Berean Standard Bible

Jeremiah 2:8-26

8The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

9Therefore, I will contend with you again,declares the LORD,and I will bring a caseagainst your children’s children.10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus1and take a look;send to Kedar and consider carefully;see if there has ever been anything like this:11Has a nation ever changed its gods?(Yet they are not gods at all.)But My people have exchanged their Glory2for useless idols.12Be stunned by this, O heavens;be shocked and utterly appalled,”declares the LORD.13“For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me,the fountain of living water,and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

14Is Israel a slave?Was he born into slavery?Why then has he become prey?15The young lions have roared at him;they have sounded their voices.They have laid waste his land;his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.16The men of Memphis3 and Tahpanheshave shaved the crown of your head.17Have you not brought this on yourselfby forsaking the LORD your Godwhen He led you in the way?

18Now what will you gain on your way to Egyptto drink the waters of the Nile4?What will you gain on your way to Assyriato drink the waters of the Euphrates5?19Your own evil will discipline you;your own apostasies will reprimand you.Consider and realizehow evil and bitter it isfor you to forsake the LORD your Godand to have no fear of Me,”declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.20“For long ago you broke your yokeand tore off your chains,saying, ‘I will not serve!’Indeed, on every high hilland under every green treeyou lay down as a prostitute.21I had planted you like a choice vinefrom the very best seed.How could you turn yourself before Meinto a rotten, wild vine?22Although you wash with lyeand use an abundance of soap,the stain of your guiltis still before Me,”declares the Lord GOD.

23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;I have not run after the Baals’?Look at your behavior in the valley;acknowledge what you have done.You are a swift young she-camelgalloping here and there,24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness,sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire.Who can restrain her passion?All who seek her need not weary themselves;in mating season they will find her.25You should have kept your feet from going bareand your throat from being thirsty.But you said, ‘It is hopeless!For I love foreign gods,and I must go after them.’

26As the thief is ashamed when he is caught,so the house of Israel is disgraced.They, their kings, their officials,their priests, and their prophets

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Notes

1. Jeremiah 2:10 Hebrew Kittim ↩
2. Jeremiah 2:11 Or their glorious God ↩
3. Jeremiah 2:16 LXX; Hebrew Noph ↩
4. Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew of Shihor, a branch of the Nile River ↩
5. Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew the River ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2