Jeremiah 2 Parallel Bible Translations

Jeremiah 2 ▼
swipe to see more →
HCSB_STRONGS
HCSB with Strong's
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 The word of the LORD came to me: The word of the LORD came to me, saying, The word of the LORD came to me:
2 “Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: I remember the loyalty of your  youth,  your love as a bride — how you followed Me in  the  wilderness, in a land not sown. “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the LORD says: “’I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy to  the LORD,  the •firstfruits of His  harvest.  All who ate of it found themselves •guilty;  disaster came on  them.” This is the LORD’s  declaration. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.” Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the LORD.
4 Hear the word of the LORD , house  of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel. Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.
5 This is what  the LORD  says: What fault did your  fathers find in  Me  that they went so far from  Me, followed worthless idols,  and became worthless themselves?  Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6 They stopped asking , “Where  is the LORD  who brought us from  the land of Egypt, who led us through  the  wilderness,  through a land of deserts and  ravines, through a land of drought and  darkness,  a land no  one traveled  through and where no  one  lived? ” They 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?’ They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7 I brought you to a  fertile  land  to eat its fruit and  bounty, but after you entered, you defiled My  land;  you made My  inheritance   detestable. And 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. I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
8 The priests quit asking , “Where  is the LORD? ” The experts in the  law no  longer knew  Me,  and the rulers  rebelled against  Me. The prophets prophesied by   •Baal  and followed useless  idols.  The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
9 Therefore , I will bring a case against  you  again. This is the LORD’s  declaration. I will bring a case against  your  children’s  children.  “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend. “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to Cyprus    and  take a look. Send someone to Kedar  and  consider  carefully; see if there has ever been anything like  this: For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods ?  (But they were not gods! ) Yet My people have exchanged their   Glory for useless  idols.  Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
12 Be horrified at  this , heavens;  be shocked and utterly  appalled. This is the LORD’s  declaration. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.
13 For My people have committed a double  evil: They have abandoned Me,  the fountain of living  water,  and dug cisterns for  themselves, cracked cisterns that  cannot hold  water.  for 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. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Is Israel a slave ? Was he born into slavery ?  Why else has he become a prey? “Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey? Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
15 The young lions have roared at  him;  they have roared loudly . They have laid  waste his  land.  His cities are in ruins, without  inhabitants. The lions have roared against him; they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.
16 The men of Memphis and  Tahpanhes  have also broken your  skull. Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull.
17 Have you not brought  this on  yourself  by abandoning the LORD your  God while He was leading  you along  the  way ? Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way? Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?
18 Now what will you  gain by traveling along the way to Egypt  to drink the waters of the Nile?  What will you  gain by traveling along the way to Assyria  to drink the waters of the Euphrates?  And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?
19 Your own evil will discipline  you;  your own apostasies will reprimand  you. Think it over and  see how  evil and  bitter  it is for you to abandon the LORD your  God and to have no  •fear of Me. This is the declaration of the Lord  GOD of •Hosts. Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts. Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
20 For long ago I   broke your  yoke; I  tore off your  chains. You insisted, “I will not  serve! ” On every high  hill and under every green  tree  you lie down like a prostitute.  “For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore. “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
21 I planted you, a choice vine  from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign  vine?  Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 Even if you wash with  lye and use a great amount of  soap,  the stain of your  sin is still in  front  of Me.  This is the Lord  GOD’s declaration. Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord GOD. Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.
23 How can you protest, “I am not  defiled; I have not followed the  Baals”?  Look at your behavior in  the  valley; acknowledge what  you have done.  You are a swift  young camel twisting and turning on her  way, How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done— a restless young camel running here and there, “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
24 a wild donkey  at home  in  the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in  the heat of her  desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for  her will not become tired; they will find her in  her  mating season.  a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her. a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, 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.
25 Keep your feet from  going bare and your throat from  thirst. But you say, “It’s hopeless;  I love strangers,  and I will continue to follow  them.” Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.’ Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, ‘It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
26 Like the shame of a thief when  he is caught, so the house of Israel has been put to shame.  They, their  kings, their  officials, their priests, and  their  prophets  “As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, “As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced— they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets.
27 say to a tree, “You  are my  father,” and to a stone, “You  gave birth to  me.” For they have turned  their back to  Me and not their face,  yet in their time of disaster  they beg, “Rise up and  save  us! ” who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us!’ They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
28 But where are your  gods you made for  yourself? Let them rise up and save  you  in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your  cities , Judah. But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah. Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.
29 Why do you bring a case against  Me?  All of you have rebelled against  Me. This is the LORD’s  declaration. “Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the LORD. “Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.
30 I have struck down your  children in  vain; they would not accept  discipline.  Your own sword has devoured your  prophets  like a ravaging lion. In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.
31 Evil generation, pay attention to the word of the LORD! Have I been a wilderness to  Israel or a land of dense darkness?  Why do My  people  claim, “We will go where we want;  we will no longer come to  You”? And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’? “You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?
32 Can a young woman forget her  jewelry  or a bride her  wedding sash ? Yet My people have forgotten  Me  for countless days. Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.
33 How skillfully you pursue  love; you also teach evil  women your  ways. “How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways. How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent  poor.  You did not catch them breaking and entering.  But in spite of all  these things Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this
35 you claim, “I am innocent.  His anger is sure to turn away from  me.” But I will certainly judge  you because you have said, “I have not  sinned.”  you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’ you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 How unstable you are,  constantly changing your  ways! You will be put to shame by  Egypt  just as you were put to shame by  Assyria. How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria. Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.
37 Moreover, you will be led out from  here with your hands on  your  head  since the LORD has rejected those you  trust;  you will not succeed even with their help.  From it too you will come away with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them. You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page