Jeremiah 2

Israel Forsakes God

The word^a 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,^b

how as a bride you loved me

and followed me through the wilderness,^c

through a land not sown.

Israel was holy^d to the Lord,^e

the firstfruits^f of his harvest;

all who devoured^g her were held guilty,^h

and disaster overtook them,’ ”

declares the Lord.

Hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob,

all you clans of the house of Israel.

This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,

that they strayed so far from me?

They followed worthless idolsⁱ

and became worthless^j themselves.

They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,

who brought us up out of Egypt^k

and led us through the barren wilderness,

through a land of deserts^l and ravines,^m

a land of drought and utter darkness,

a land where no one travelsⁿ and no one lives?’

I brought you into a fertile land

to eat its fruit and rich produce.^o

But you came and defiled my land

and made my inheritance detestable.^p

The priests did not ask,

‘Where is the Lord?’

Those who deal with the law did not know me;^q

the leaders^r rebelled against me.

The prophets prophesied by Baal,^s

following worthless idols.^t

“Therefore I bring charges^u against you again,”

declares the Lord.

“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.

Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus^v and look,

send to Kedar^w and observe closely;

see if there has ever been anything like this:

Has a nation ever changed its gods?

(Yet they are not gods^x at all.)

But my people have exchanged their glorious^y God

for worthless idols.

Be appalled at this, you heavens,

and shudder with great horror,”

declares the Lord.

“My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken^z me,

the spring of living water,^a

and have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Is Israel a servant, a slave^b by birth?

Why then has he become plunder?

Lions^c have roared;

they have growled at him.

They have laid waste^d his land;

his towns are burned^e and deserted.^f

Also, the men of Memphis^g and Tahpanhes^h

have cracked your skull.

Have you not brought this on yourselvesⁱ

by forsaking^j the Lord your God

when he led you in the way?

Now why go to Egypt^k

to drink water from the Nile?^l

And why go to Assyria^m

to drink water from the Euphrates?ⁿ

Your wickedness will punish you;

your backsliding^o will rebuke^p you.

Consider then and realize

how evil and bitter^q it is for you

when you forsake^r the Lord your God

and have no awe^s of me,”

declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

“Long ago you broke off your yoke^t

and tore off your bonds;^u

you said, ‘I will not serve you!’^v

Indeed, on every high hill^w

and under every spreading tree^x

you lay down as a prostitute.^y

I had planted^z you like a choice vine^a

of sound and reliable stock.

How then did you turn against me

into a corrupt,^b wild vine?

Although you wash^c yourself with soap^d

and use an abundance of cleansing powder,

the stain of your guilt is still before me,”

declares the Sovereign Lord.^e

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;^f

I have not run after the Baals’?^g

See how you behaved in the valley;^h

consider what you have done.

You are a swift she-camel

runningⁱ here and there,

a wild donkey^j accustomed to the desert,^k

sniffing the wind in her craving—

in her heat who can restrain her?

Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;

at mating time they will find her.

Do not run until your feet are bare

and your throat is dry.

But you said, ‘It’s no use!^l

I love foreign gods,^m

and I must go after them.’ⁿ

“As a thief is disgraced^o when he is caught,

so the house of Israel is disgraced—

they, their kings and their officials,

their priests^p and their prophets.^q

They say to wood,^r ‘You are my father,’

and to stone,^s ‘You gave me birth.’

They have turned their backs^t to me

and not their faces;^u

yet when they are in trouble,^v they say,

‘Come and save^w us!’

Where then are the gods^x you made for yourselves?

Let them come if they can save you

when you are in trouble!^y

For you, Judah, have as many gods

as you have towns.^z

“Why do you bring charges against me?

You have all^a rebelled against me,”

declares the Lord.

“In vain I punished your people;

they did not respond to correction.^b

Your sword has devoured your prophets^c

like a ravenous lion.

“You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:

“Have I been a desert to Israel

or a land of great darkness?^d

Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;

we will come to you no more’?^e

Does a young woman forget her jewelry,

a bride her wedding ornaments?

Yet my people have forgotten^f me,

days without number.

How skilled you are at pursuing^g love!

Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.

On your clothes is found

the lifeblood^h of the innocent poor,

though you did not catch them breaking in.ⁱ

Yet in spite of all this

you say, ‘I am innocent;^j

he is not angry with me.’

But I will pass judgment^k on you

because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’^l

Why do you go about so much,

changing^m your ways?

You will be disappointed by Egyptⁿ

as you were by Assyria.

You will also leave that place

with your hands on your head,^o

for the Lord has rejected those you trust;

you will not be helped^p by them.