Jeremiah 2

Israel Forsakes the Lord

1 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord,

"I remember the devotion of *ch. 3:4your youth,

your love *Ezek. 16:8,43,60;[Rev. 2:4] as a bride,

*Deut. 2:7how you followed me in the wilderness,

*Deut. 8:2,3in a land not sown.

3 *Ex. 28:36;[Ex. 19:5,6] Israel was holy to the Lord,

*James 1:18;[Ex. 4:22] the firstfruits of his harvest.

*ch. 12:14;Ezek. 25:12,13;[Gen. 12:3]All who ate of it incurred guilt;

disaster came upon them,

declares the Lord."

4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:

*ver. 31;Isa. 5:4;Mic. 6:3"What wrong did your fathers find in me

that they went far from me,

*2 Kgs. 17:15and went after *ch. 10:15;14:22;16:19worthlessness, and became worthless?

6 They did not say, *[Isa. 63:11-13;Hos. 13:4,5] ‘Where is the Lord

who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us *Deut. 8:15;32:10in the wilderness,

in a land of deserts and pits,

in a land of drought and deep darkness,

in a land that none passes through,

where no man dwells?’

7 *See Deut. 8:7-10And I brought you into a plentiful land

to enjoy its fruits and its good things.

But when you came in, *Ps. 106:38;[Lev. 18:24,25]you defiled my land

and made my heritage an abomination.

8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’

*ch. 18:18;[Mal. 2:7;Rom. 2:20] Those who handle the law did not know me;

*[ch. 5:5] the shepherds*2:8 Or rulers transgressed against me;

*ch. 23:13;[ch. 5:31] the prophets prophesied by Baal

and went after *[Hab. 2:18]things that do not profit.

9 "Therefore *ver. 35;Ezek. 17:20;20:35,36I still contend with you,

declares the Lord,

and *Ex. 20:5,6with your children’s children I will contend.

10 For cross to the coasts of *See Gen. 10:4Cyprus and see,

or send to *See Isa. 21:16Kedar and examine with care;

see if there has been such a thing.

11 *[Mic. 4:5]; See ch. 18:13-15Has a nation changed its gods,

*ch. 16:20;Isa. 37:19;Gal. 4:8even though they are no gods?

But my people *Ps. 106:20have changed their glory

for *[See ver. 8above]that which does not profit.

12 Be appalled, *Isa. 1:2O heavens, at this;

be shocked, be utterly desolate,

declares the Lord,

13 for my people have committed two evils:

*ch. 17:13they have forsaken *Ps. 36:9me,

the fountain of *John 4:10living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns that can hold no water.

14 *[Ex. 4:22]"Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?

Why then has he become a prey?

15 *ch. 4:7;Isa. 5:29The lions have roared against him;

they have roared loudly.

They have made his land a waste;

his cities are in ruins, *ch. 9:11;46:19without inhabitant.

16 Moreover, the men of *ch. 44:1;46:14;Ezek. 30:16Memphis and *ch. 43:7-9Tahpanhes

*[Deut. 33:20]have shaved*2:16 Hebrew grazed the crown of your head.

17 *ch. 4:18Have you not brought this upon yourself

by forsaking the Lord your God,

when *ver. 6he led you in the way?

18 *ver. 36;Isa. 30:1,2;31:1And now what do you gain by going to Egypt

to drink the waters of *Isa. 23:3the Nile?*2:18 Hebrew Shihor

*[Hos. 7:11] Or what do you gain by going to Assyria

to drink the waters of *Gen. 31:21;Isa. 7:20;8:7the Euphrates?*2:18 Hebrew the River

19 *Isa. 3:9;Hos. 5:5Your evil will chastise you,

and *ch. 3:22;5:6;14:7your apostasy will reprove you.

Know and see that it is evil and *ch. 4:18bitter

for *ver. 13, 17you to forsake the Lord your God;

the fear of me is not in you,

declares the Lord God of hosts.

20 "For long ago I *ch. 5:5;30:8broke your yoke

and burst your bonds;

but you said, *ver. 31‘I will not serve.’

Yes, *ch. 3:2;17:2on every high hill

and under every green tree

you bowed down *ch. 3:1;Isa. 1:21like a whore.

21 *Ex. 15:17;Ps. 44:2;80:8;Isa. 5:2Yet I planted you a choice vine,

wholly of pure seed.

*Isa. 5:4;[Deut. 32:32]How then have you turned degenerate

and become a wild vine?

22 Though you wash yourself with lye

and use much soap,

*[ch. 17:1]the stain of your guilt is still before me,

declares the Lord God.

23 *ver. 35How can you say, ‘I am not unclean,

I have not gone after the Baals’?

Look at your way *ch. 7:31,32;19:2,6in the valley;

know what you have done—

a restless young camel running here and there,

24 *ch. 14:6a wild donkey used to the wilderness,

in her heat sniffing the wind!

Who can restrain her lust?

None who seek her need weary themselves;

in her month they will find her.

25 Keep *Deut. 29:5your feet from going unshod

and *Ex. 17:6your throat from thirst.

But you said, ‘It is hopeless,

*ch. 3:13;Deut. 32:16for I have loved foreigners,

and after them I will go.’

26 "As a thief is shamed when caught,

so the house of Israel shall be shamed:

*ch. 13:13;32:32;[ch. 8:1]they, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets,

27 who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’

and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’

For they have turned their back to me,

and not their face.

But *Judg. 10:9,10;Isa. 26:16in the time of their trouble they say,

‘Arise and save us!’

28 But *Deut. 32:37,38where are your gods

that you made for yourself?

Let them arise, *Isa. 45:20if they can save you,

in your time of trouble;

for *ch. 11:13as many as your cities

are your gods, O Judah.

29 "Why do you contend with me?

You have all transgressed against me,

declares the Lord.

30 In vain have I *ch. 5:3;Isa. 1:5;9:13struck your children;

they took no correction;

*Neh. 9:26;1 Thess. 2:15your own sword devoured your prophets

like a ravening lion.

31 And you, O generation, behold the word of the Lord.

Have I been a wilderness to Israel,

or a land of thick darkness?

Why then do my people say, ‘We are free,

we will come no more to you’?

32 *Isa. 3:20;61:10Can a virgin forget her ornaments,

or a bride her attire?

Yet *ch. 3:21;18:15;Deut. 32:18;Ps. 106:21;Isa. 17:10;Hos. 8:14my people have forgotten me

days without number.

33 "How well you direct your course

to seek love!

So that even to wicked women

you have taught your ways.

34 Also on your skirts is found

*ch. 19:4;2 Kgs. 21:16;24:4;Ps. 106:38the lifeblood of the guiltless poor;

you did not find them *Ex. 22:2breaking in.

Yet in spite of all these things

35 you say, ‘I am innocent;

surely his anger has turned from me.’

*Ps. 143:2Behold, I will bring you to judgment

for *Prov. 28:13;1 John 1:8,10saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 *[ch. 31:22] How much you go about,

changing your way!

You shall be *Isa. 30:3put to shame by Egypt

as you were put to shame by Assyria.

37 From it too you will come away

with *2 Sam. 13:19your hands on your head,

for the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust,

and you will not prosper by them.