Jeremiah 2:1-19 ▼

1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

2 “Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you || The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, || Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.

3 Israel [is] holy to YHWH, || The first-fruit of His increase, || All consuming him are guilty, || Calamity comes to them,” || A declaration of YHWH.

4 Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, || And all you families of the house of Israel—

5 Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, || That they have gone far off from Me, || And go after vanity, and become vain,

6 And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, || Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, || Who leads us in a wilderness, || In a land of deserts and pits, || In a dry land, and of death-shade, || In a land that none has passed through, || Nor has man dwelt there?

7 Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, || To eat its fruit and its goodness, || And you come in and defile My land, || And have made My inheritance an abomination.

8 The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, || And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, || And have gone after those who do not profit.

9 Therefore, I yet plead with you,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And I plead with your sons’ sons.

10 For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, || And send to Kedar and consider well, || And see if there has been [anything] like this:

11 Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory || For that which does not profit.

12 Be astonished, you heavens, at this, || Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” || A declaration of YHWH.

13 “For My people have done two evils, || They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, || To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, || That do not contain the waters.

14 [Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?

15 Young lions roar against him, || They have given forth their voice, || And make his land become a desolation, || His cities have been burned without inhabitant.

16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes || Consume you—the crown of the head!

17 Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, || At the time He is leading you in the way?

18 And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, || To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, || To drink the waters of the River?

19 Your wickedness instructs you, || And your backslidings reprove you, || Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, || And My fear not being on you,” || A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.