Jer 2:12-13 | KJV | STEP | Be astonished , O ye heavens , at this, and be horribly afraid , be ye very desolate , saith the Lord .

a Is 1:2; Jer 4:23

c Ps 36:9; Jer 17:13; John 4:14

d Jer 14:3

Jer 2: 12

(KJV)

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

(NASB2020)

“Be appalled at this, ^ayou heavens,
And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the Lord.

(NET2full)

Be amazed at this, O heavens. ^{▼▼sn In earlier literature the heavens (and the earth) were called on to witness Israel’s commitment to the covenant (Deut 30:12) and were called to serve as witnesses to Israel’s fidelity or infidelity to it (Isa 1:2; Mic 6:1).}
Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,”
says the Lord.

Jer 2: 13

(KJV)

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

(NASB2020)

“For My people have committed two evils:
They have abandoned Me,
The ^cfountain of living waters,
To carve out for themselves ^dcisterns,
Broken cisterns
That do not hold water.

(NET2full)

“Do so because my people have committed a double wrong:
They have rejected me,
the fountain of life-giving water, ^{▼▼tn It is difficult to decide whether to translate “fresh, running water” which the Hebrew term for “living water” often refers to (e.g., Gen 26:19; Lev 14:5), or “life-giving water” which the idiom “fountain of life” as source of life and vitality often refers to (e.g., Ps 36:9; Prov 13:14; 14:27). The contrast with cisterns, which collected and held rain water, suggests “fresh, running water,” but the reality underlying the metaphor contrasts the Lord, the source of life, health, and vitality, with useless idols that cannot do anything.}
and they have dug cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns that cannot even hold water.