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:

“What wrong did your fathers find in me

that they went far from me,

and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

⁶They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord

who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us in 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?’

⁷And I brought you into a plentiful land

to enjoy its fruits and its good things.

But when you came in you defiled my land,

and made my heritage an abomination.

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

Those who handle the law did not know me;

the rulers transgressed against me;

the prophets prophesied by Baal,

and went after things that do not profit.

⁹“Therefore I still contend with you,

says the Lord,

and with your children’s children I will contend.

¹⁰For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see,

or send to Kedar and examine with care;

see if there has been such a thing.

¹¹Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for that which does not profit.

¹²Be appalled, O heavens, at this,

be shocked, be utterly desolate,

says the Lord,

¹³for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns,

that can hold no water.