Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of Jeremiah
¶ “I remember concerning you the [a]2devotion of your youth,
The love of your betrothals,
3Your following after Me in the wilderness,
Through a land not sown.
The 5first of His harvest.
6All who ate of it became guilty;
Evil came upon them,” declares the LORD.’”
¶ “7What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from Me
And walked after 8emptiness and became empty?
Who 9brought us up out of the land of Egypt,
Who 10led us through the wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and of pits,
Through a land of drought and of [b]deep darkness,
Through a land that no one crossed
And where no man dwelt?’
To eat its fruit and its good things.
But you came and 12defiled My land,
And My inheritance you made an abomination.
And those who handle the law 14did not know Me;
The [c]rulers also transgressed against Me,
And the 15prophets prophesied by Baal
And walked after 16things that did not profit.
“And with your sons’ sons I will contend.
And send to 19Kedar and observe closely
And see if there has been such a thing as this!
When 20they were not gods?
But My people have 21changed their glory
For that which does not profit.
And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the LORD.
They have forsaken Me,
The 23fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves 24cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.
Why has he become a prey?
They have [e]roared loudly.
And they have 27made his land a waste;
His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant.
Have [g]shaved the 29crown of your head.
By your forsaking the LORD your God
When He 31led you in the way?
To drink the waters of the [h]33Nile?
Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria,
To drink the waters of the [i]Euphrates?
And your 35apostasies will reprove you;
Know therefore and see that it is evil and 36bitter
For you to forsake the LORD your God,
And 37the dread of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord [j]GOD of hosts.
And tore off your bonds;
But you said, ‘I will not serve!’
For on every 39high hill
And under every green tree
You have lain down as a harlot.
A completely faithful seed.
How then have you turned yourself before Me
Into the 41degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
And [l]use much soap,
The 43stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord [m]GOD.
I have not gone after the 45Baals’?
Look at your way in the 46valley!
Know what you have done!
You are a swift young camel 47entangling her ways,
That sniffs the wind in her passion.
In the time of her [n]heat who can turn her away?
All who seek her will not become weary;
In her month they will find her.
And your throat from thirst;
But you said, ‘49It is [o]hopeless!
No! For I have 50loved strangers,
And after them I will walk.’
So the house of Israel is shamed;
They, their kings, their princes
And their priests and their prophets,
And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their 52back to Me,
And not their face;
But in the 53time of their [p]trouble they will say,
‘Arise and save us.’
Which you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can 55save you
In the time of your [q]trouble;
For 56according to the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.
You have 57all transgressed against Me,” declares the LORD.
They accepted no chastening.
Your 59sword has devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
Or a 60land of thick darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘61We are free to roam;
We will no longer come to You’?
Or a bride her attire?
Yet My people have 62forgotten Me
Days without number.
To seek love!
Therefore even [r]the wicked women
You have taught your ways.
The 63lifeblood of the innocent poor;
You did not find them 64breaking in.
But in spite of all these things,
Surely His anger is turned away from me.’
Behold, I will 65enter into judgment with you
Because you 66say, ‘I have not sinned.’
Changing your way?
Also, 68you will be put to shame by Egypt
As you were put to shame by 69Assyria.
With 70your hands on your head;
For the LORD has rejected 71those in whom you trust,
And you will not prosper with them.”FOOTNOTES
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