Jeremiah

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

1The LORD spoke to me again. He said:

2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

2"Go and speak out loud so all Jerusalem hears. Say: This is what the LORD says. I remember how loyal you were when you were young. I remember your love when you were like a new bride. You followed me through the desert, through land where nothing was planted.

NoteGod speaks of Israel as a bride and himself as her husband. That picture runs through the whole chapter.

3Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

3Israel was set apart for the LORD. She was the first and best part of his harvest. Anyone who tried to swallow her up was found guilty. Trouble came down on them, says the LORD."

4Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

4Listen to what the LORD says, family of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.

5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

5This is what the LORD says: "What did your ancestors find wrong with me? Why did they wander so far away from me? They chased after worthless idols, and they became worthless themselves.

6Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that 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 man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

6They never asked, 'Where is the LORD who brought us up out of Egypt? Where is the one who led us through the desert, a land of dry ground and deep pits, a land of no rain and thick darkness, a land where nobody travels and nobody lives?'

7And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

7I brought you into a rich land so you could eat its fruit and its good things. But when you came in, you made my land filthy. You turned the land I gave you into something disgusting.

8The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

8The priests never asked, 'Where is the LORD?' The men who taught the law did not really know me. The leaders turned against me. The prophets spoke in the name of Baal and followed gods that help no one.

9Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.

9So I will bring my case against you again, says the LORD. I will bring it against your grandchildren too.

10For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

10Cross the sea to the coasts of Cyprus and look. Send messengers to Kedar and study it carefully. See if anything like this has ever happened.

11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

11Has any nation ever traded away its gods, even though those gods are not gods at all? But my people traded their Glory for things that help no one.

12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

12Be shocked at this, you heavens. Shudder. Be completely stunned, says the LORD.

13For 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.

13"My people have done two evil things. They have walked away from me, the spring of fresh, running water. And they have dug their own water tanks, cracked tanks that cannot hold any water.

NoteA cistern is a tank cut into rock to collect rainwater. A cracked one leaks and leaves you with nothing. A spring keeps flowing on its own.

14Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

14Is Israel a slave? Was he born a slave in someone's house? Then why has he been carried off like stolen goods?

15The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

15Young lions have roared at him and growled loudly. They have wrecked his land. His cities are burned, and nobody lives in them.

16Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the top of your head.

NoteMemphis and Tahpanhes were cities in Egypt. Shaving someone's head was a way of shaming a defeated enemy.

17Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

17Did you not bring this on yourself? You walked away from the LORD your God while he was leading you along the road.

18And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

18Now what will you get by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? What will you get by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?

19Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

19Your own evil will punish you. Your own turning away will scold you. Think it over and see how evil and bitter it is to leave the LORD your God and have no respect for me, says the Lord GOD who commands armies.

20For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

20"Long ago you broke the yoke off your neck and tore off your ropes. You said, 'I will not serve you!' On every high hill and under every leafy tree you lay down like a prostitute.

21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

21I planted you like a choice grapevine grown from the very best seed. So how did you turn into a rotten, wild vine before my eyes?

22For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

22Even if you scrub yourself with strong cleaner and use plenty of soap, the stain of your guilt is still there in front of me, says the Lord GOD.

23How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

23"How can you say, 'I am not dirty; I have not run after the Baals'? Look at what you did down in the valley. Admit what you have done. You are like a young camel running wildly this way and that,

24A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

24like a wild donkey at home in the desert, sniffing the wind when she wants a mate. Who can hold her back? Males who want her need not tire themselves out. When her season comes, they will find her.

25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

25You should have kept your shoes on your feet and water in your throat. But you said, 'It is no use. I love these foreign gods, and I am going after them.'

26As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

26A thief is ashamed when he is caught. In the same way the people of Israel are shamed, along with their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.

27Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

27They say to a wooden post, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me instead of their faces. Yet when trouble comes they cry, 'Get up and save us!'

28But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them get up and save you when trouble comes, if they can. Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns.

29Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.

29Why do you argue your case against me? Every one of you has turned against me, says the LORD.

30In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

30"I punished your children, but it did no good. They would not learn. Your own sword has eaten up your prophets like a hungry lion."

31O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?

31You people alive today, think about what the LORD says: "Have I been a desert to Israel? Have I been a land of deep darkness? Then why do my people say, 'We go where we please. We will not come back to you'?

32Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

32Does a young woman forget her jewelry? Does a bride forget the sash she wears? Yet my people have forgotten me for more days than anyone can count.

33Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

33You are so good at hunting for love. Even the worst women could learn your tricks.

34Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

34Your clothes are stained with the blood of poor, innocent people. You did not catch them breaking into your house. Even after all this,

35Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

35you say, 'I am innocent. Surely God is not angry with me anymore.' Watch: I will put you on trial, because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

36Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

36Why do you keep wandering off and switching sides? Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria let you down.

37Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

37You will walk away from Egypt with your hands on your head in shame. The LORD has turned down the ones you trusted. They will not help you.

NotePutting your hands on your head was a sign of grief and shame, the way people looked when they were led away as prisoners.