Jeremiah 2:1–15
2 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord:
“I remember you,
The kindness of your ayouth,
The love of your betrothal,
bWhen you 1went after Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.
3 cIsrael was holiness to the Lord,
dThe firstfruits of His increase.
eAll that devour him will offend;
Disaster will fcome upon them,” says the Lord.’ ”
4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:
g“What injustice have your fathers found in Me,
That they have gone far from Me,
And have become idolaters?
6 Neither did they say, ‘Where is the Lord,
Who ibrought us up out of the land of Egypt,
Who led us through jthe wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and pits,
Through a land of drought and the shadow of death,
Through a land that no one crossed
And where no one dwelt?’
7 I brought you into ka bountiful country,
To eat its fruit and its goodness.
But when you entered, you ldefiled My land
And made My heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
And those who handle the mlaw did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me;
nThe prophets prophesied by Baal,
And walked after things that do not profit.
9 “Therefore oI will yet 3bring charges against you,” says the Lord,
“And against your children’s children I will bring charges.
10 For pass beyond the coasts of 4Cyprus and see,
Send to 5Kedar and consider diligently,
And see if there has been such a pthing.
11 qHas a nation changed its gods,
Which are rnot gods?
sBut My people have changed their Glory
For what does not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid;
Be very desolate,” says the Lord.
13 “For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the tfountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.
14 “Is Israel ua servant?
Is he a homeborn slave?
Why is he plundered?
15 vThe young lions roared at him, and growled;
They made his land waste;
His cities are burned, without inhabitant.