^2:1The Lord spoke to me. He said: ^2:2“Go and declare in the hearing of the people of Jerusalem:¹ ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have fond memories of you,² how devoted you were to me in your early years.³ I remember how you loved me like a new bride; you followed me through the wilderness, through a land that had never been planted.

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Footnotes

1 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
2 Heb “I remember to/for you.”
3tn Heb “the loyal love of your youth.” The Hebrew word translated “how devoted you were” (חֶסֶד, khesed) refers metaphorically to the devotion of a new bride to her husband. In typical Hebraic fashion, contemporary Israel is identified with early Israel after she first entered into covenant with (= married) the Lord. The reference to her earlier devotion is not absolute but relative. Compared to her unfaithfulness in worshiping other gods after she got into the land, the murmuring and complaining in the wilderness are ignored.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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

“I remember the devotion of your youth,

your love as a bride,

how you followed me in the wilderness,

in a land not sown.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The word of the Lord came to me: “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘I remember the devotion of your youth,

how as a bride you loved me

and followed me through the wilderness,

through a land not sown.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The word of the Lord came to me: “Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says:

I remember the loyalty of your youth,

your love as a bride—

how you followed me in the wilderness,

in a land not sown.

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord gave me another message. He said, “Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says:

“I remember how eager you were to please me

as a young bride long ago,

how you loved me and followed me

even through the barren wilderness.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh,

“I remember concerning you the loyal love of your childhood,

the love of your betrothal-time,

your going after me in the desert,

in the land not sown.

KJV 1900King James Version

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

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