.
16People from Noph and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, Israel.
17You have brought this on yourself
by abandoning the Lord your God
when he led you on his way.
18You won’t gain anything by going to Egypt
to drink water from the Nile River.
You won’t gain anything by going to Assyria
to drink water from the Euphrates River.
19Your own wickedness will correct you,
and your unfaithful ways will punish you.
You should know and see how evil and bitter it is for you
if you abandon the Lord your God and do not fear me,”
declares the Almighty Lord of Armies.
20“Long ago you broke off your yoke,#2:20 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts. tore off your chains,
and said that you wouldn’t be a slave.
You lay down and acted like a prostitute
on every high hill and under every large tree.
21I planted you like a choice grapevine from the very best seed.
Now you have turned against me and have become a wild vine.
22Even if you wash with detergent and use a lot of soap,
I would still see the stains from your wickedness,”
declares the Almighty Lord.
23“How can you say that you haven’t dishonored yourselves
and haven’t followed other gods—the Baals?
Look how you’ve behaved in the valley.
Acknowledge what you’ve done.
You are like a young camel that swiftly runs here and there.
24You are like a wild donkey that is used to the desert,
sniffing the wind while in heat.
All who look for you won’t get tired.
They will find you during your monthly period.
25Don’t run until your feet are bare and your throats are dry.
But you say that it’s useless.
You love foreign gods and follow them.
26“As a thief feels ashamed when he’s caught,
so the nation of Israel will feel ashamed.
Their kings, princes, priests,
and prophets will also feel ashamed.
27You call wood your father.
You call stone your mother.
You’ve turned your backs, not your faces, to me.
But when you’re in trouble, you ask me to come and rescue you.
28Where are the gods that you made for yourselves?
Let them come and rescue you when you’re in trouble.
You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!
29“Why do you complain about me?
All of you have rebelled against me,” declares the Lord.
30“I have punished your children without results.
They didn’t respond to correction.
You killed my prophets like a raging lion.
31“Consider the Lord’s word, people of this generation.
Haven’t I been a desert, a land of thick darkness, for Israel?
Why do my people say that they are free to wander around
and no longer come to me?
32A young woman can’t forget her jewelry or a bride her veils.
Yet, my people have forgotten me for countless days.
33You carefully planned ways to look for love.
You taught your ways to wicked women.
34You have the blood from poor and innocent people
on your clothes.
You didn’t kill them for breaking into your home.
35In spite of all this you say, ‘I’m innocent.
God will turn his anger from me,
because I haven’t sinned.’
36You change your mind so easily.
You will be put to shame by Egypt
as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37You will also leave this place with your hands over your head,
because the Lord has rejected those you trust.
You will not be helped by them.”
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Jeremiah 2: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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