(KJV) Jeremiah 2¹

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⥃Israel Has Forsaken God

[1] Moreover the word² of the Lord came to me, saying, [2] Go and cry³ in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee⁴, the kindness⁵ of thy youth, the love of thine espousals⁶, when⁷ thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land [that was] not sown. [3] Israel [was] holiness⁸ unto the Lord, [and] the firstfruits⁹ of his increase: all that¹⁰ devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. [4] Hear ye¹¹ the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families¹² of the house of Israel:

[5] [¶]Thus saith the Lord, What¹³ iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone¹⁴ far from me, and have walked¹⁵ after vanity, and are¹⁶ become vain? [6] Neither said they, Where¹⁷ [is] the Lord that brought us up¹⁸ out of the land of Egypt, that led us¹⁹ through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow²⁰ of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? [7] And I brought²¹ you into a plentiful country²², to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled²³ my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. [8] The priests²⁴ said not, Where [is] the Lord? and they that²⁵ handle the law knew me not: the pastors²⁶ also transgressed against me, and the prophets²⁷ prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not²⁸ profit.

[9] Wherefore I will²⁹ yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your³⁰ children’s children will I plead. [10] For pass over³¹ the isles³² of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar³³, and consider diligently, and see³⁴ if there be such a thing. [11] Hath a nation³⁵ changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods³⁶? but my people have changed their glory³⁷ for [that which] doth not profit. [12] Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.³⁸ [13] For my³⁹ people have committed two evils; they have forsaken⁴⁰ me the fountain⁴¹ of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns⁴², that can hold no water.

⥃The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

[14] [Is] Israel⁴³ a servant? [is] he a homeborn⁴⁴ [slave]? why is he spoiled⁴⁵? [15] The young lions⁴⁶ roared upon him, [and] yelled⁴⁷, and they made⁴⁸ his land waste: his cities⁴⁹ are burned without inhabitant. [16] Also the⁵⁰ children of Noph⁵¹ and Tahapanes⁵² have broken the crown⁵³ of thy head. [17] Hast thou⁵⁴ not procured this unto thyself, in that⁵⁵ thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he⁵⁶ led thee by the way? [18] And now what hast⁵⁷ thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor⁵⁸? or what hast⁵⁹ thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? [19] Thine⁶⁰ own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy⁶¹ backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter⁶², that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my⁶³ fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.

[20] For of⁶⁴ old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst⁶⁵, I will not transgress⁶⁶; when upon⁶⁷ every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing⁶⁸ the harlot. [21] Yet I⁶⁹ had planted thee a noble vine, wholly⁷⁰ a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate⁷¹ plant of a strange vine unto me? [22] For though⁷² thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, [yet] thine iniquity⁷³ is marked before me, saith the Lord God.

⥃Israel’s Unfaithfulness ^{[ Judges 2:10–15 † Isaiah 43:22–28 ]}

[23] How canst⁷⁴ thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see⁷⁵ thy way in the valley⁷⁶, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift⁷⁷ dromedary traversing her ways; [24] A wild ass⁷⁸ used⁷⁹ to the wilderness, [that] snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure⁸⁰; in her occasion who can turn her away⁸¹? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month⁸² they shall find her. [25] Withhold⁸³ thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope⁸⁴: no; for I have⁸⁵ loved strangers, and after⁸⁶ them will I go. [26] As the thief⁸⁷ is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings⁸⁸, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, [27] Saying to a stock⁸⁹, Thou [art] my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth⁹⁰: for they⁹¹ have turned [their] back⁹² unto me, and not [their] face: but in the time⁹³ of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. [28] But where⁹⁴ [are] thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble⁹⁵: for [according to] the number⁹⁶ of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. [29] Wherefore will ye plead⁹⁷ with me? ye all have⁹⁸ transgressed against me, saith the Lord. [30] In vain⁹⁹ have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword¹⁰⁰ hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

[31] [¶]O generation, see ye¹⁰¹ the word of the Lord. Have I been¹⁰² a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords¹⁰³; we will come no more unto thee? [32] Can a maid¹⁰⁴ forget her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people¹⁰⁵ have forgotten me days without number. [33] Why¹⁰⁶ trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast¹⁰⁷ thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways. [34] Also¹⁰⁸ i¹⁰⁹n thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search¹¹⁰, but upon all these. [35] Yet thou sayest, Because¹¹¹ I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will¹¹² plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned. [36] Why gaddest¹¹³ thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt¹¹⁴ be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast¹¹⁵ ashamed of Assyria. [37] Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands¹¹⁶ upon thine head: for the Lord¹¹⁷ hath rejected thy confidences, and thou¹¹⁸ shalt not prosper in them.

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