The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

Moreover, the woorde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Goe, and crie in the eares of Ierusalem, saying, Thus sayeth the Lord, I remember thee, with the kindenes of thy youth and the loue of thy marriage, when thou wentest after me in the wildernes in a lande that was not sowen.

Israel was as a thing halowed vnto the Lord, and his first fruits: all they that eat it, shall offend: euil shall come vpon them, saith the Lord.

Heare ye the word of the Lord, O house of Iaakob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

Thus sayeth the Lord, What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee, that they are gone farre from mee, and haue walked after vanitie, and are become vaine?

For they saide not, Where is the Lord that brought vs vp out of the lande of Egypt? that led vs through the wildernesse, through a desert, and waste land, through a drie land, and by the shadow of death, by a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

And I brought you into a plentifull countrey, to eat the fruit thereof, and the commodities of the same: but when yee entred, yee defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that should minister the Lawe, knewe me not: the pastours also offended against me, and the Prophets prophesied in Baal, and went after things that did not profite.

Wherefore I wil yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and I will pleade with your childrens children.

For goe ye to the yles of Chittim, and beholde, and sende vnto Kedar. and take diligent heede, and see whether there be such things.

Hath any nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but my people haue chaged their glorie, for that which doeth not profite.

O yee heauens, be astonied at this: bee afraid and vtterly confounded, sayeth the Lord.

For my people haue committed two euils: they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters, to digge them pittes, euen broken pittes, that can holde no water.

The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

Is Israel a seruaunt, or is hee borne in the house? why then is he spoiled?

The lions roared vpon him and yelled, and they haue made his land waste: his cities are burnt without an inhabitant.

Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes haue broken thine head.

Hast not thou procured this vnto thy selfe, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?

And what hast thou now to do in the way of Egypt? to drinke the water of Nilus? or what makest thou in the way of Asshur? to drinke the water of the Riuer?

Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee, and thy turnings backe shall reprooue thee: know therefore and beholde, that it is an euil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not in thee, sayeth the Lord God of hostes.

For of olde time I haue broken thy yoke, and burst thy bondes, and thou saidest, I will no more transgresse, but like an harlot thou runnest about vpon al hie hilles, and vnder all greene trees.

Yet I had planted thee, a noble vine, whose plants were all natural: howe then art thou turned vnto me into the plants of a strange vine?

Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much sope, yet thine iniquitie is marked before me, sayeth the Lord God.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)

Howe canst thou say, I am not polluted, neither haue I followed Baalim? beholde thy waies in the valley, and know, what thou hast done: thou art like a swift dromedarie, that runneth by his waies.

And as a wilde asse, vsed to the wildernesse, that snuffeth vp the winde by occasion at her pleasure: who can turne her backe? all they that seeke her, will not wearie themselues, but wil finde her in her moneth.

Keepe thou thy feete from barenes, and thy throte from thirst: but thou saidest desperately, No, for I haue loued strangers, and them will I follow.

As the theefe is ashamed, when he is foud, so is the house of Israel ashamed, they, their kings, their princes and their Priests, and their Prophets,

Saying to a tree, Thou art my father, and to a stone, Thou hast begotten me: for they haue turned their back vnto me, and not their face: but in ye time of their troble they wil say, Arise, and help vs.

But where are thy gods, that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can helpe thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the nomber of thy cities, are thy gods, O Iudah.

Wherefore wil ye pleade with me? ye all haue rebelled against me, sayeth the Lord.

I haue smitten your children in vaine, they receiued no correction: your owne sworde hath deuoured your Prophets like a destroying lyon.

O generation, take heede to the worde of the Lord: haue I bene as a wildernesse vnto Israel? or a lande of darkenesse? Wherefore sayeth my people then, We are lordes, we will come no more vnto thee?

Can a maid forget her ornament, or a bride her attire? yet my people haue forgotten me, daies without number.

Why doest thou prepare thy way, to seeke amitie? euen therefore will I teach thee, that thy waies are wickednesse.

Also in thy wings is founde the bloud of the soules of ye poore innocents: I haue not found it in holes, but vpon all these places.

Yet thou saiest, Because I am giltles, surely his wrath shall turne from mee: beholde, I will enter with thee into iudgement, because thou saiest, I haue not sinned.

Why runnest thou about so much to change thy waies? for thou shalt be confounded of Egypt, as thou art confounded of Asshur.

For thou shalt goe foorth from thence, and thine hands vpon thine head, because the Lord hath reiected thy confidence, and thou shalt not prosper thereby.

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Israel was holiness to the LORD, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him will be held guilty. Evil will come on them,”’ says the LORD.”

Hear the LORD’s word, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel!

The LORD says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?

They didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’

I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ and those who handle the law didn’t know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.

“Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says the LORD, “and I will contend with your children’s children.

For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see. Send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.

Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doesn’t profit.

“Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says the LORD.

“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.

The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?

The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.

“Haven’t you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God,(a) when he led you by the way?

Now what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or why do you go on the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?(b)

“Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

“For long ago I broke off your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve;’ for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.

Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a pure and faithful seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the Lord GOD.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,

a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her craving. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will find her.

“Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’

As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so the house of Israel is ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets,

who tell wood, ‘You are my father,’ and a stone, ‘You have given birth to me,’ for they have turned their back to me, and not their face, but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us!’

“But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble, for you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.

“Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says the LORD.

“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

Generation, consider the LORD’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’?

“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.

How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.

Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.

“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won’t prosper with them.

Footnotes

(a)2:17 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

(b)2:18 i.e., the Euphrates River