Help Previous Next

NASB Bible

Jeremiah 2

Judah's Apostasy

1

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

2

"Go and  aproclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, `Thus says the LORD, "I remember concerning you the  1 bdevotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals,  cYour following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown.

3

"Israel was  aholy to the LORD, The  bfirst of His harvest.  cAll who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them," declares the LORD.' "

4

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

5

Thus says the LORD, " aWhat injustice did your fathers find in Me, That they went far from Me And walked after  bemptiness and became empty?

6

"They did not say, `Where is the LORD Who  abrought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who  bled us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and of pits, Through a land of drought and of  1deep darkness, Through a land that no one crossed And where no man dwelt?'

7

"I brought you into the  afruitful land To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and  bdefiled My land, And My inheritance you made an abomination.

8

"The  apriests did not say, `Where is the LORD?' And those who handle the law  bdid not know Me; The  1rulers also transgressed against Me, And the  cprophets prophesied by Baal And walked after  dthings that did not profit.

9

"Therefore I will yet  acontend with you," declares the LORD, "And with your sons' sons I will contend.

10

"For  across to the coastlands of  1Kittim and see, And send to  bKedar and observe closely And see if there has been such a thing as this!

11

"Has a nation changed gods When  athey were not gods? But My people have  bchanged their glory For that which does not profit.

12

"Be appalled,  aO heavens, at this, And shudder, be very desolate," declares the LORD.

13

"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The  afountain of living waters, To hew for themselves  bcisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

14

"Is Israel  aa slave? Or is he a homeborn servant? Why has he become a prey?

15

"The young  alions have roared at him, They have  1roared loudly. And they have  bmade his land a waste; His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant.

16

"Also the  1men of  aMemphis and Tahpanhes Have  2shaved the  bcrown of your head.

17

"Have you not  adone this to yourself By your forsaking the LORD your God When He  aled you in the way?

18

"But now what are you doing  aon the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of the  1 bNile? Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the  2Euphrates?

19

aYour own wickedness will correct you, And your  bapostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and  cbitter For you to forsake the LORD your God, And  dthe dread of Me is not in you," declares the Lord  1GOD of hosts.

20

"For long ago  1 aI broke your yoke And tore off your bonds; But you said, `I will not serve!' For on every  bhigh hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot.

21

"Yet I  aplanted you a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the  bdegenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

22

"Although you  awash yourself with lye And  1use much soap, The  bstain of your iniquity is before Me," declares the Lord  2GOD.

23

aHow can you say, `I am not defiled, I have not gone after the  bBaals'? Look at your way in the  cvalley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel  dentangling her ways,

24

A  awild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her  1heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her.

25

"Keep your feet from being unshod And your throat from thirst; But you said, ` aIt is  1hopeless! No! For I have  bloved strangers, And after them I will walk.'

26

"As the  athief is shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their princes And their priests and their prophets,

27

Who say to a tree, `You are my father,' And to a stone, `You gave me birth.' For they have turned their  aback to Me, And not their face; But in the  btime of their  1trouble they will say, `Arise and save us.'

28

"But where are your  agods Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can  bsave you In the time of your  1trouble; For  caccording to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.

29

"Why do you contend with Me? You have  aall transgressed against Me," declares the LORD.

30

aIn vain I have struck your sons; They accepted no chastening. Your  bsword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

31

"O generation, heed the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a  aland of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ` bWe are free to roam; We will no longer come to You'?

32

"Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have  aforgotten Me Days without number.

33

"How well you prepare your way To seek love! Therefore even  1the wicked women You have taught your ways.

34

"Also on your skirts is found The  alifeblood of the innocent poor; You did not find them  bbreaking in. But in spite of all these things,

35

Yet you said, `I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.' Behold, I will  aenter into judgment with you Because you  bsay, `I have not sinned.'

36

"Why do you  ago around so much Changing your way? Also,  byou will be put to shame by Egypt As you were put to shame by  cAssyria.

37

"From this place also you will go out With  ayour hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected  bthose in whom you trust, And you will not prosper with them."



Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.lockman.org
Report corrections to contact@SpiritAndTruth.org
(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:23:43 2007)

Help Previous Next