Jeremiah 2:4–13

⁴Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

⁵Thus says the Lord,

“^aWhat injustice did your fathers find in Me,

That they went far from Me

And walked after ^bemptiness and became empty?

⁶“They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord

Who ^abrought us up out of the land of Egypt,

Who ^bled us through the wilderness,

Through a land of deserts and of pits,

Through a land of drought and of ¹deep darkness,

Through a land that no one crossed

And where no man dwelt?’

⁷“I brought you into the ^afruitful land

To eat its fruit and its good things.

But you came and ^bdefiled My land,

And My inheritance you made an abomination.

⁸“The ^apriests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’

And those who handle the law ^bdid not know Me;

The ¹rulers also transgressed against Me,

And the ^cprophets prophesied by Baal

And walked after ^dthings that did not profit.

⁹“Therefore I will yet ^acontend with you,” declares the Lord,

“And with your sons’ sons I will contend.

¹⁰“For ^across to the coastlands of ¹Kittim and see,

And send to ^bKedar and observe closely

And see if there has been such a thing as this!

¹¹“Has a nation changed gods

When ^athey were not gods?

But My people have ^bchanged their glory

For that which does not profit.

¹²“Be appalled, ^aO heavens, at this,

And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the Lord.

¹³“For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me,

The ^afountain of living waters,

To hew for themselves ^bcisterns,

Broken cisterns

That can hold no water.