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Jeremiah 2:1-37 — Israel Forsakes God

Jer.2.1-37

¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ²Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: Thus says Yahweh: I remember the devotion of your youth, the love of your bridal days, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. ³Israel was holy to Yahweh, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who devoured him became guilty; disaster came upon them, declares Yahweh. ⁴Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says Yahweh: What wrong did your fathers find in me, that they went far from me, and walked after worthlessness, and became worthless? ⁶They did not say, 'Where is Yahweh, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of desert and pit, through a land of drought and deep darkness, through a land no one passes through and where no one lives?' ⁷I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and its bounty, but you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance an abomination. ⁸The priests did not say, 'Where is Yahweh?' Those who handle the law did not know me. The shepherds rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and went after what does not profit. ⁹Therefore I will still contend with you, declares Yahweh, and with your children's children I will contend. ¹⁰For cross over to the coastlands of Kittim and see; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see whether there has ever been such a thing. ¹¹Has a nation changed its gods, though they are no gods? But my people have exchanged their glory for what does not profit. ¹²Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder; be utterly desolate, declares Yahweh. ¹³For my people have done two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewn out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. ¹⁴Is Israel a slave? Is he home-born? Why then has he become plunder? ¹⁵Young lions roar against him; they raise their voice. They have made his land a desolation; his cities are burned down, with no inhabitant. ¹⁶Even the people of Noph and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. ¹⁷Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking Yahweh your God when he led you in the way? ¹⁸And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor ? And what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the River? ¹⁹Your wickedness will discipline you, and your faithlessness will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, and that the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord Yahweh of hosts. ²⁰For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds, and you said, 'I will not serve.' Yet on every high hill and under every green tree you sprawled like a prostitute. ²¹Yet I planted you as a choice vine, wholly of true seed. How then have you turned for me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? ²²Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt remains before me, declares the Lord Yahweh. ²³How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baals'? Look at your way in the Valley ; know what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel, weaving in and out on her ways. ²⁴You are a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, sniffing the wind in her desire. In her heat, who can restrain her? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in her month they will find her. ²⁵Keep your foot from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you said, 'It is hopeless! No, for I love strangers, and after them I will go.' ²⁶As a thief is ashamed when he is found, so the house of Israel is put to shame: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, ²⁷who say to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to us.' For they have turned their back to me and not their face. 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 as many as your cities are, so many are your gods, O Judah. ²⁹Why do you contend with me? All of you have rebelled against me, declares Yahweh. ³⁰In vain I struck your children; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword devoured your prophets like a destroying lion. ³¹O generation, consider the word of Yahweh: Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of deep darkness? Why then have my people said, 'We roam free; we will not come to you again'? ³²Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her sash? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number. ³³How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore even wicked women have learned from your ways. ³⁴Also, on your skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor. It was not because you found them breaking in, but because of all these things. ³⁵Yet you said, 'I am innocent; surely his anger has turned away from me.' Behold, I will enter into judgment with you because you say, 'I have not sinned.' ³⁶How lightly you go about changing your way! You will be put to shame by Egypt also, as you were put to shame by Assyria. ³⁷From there also you will come out with your hands on your head , for Yahweh has rejected those you rely on, and you will not prosper through them.

Translation Notes

4/11/2026

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