Jeremiah 2

A people who abandoned their spring

1The LORD’s word came to me:

2“Go and proclaim within Jerusalem’s hearing: This is what the LORD says:
‘I remember the faithful love of your youth,
the love of your bridal days,
how you followed me through the wilderness,
through a land never sown. 3Israel was holy to the LORD,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who devoured him incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,’ declares the LORD.”

4Hear the LORD’s word, house of Jacob,
and all the clans of the house of Israel.

5This is what the LORD says:
“What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went so far from me,
followed emptiness and became empty themselves? 6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD,
who brought us up from Egypt,
who led us through the wilderness,
a land of deserts and pits,
a land of drought and deep darkness,
a land no one crossed and no one inhabited?’ 7I brought you into a fruitful land
to eat its fruit and goodness.
But you came and defiled my land;
you made my inheritance offensive. 8The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’
Those who handle instruction did not know me.
The shepherds rebelled against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and followed things that cannot help. 9So I will still bring a case against you,” declares the LORD,
“and against your children’s children.

10Cross to Kittim’s coastlands and look;
send to Kedar and examine carefully.
See whether anything like this has happened: 11Has a nation exchanged its gods,
even though they are not gods?
Yet my people have exchanged their Glory
for what cannot help. 12Be appalled at this, heavens!
Shudder; be utterly desolate!” declares the LORD. 13“For my people have done two evils:
they abandoned me, the spring of living water,
and dug themselves cisterns,
cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.

14Is Israel a slave,
a slave born in the household?
Why then has he become plunder? 15Young lions roared against him;
they raised their voices
and made his land a waste.
His cities are burned, without inhabitants. 16Even the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have grazed the crown of your head. 17Have you not brought this on yourself
by abandoning the LORD your God
while he led you along the way? 18Now why take the road to Egypt
to drink Shihor’s waters?
Why take the road to Assyria
to drink the River’s waters? 19Your own wickedness will discipline you;
your turning away will rebuke you.
Know and see how evil and bitter it is
to abandon the LORD your God
and have no fear of me,”
declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

20“Long ago I broke your yoke
and tore apart your bonds.
But you said, ‘I will not serve!’
On every high hill and under every green tree
you sprawled as a prostitute. 21I planted you as a choice vine,
entirely sound stock.
How did you turn into
a degenerate foreign vine before me? 22Though you wash with soda
and use soap in abundance,
the stain of your guilt remains before me,”
declares the Lord GOD.

23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;
I have not followed the Baals’?
Look at your path in the valley;
know what you have done,
you swift young she-camel zigzagging on her paths, 24wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,
sniffing the wind in her desire!
Who can turn her back in heat?
None who seek her need weary themselves;
in her month they will find her. 25Keep your feet from going bare
and your throat from thirst.
But you said, ‘It is hopeless! No!
I love strangers, and I will follow them.’

26As a thief is ashamed when caught,
so the house of Israel is ashamed—
they, their kings, officials, priests and prophets. 27They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’
and to stone, ‘You gave birth to us.’
They turn their backs to me, not their faces,
but in trouble they say, ‘Rise and save us!’ 28Where are the gods you made for yourself?
Let them rise, if they can save you in trouble!
For your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah. 29Why bring a case against me?
All of you have rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.

30“I struck your children for nothing;
they accepted no discipline.
Your sword devoured your prophets
like a destructive lion. 31You of this generation, consider the LORD’s word!
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
a land of thick darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We roam freely;
we will come to you no more’? 32Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding sash?
Yet my people have forgotten me
for days beyond counting.

33How well you arrange your way to seek love!
You have even taught wicked women your ways. 34Even on your skirts is found
the lifeblood of the innocent poor.
You did not find them breaking in.
Yet despite all this, 35you say, ‘I am innocent;
surely his anger has turned away from me.’
Look, I am bringing you to judgment
for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’ 36Why do you rush about so much,
changing your way?
Egypt will put you to shame
just as Assyria did. 37You will leave there too
with your hands on your head,
for the LORD has rejected those you trust;
you will not prosper through them.”