Parallel Bible results for "jeremiah 2"

Jeremiah 2

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the first fruits of his harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; evil came upon them, says 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: "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

6 They did not say, 'Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?'

7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

8 The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Ba'al, and went after things that do not profit.

9 "Therefore I still contend with you, says the LORD, and with your children's children I will contend.

10 For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.

11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD,

13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 "Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey?

15 The lions have roared against him, they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.

16 Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tah'panhes have broken the crown of your head.

17 Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way?

18 And now what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphra'tes?

19 Your wickedness will chasten you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

20 "For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds; and you said, 'I will not serve.' Yea, upon every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down as a harlot.

21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?

22 Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, says the Lord GOD.

23 How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Ba'als'? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done--a restive young camel interlacing her tracks,

24 a wild ass used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.

25 Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, 'It is hopeless, for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go.'

26 "As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their princes, 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 back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, 'Arise and save us!'

28 But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah.

29 "Why do you complain against me? You have all rebelled against me, says the LORD.

30 In vain have I smitten your children, they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.

31 And you, O generation, heed the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, 'We are free, we will come no more to thee'?

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

33 "How well you direct your course to seek lovers! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways.

34 Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things

35 you say, 'I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.' Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.'

36 How lightly you gad about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

37 From it too you will come away with your hands upon your head, for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 The LORD spoke his word to me,

2 "Go and announce to Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: I remember the unfailing loyalty of your youth, the love you had for me as a bride. I remember how you followed me into the desert, into a land that couldn't be farmed.

3 Israel was set apart for the LORD. It was the best part of the harvest. All who devoured it became guilty, and disaster struck them,'" declares the LORD.

4 Listen to the word of the LORD, descendants of Jacob, all the families in the nation of Israel.

5 This is what the LORD says: What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

6 They didn't ask, "Where is the LORD, who brought us from Egypt? He led us through the desert, through a wasteland and its pits, a land of drought and the shadow of death. No one lives there or travels there."

7 I brought them into a fertile land to eat its fruit and its produce. They came and made my land unclean. They made my property disgusting.

8 The priests didn't ask, "Where is the LORD?" Those who deal with my teachings didn't know me. The rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal and followed statues that couldn't help them.

9 "That is why I am bringing charges against you," declares the LORD, "and I am bringing charges against your grandchildren.

10 Go over to the coasts of Cyprus, and see. Send [someone] to Kedar, and observe closely. See if there has ever been anything like this.

11 Has any nation ever exchanged gods? (Their gods aren't really gods.) Yet, my people have exchanged their Glory for something that doesn't help them.

12 Be horrified over this, heaven. Be terribly afraid," declares the LORD.

13 "My people have done two things wrong. They have abandoned me, the fountain of life-giving water. They have also dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that can't hold water.

14 "Are the people of Israel slaves? Were they born into slavery? Why, then, have they become someone's property?

15 Young lions have roared very loudly at them. Young lions have turned the land into a wasteland. The cities have been burned down, and everyone has left.

16 People from Noph and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, Israel.

17 You have brought this on yourself by abandoning the LORD your God when he led you on his way.

18 You won't gain anything by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile River. You won't gain anything by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates River.

19 Your own wickedness will correct you, and your unfaithful ways will punish you. You should know and see how evil and bitter it is for you if you abandon the LORD your God and do not fear me," declares the Almighty LORD of Armies.

20 "Long ago you broke off your yoke, tore off your chains, and said that you wouldn't be a slave. You lay down and acted like a prostitute on every high hill and under every large tree.

21 I planted you like a choice grapevine from the very best seed. Now you have turned against me and have become a wild vine.

22 Even if you wash with detergent and use a lot of soap, I would still see the stains from your wickedness," declares the Almighty LORD.

23 "How can you say that you haven't dishonored yourselves and haven't followed other gods--the Baals? Look how you've behaved in the valley. Acknowledge what you've done. You are like a young camel that swiftly runs here and there.

24 You are like a wild donkey that is used to the desert, sniffing the wind while in heat. All who look for you won't get tired. They will find you during your monthly period.

25 Don't run until your feet are bare and your throats are dry. But you say that it's useless. You love foreign gods and follow them.

26 "As a thief feels ashamed when he's caught, so the nation of Israel will feel ashamed. Their kings, princes, priests, and prophets will also feel ashamed.

27 You call wood your father. You call stone your mother. You've turned your backs, not your faces, to me. But when you're in trouble, you ask me to come and rescue you.

28 Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them come and rescue you when you're in trouble. You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!

29 "Why do you complain about me? All of you have rebelled against me," declares the LORD.

30 "I have punished your children without results. They didn't respond to correction. You killed my prophets like a raging lion.

31 "Consider the word of the LORD, people of this generation. Haven't I been a desert, a land of thick darkness, for Israel? Why do my people say that they are free to wander around and no longer come to me?

32 A young woman can't forget her jewelry or a bride her veils. Yet, my people have forgotten me for countless days.

33 You carefully planned ways to look for love. You taught your ways to wicked women.

34 You have the blood from poor and innocent people on your clothes. You didn't kill them for breaking in to your home.

35 In spite of all this you say, 'I'm innocent. God will turn his anger from me, because I haven't sinned.'

36 You change your mind so easily. You will be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

37 You will also leave this place with your hands over your head, because the LORD has rejected those you trust. You will not be helped by them."