Jeremiah 2 Parallel Bible

swipe to see more →

	SLT Smith's Literal Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And the word of Jehovah will be to me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
2	Go and call in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah, I remembered for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy completion, thy going after me in the desert 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 is holy to Jehovah, the beginning of the produce: all consuming him shall transgress; evil shall come upon them, says Jehovah.	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 ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and the 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	Thus said Jehovah, What iniquity found your fathers in me that they removed far off from me, and went after vanity, and they became vain?	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	And they said not, Where is Jehovah bringing us up out of the land of Egypt, causing us to go through the desert into a sterile land and a pit, through a land of drought and the shadow of death, through a land not a man passed through it, and not a man dwelt there?	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	And I will bring you to the land of Carmel, to eat its fruit and its goodness; and ye will come and defile my land, and ye set mine inheritance for an abomination.	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 said not Where is Jehovah? and they holding the law knew me not: and the shepherds transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and they went After what will not profit.	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	For this I will even contend, with you, says Jehovah, and with your sons' sons will I contend.	“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	For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send to Kedar, and consider greatly, and see whether there was 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	Did a nation change their gods, and they no gods? and my people changed their glory for what will not profit.	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 astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be ye greatly desolate, says Jehovah.	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 did two evils: they forsook me the fountain of living waters, to hew out for them wells, broken wells which will not 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 servant? if he was born in the house wherefore was he for plunder?	“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	Upon him the young lions roared, they gave their voice, they will set his land for a desolation: his cities were burned from not being inhabited.	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	Also the sons of Noph and Tahapanes, they will feed thee upon the crown of the head.	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	Wilt thou not do this to thyself? thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God in the time of thy being led in 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	And now what to thee for the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Sihor? and what to thee to the way of Amur, to drink the water of the river?	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	Thy wickedness shall correct thee, and thy turnings back shall convict thee: and know thou and see that evil and bitter thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, and that my fear was not to thee, says the Lord Jehovah of armies.	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 from of old I broke thy yoke, I burst thy bonds; and thou wilt say, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou turnest one side, committing fornication:	“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	And I planted thee a vine of purple grapes, wholly a true seed: and how didst thou turn to me the removings of a strange 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	For if thou shalt wash thyself with nitre, and thou shalt increase to thee cleansing, thine iniquity was graven before me, says the Lord Jehovah.	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 wilt thou say, I was not defiled? I went not after the Baalims? See thy way in the valley, know what thou didst; a young she camel entangling her ways;	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 ass accustomed to the desert in gratifying her soul, panting after the wind in her heat; who shall turn her back? all seeking her will not be wearied; in her new moon they shall find her.	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	Withhold thy foot from being barefoot, and thy throat from thirst: and thou wilt say, Despairing, no; for I loved strangers, and after them will I go.	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	As the shame of the thief when he shall be found, so was the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their chiefs, and 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	Saying to the wood, Thou my father; and to the stone, Thou didst bring me forth: for they turned to me the back of the neck and not their face: and in the time of their evil they will say, Arise, 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	And where thy gods which thou didst make to thee? they will arise, if they shall save thee in the time of thine evil: for from the numbering of thy cities were thy gods, O 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	Wherefore will ye contend against me? all ye transgressed against me, says Jehovah.	“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	In vain did I strike your sons; they received no instruction: your sword consumed the prophets as a lion destroying.	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	O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Was I the desert to Israel? If a land of thick darkness? wherefore said my people, We had dominion, we will come no more to thee?	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	Will a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her girdles? and my people forgat me days of no numbering.	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 wilt thou make good thy way to seek love? for this also thou didst teach the evil ones thy 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	Also in thy wings were found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor: not by breaking in did I find them, but upon all these.	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	And thou wilt say, Because I was innocent his anger turned back from me. Behold me judging thee for thy saying, I sinned not.	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	Why wilt thou despise greatly to do the second time thy way? also thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wert ashamed of Assur.	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	Also from this thou wilt go forth and thy hands upon thy head: for Jehovah rejected thy trusts and thou shalt not give success to them.	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.
	Read Smith's Literal Translation Public domain.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

Jeremiah 2 Parallel Bible Translations