Jer 2 | ABEn | STEP | And came to pass the word of the lord to me, saying,

Jeremiah 2

CHAPTER 2 Israel Abandons The LORD

1 And came to pass the word of the lord to me, saying, 2 Go, and yell into the ears of Jerusalem! saying, Thus says the lord, I remembered the mercy of your youth, and the love of your consecration, for you to follow after the holy one of Israel, says the lord; 3 Holy Israel to the lord, the beginning of his offspring. All the ones devouring him shall offend; evils shall come upon them, says the lord. 4 Hear the word of the lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel! 5 Thus says the lord, What [⁴find ³fathers ²did your ⁵in ⁶me ¹trespass] that they left far from me, and went after the vain things, and acted in folly? 6 And they said not, Where is the lord, the one directing us from out of the land of Egypt, the one steering us in the wilderness, in [⁴land ¹a vast ²and ³untrodden], in a land waterless and unfruitful, in a land in which no [²traveled through ³in ⁴it ¹man], and no [²dwelt ¹man] there? 7 And I led you unto Carmel, to eat the fruits of it, and the good things of it. And you entered, and defiled my land; and my inheritance you made into an abomination. 8 The priests said not, Where is the lord? And the ones resisting the law have not made acknowledgment to me; and the shepherds were impious to me; and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and [²after ³unprofitable things ¹they went]. 9 On account of this, still I will arbitrate for you, says the lord; and for the sons of your sons I will arbitrate. 10 For go into the islands of the Chittim, and see! And [²unto ³Kedar ¹send], and comprehend exceedingly! And see! if [²have taken place ¹such things] 11 if [²changed ¹nations] their gods, and these are not gods! But my people changed their glory by which they do not derive benefit. 12 [³is amazed ¹The ²heaven] by this, and shuddered over it much, exceedingly, says the lord. 13 For two and wicked things [²did ¹my people] to me; they abandoned the spring of water of life, and they dug for themselves cisterns having been broken, the ones which are not able [²water ¹to hold]. 14 [³a servant ¹Is ²Israel] or [²native-born ¹is he]? Why did [²for ³plunder ¹he become]? 15 Upon him [²roar ¹the lions], and [⁶gave out ⁷their voice ¹the ones who ²ordered ³his land ⁴for ⁵extinction]. And his cities they razed so as for no one to dwell. 16 And the sons of Memphis and Tahapanhes knew you, and were mocking you. 17 Were not these things done to you for your forsaking me, says the lord your God? 18 And now, what is it to you and the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Sihor? And what is it to you in the way of the Assyrians, to drink water of the rivers? 19 [²shall correct ³you ¹Your defection], and your evil shall reprove you. And know and see that [³is bitter ⁴to you ¹your forsaking ²me]! says the lord your God. And I thought not well in you, says the lord your God. 20 For from the eon you broke your yoke, and tore up your bonds. And you said, I will not serve, but I will go upon every [²hill ¹high], and underneath every [²tree ¹shady]; there I will disperse in my harlotry. 21 But I planted you a grapevine bearing fruit -- all true. How are you turned into bitterness -- [²grapevine ¹a strange]? 22 If you should wash in bleach, and should multiply [²to yourself ¹soap], still you are spotted in your iniquities before me, says the lord. 23 How will you say, I was not defiled, and [²after ³Baal ¹I went not]? Behold your ways in the cemetery, and know what you did! [³in the evening ¹Her voice ²shrieks]. 24 Her ways widen over waters of the wilderness; in the desires of her soul she was being carried by the wind; she was delivered up to them, who will turn her? All the ones seeking her shall not tire; in her humiliation they shall find her. 25 Turn your foot from [²way ¹the rough], and your throat from thirst! But she said, I will be manly. For I loved strangers, and [²after ³them ¹went]. 26 As shame of a thief whenever he should be captured, so shall [⁴be ashamed ¹the ²sons ³of Israel]; they, and their kings, and their rulers, and their priests, and their prophets. 27 [²to the ³tree ¹They said] that, [⁴father ³my ²are ¹You]; and to the stone, You engendered me. And they turned [²against ³me ¹their backs], and not their faces. And in the time of their evils they shall say, Rise up and deliver us! 28 And where are your gods which you made for yourself? Shall they rise up and deliver you in the time of your ill-treatment, no. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the corridors of Jerusalem, they sacrificed to Baal. 29 Why do you speak to me? You all acted impious, and you all acted lawlessly against me, says the lord. 30 In vain I struck your children. [²correction ¹They received not]. A sword devoured your prophets, as a lion annihilating. And you feared not. 31 Hear the word of the lord! Thus says the lord, Did [²a wilderness ¹I become] to Israel, or a land being made barren? Why said my people, We will not be lorded over, and we shall not come to you any longer? 32 Will [²forget ¹the bride] her bridal ornament, and the virgin her breastband? But my people forgot me for days which there is no number. 33 What [³yet ¹good device ²will you] apply in your ways to seek affection? It will not be thus. But even you did wicked to defile your ways. 34 And in your hands was found blood [²souls ¹of innocent]. [³not ⁴in ⁵ditches ¹I found ²them], but upon every oak. 35 And you said, I am innocent, but turn his rage from me! Behold, I judge against you, in your saying, I sinned not. 36 For you are disdained very much of the repeating a second time of your ways. And from Egypt you shall be disgraced, as you were disgraced by Assyria. 37 For even from here you shall go forth, and your hands will be upon your head. For the lord thrusted away your hope, and you shall not be prosperous in it.