Jeremiah 2

¹ The word of Yahweh was addressed to me, saying,

² ‘Go and shout this in the hearing of Jerusalem: “Yahweh says this: I remember the affection of your youth, the love of your bridal days: you followed me through the wilderness, through a land unsown.

³ Israel was sacred to Yahweh, the first-fruits of his harvest; anyone who ate of this had to pay for it, misfortune came to them – it is Yahweh who speaks.”‘

⁴ Listen to the word of Yahweh, House of Jacob, and all you families of the House of Israel.

⁵ Thus says Yahweh, ‘What shortcoming did your fathers find in me that led them to desert me? Vanity they pursued, vanity they became.

⁶ They never said, “Where is Yahweh, who brought us out of the land of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through land arid and scored, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one passes, and no man lives?”

⁷ I brought you to a fertile country to enjoy its produce and good things; but no sooner had you entered than you defiled my land, and made my heritage detestable.

⁸ The priests have never asked, “Where is Yahweh?” Those who administer the Law have no knowledge of me. The shepherds[*a] have rebelled against me; the prophets have prophesied in the name of Baal, following things with no power in them.

⁹ So I must put you on trial once more – it is Yahweh who speaks – and your children’s children too.

¹⁰ Now take ship for the islands of Kittim[*b] or send to Kedar to enquire. Take careful notice and observe if anything like this has happened.

¹¹ Does a nation change its gods? – and these are not gods at all! Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for what has no power in it.

¹² You heavens, stand aghast at this, stand stupefied, stand utterly appalled – it is Yahweh who speaks.

¹³ Since my people have committed a double crime: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, only to dig cisterns for themselves, leaky cisterns that hold no water.

¹⁴ ‘Is Israel then a slave, or born to serfdom, for him to be preyed on like this?

¹⁵ Lions have roared at him, loudly they have roared. They have reduced his land to a desert; his towns lie burnt and desolate.

¹⁶ The people of Noph and Tahpanhes have even shaved your skull![*c]

¹⁷ Have you not brought this on yourself, by abandoning Yahweh your God?

¹⁸ What is the good of going to Egypt now to drink the water of the Nile? What is the good of going to Assyria to drink the water of the river?

¹⁹ Your own wickedness is punishing you, your own apostasies are rebuking you: consider carefully how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon Yahweh your God and not to stand in awe of me – it is Yahweh Sabaoth who speaks.

²⁰ ‘It is long ago now since you broke your yoke, burst your bonds and said, “I will not serve!” Yet on every high hill and under every spreading tree you have lain down like a harlot.

²¹ Yet I had planted you, a choice vine, a shoot of soundest stock. How is it you have become a degenerate plant, you bastard Vine?

²² Should you launder yourself with potash and put in quantities of lye, I should still detect the stain of your guilt – it is the Lord Yahweh who speaks.

²³ How dare you say, “I am not defiled, I have not run after the Baals?” Look at your footprints in the Valley, and acknowledge what you have done. A frantic she-camel running in all directions

²⁴ bolts for the desert, snuffing the breeze in desire; who can control her when she is on heat? Whoever looks for her will have no trouble, he will find her with her mate!

²⁵ Beware! Your own foot may soon go unshod, your own throat may grow dry. But “Who cares?” you said “For I am in love with strangers and they are the ones I follow”.

²⁶ ‘Like a thief in the disgrace of being caught, so will the House of Israel be: they, their kings, their princes, their priests and their prophets,

²⁷ who say to a piece of wood, “You are my father”, to a stone, “You have begotten me”. They turn their backs to me, never their faces; but when trouble comes they shout, “Get up! Save us!”

²⁸ Where are those gods of yours you made for yourself? Let them get up to save you when trouble comes! For you have as many gods as you have towns, Judah, as many altars for Baal as Jerusalem has streets.

²⁹ What case can you make against me? You have all apostatised from me – it is Yahweh who speaks.

³⁰ In vain I have struck down your sons, you did not accept correction: your sword devoured your prophets like a destructive lion.

³¹ What a brood you are! Listen, this is the word of Yahweh: Have I been a desert for Israel or a land of deepest gloom? Then why do my people say, “We will go our own way, we will no longer come to you?”

³² Does a girl forget her ornaments, a bride her sash? And yet my people have forgotten me, for days beyond number.

³³ ‘How well you know the way in pursuit of love! Yes, you have even accustomed your steps to walk with crime,

³⁴ to the point when your hands display the stains from the blood of innocent men. – You never caught them trying to break and enter! Yes, for all these you will have to answer.

³⁵ You say, “I am blameless, his anger has turned away from me”. And here I am passing sentence on you because you say, “I have not sinned”.

³⁶ ‘How frivolously you undertake a change of course! But you will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.

³⁷ You will have to leave there too with your hands on your head, for Yahweh has rejected those that you rely on, you will come to no good with them.’