Jeremiah 2

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

1The LORD spoke to me. 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.

2Go and say this out loud in Jerusalem. Say, "This is what the LORD says. I remember how you loved me when you were young. You loved me like a new bride loves her husband. You followed me through the wilderness, an empty land where nothing was planted."

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 belonged to the LORD. They were like the first fruit picked from his field. Anyone who ate them up was guilty. Trouble came to those people, says the LORD.

Note"Firstfruits" means the first part of a harvest. Farmers gave that first part to God, so it belonged to him alone.

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. Listen, all you families 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 fathers think I did wrong? They went far away from me. They followed idols that are worth nothing. They became worth nothing 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? He brought us out of Egypt. He led us through the wilderness. It was full of deserts and deep holes. It was dry and dark. No one traveled there. No one lived there."

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. You could eat its fruit and its good food. But when you came in, you made my land dirty. You turned the land I gave you into something I hate.

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, the men who led worship, did not ask, "Where is the LORD?" The men who taught God's law did not know me. The leaders turned against me. The prophets, who were supposed to tell people what God said, spoke for Baal, a false god. They ran after things that do not help at all.

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, like a case in court, 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.

10Sail across the sea to the islands of Chittim and look. Send someone far east to Kedar and look closely. See if anything like this has ever happened.

NoteChittim is the island of Cyprus, far west across the sea. Kedar is far east in the desert. God is saying: look everywhere, near and far.

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? Their gods are not really gods at all. But my people traded away their glorious God for idols that do not help.

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

12Be shocked at this, you heavens above. Be filled with horror. Be empty and still, 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.

13My people have done two wrong things. They left me, and I am a spring of fresh, running water. They dug their own water holes in the rock. Those holes are cracked, and they hold no water at all.

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

14Is Israel a servant? Was he born a slave? Then why has he been robbed and carried off?

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

15Young lions roared at him. They growled loudly. They ruined his land. His cities are burned, and no one lives in them.

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

16The men of Noph and Tahapanes have shaved the top of your head.

NoteShaving the top of someone's head was a way of shaming a person who had been beaten in war.

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 left the LORD your God while he was leading you along the way.

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?

18So why go down to Egypt to drink from the Nile River? Why go to Assyria to drink from the great river there? What good will it do you?

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.

19The wrong you did will teach you a hard lesson. Turning away from me will show you how bad it was. Think it over. See how evil and bitter it is to leave the LORD your God. You are not afraid to disobey me, says the Lord GOD of Hosts.

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.

20Long ago I broke the heavy wooden bar off your neck. I tore off your chains. But you said, "I will not serve you!" On every high hill and under every green tree, you were unfaithful to me.

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 fine grapevine, grown from the very best seed. So how did you turn into a wild, rotten vine?

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

22You may scrub yourself with strong soap and lots of it. I still see the stain of the wrong you have done, 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;

23How can you say, "I am clean. 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.

24You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert. She sniffs the wind when she wants a mate. No one can turn her back. Any male looking for her does not have to try hard. When it is her season, he 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 have worn out your shoes and gone thirsty, chasing other gods. Stop. But you said, "It is no use. I love these other gods. I will go 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. The people of Israel feel that same shame. So do their kings, their leaders, 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 piece of wood, "You are my father." They say to a stone, "You gave me life." They turned their backs to me instead of their faces. But when trouble comes, they say, "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.

28So where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them get up and save you when trouble comes. 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 bring a 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.

30I punished your children, but it did no good. They would not learn. Your own swords killed your prophets, like a lion tearing its food.

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, look at what the LORD says. "Have I been like an empty 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.

32Can a girl forget her pretty jewelry? Can a bride forget her wedding clothes? But 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 chasing after other loves. You could even teach the worst women how to do it.

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 people who did nothing wrong. You did not catch them breaking into your house. I did not have to search in secret to find it. It is right there for all to see.

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.

35Still you say, "I did nothing wrong. God is not angry with me anymore." But I will take you to court, 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 wander around so much, changing your plans? 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. The LORD has said no to the ones you trusted. They will not help you at all.

NotePutting your hands on your head was a way people showed they were sad and ashamed.