Berean Standard Bible

Jeremiah 2

1Now the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 2“GoH1980 and proclaimH7121 in the hearingH241 of JerusalemH3389 that this is whatH3541 H559 the LORDH3068 saysH559:

‘I rememberH2142 the devotionH2617 of your youthH5271,your loveH160 as a brideH3623,how you followed MeH1980 H310 in the wildernessH4057,in a landH776 notH3808 sownH2232.3IsraelH3478 was holyH6944 to the LORDH3068,the firstfruitsH7225 of His harvestH8393.AllH3605 who devoured herH398were found guiltyH816;disasterH7451 cameH935 upon themH413,’”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

4HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, O houseH1004 of JacobH3290, and allH3605 you familiesH4940 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478. 5This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559:

“WhatH4100 faultH5766 did your fathersH1 findH4672 in MethatH3588 they strayed so farH7368 from MeH5921?They followedH1980 H310 worthless idolsH1892,and became worthless themselvesH1891.6They did notH3808 askH559, ‘WhereH346 is the LORDH3068who brought us upH5927 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714,who ledH1980 usH853 through the wildernessH4057,through a landH776 of desertsH6160 and pitsH7745,a landH776 of droughtH6723 and darknessH6757,a landH776 where noH3808 oneH376 travelsH5674 andH8033 noH3808 oneH120 livesH3427?’

7I broughtH935 youH853 intoH413 a fertileH3759 landH776to eatH398 its fruitH6529 and bountyH2898,but you cameH935 and defiledH2930 My landH776and madeH7760 My inheritanceH5159 detestableH8441.8The priestsH3548 did notH3808 askH559,‘WhereH346 is the LORDH3068?’The expertsH8610 in the lawH8451 noH3808 longer knew MeH3045,and the leadersH7462 rebelledH6586 against Me.The prophetsH5030 prophesiedH5012 by BaalH1168and followedH310 H1980 uselessH3808 idolsH3276.

9ThereforeH3651, I will contendH7378 withH854 you againH5750,declaresH5002 the LORDH3068,and I will bring a caseH7378againstH854 your children’sH1121 childrenH1121.10 Cross overH5674 to the coastsH339 of CyprusH3794 1and take a lookH7200;sendH7971 to KedarH6938 and considerH995 carefullyH3966;seeH7200 ifH2005 there has ever beenH1961 anything like thisH2063:11Has a nationH1471 ever changedH3235 its godsH430?(Yet theyH1992 are notH3808 godsH430 at all.)But My peopleH5971 have exchangedH4171 their GloryH3519 2for uselessH3808 idolsH3276.12Be stunnedH8074 byH5921 thisH2063, O heavensH8064;be shockedH8175 and utterlyH3966 appalledH2717,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

13“ForH3588 My peopleH5971 have committedH6213 twoH8147 evilsH7451:

They have forsaken MeH5800,the fountainH4726 of livingH2416 waterH4325,and they have dugH2672 their own cisternsH877—brokenH7665 cisternsH877 thatH834 cannotH3808 holdH3557 waterH4325.

14Is IsraelH3478 H518 a slaveH5650?Was heH1931 born into slaveryH3211 H1004?Why thenH4069 has he becomeH1961 preyH957?15The young lionsH3715 have roaredH7580 at himH5921;they have soundedH5414 their voicesH6963.They have laidH7896 wasteH8047 his landH776;his citiesH5892 lie in ruinsH5327, withoutH1097 inhabitantH3427.16The menH1121 of MemphisH5297 3 and TahpanhesH8471 have shavedH7462 the crown of your headH6936.17Have you notH3808 broughtH6213 thisH2063 on yourselfby forsakingH5800 the LORDH3068 your GodH430whenH6256 He led youH1980 in the wayH1870?

18NowH6258 what will you gainH4100 on your wayH1870 to EgyptH4714to drinkH8354 the watersH4325 of the NileH7883 4?What will you gainH4100 on your wayH1870 to AssyriaH804to drinkH8354 the watersH4325 of the EuphratesH5104 5?19Your own evilH7451 will discipline youH3256;your own apostasiesH4878 will reprimand youH3198.ConsiderH3045 and realizeH7200howH3588 evilH7451 and bitter it isH4751for you to forsakeH5800 the LORDH3068 your GodH430and to haveH413 noH3808 fear of MeH6345,”declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069 of HostsH6635.20“ForH3588 long agoH5769 you brokeH7665 your yokeH5923and tore offH5423 your chainsH4147,sayingH559, ‘I will notH3808 serveH5647!’IndeedH3588, onH5921 everyH3605 highH1364 hillH1389and underH8478 everyH3605 greenH7488 treeH6086youH859 lay downH6808 as a prostituteH2181.21IH595 had planted youH5193 like a choiceH3605 vineH8321from the very bestH571 seedH2233.HowH349 could you turn yourselfH2015 before Meinto a rottenH5494, wildH5237 vineH1612?

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)

22AlthoughH3588 H518 you washH3526 with lyeH5427 and use an abundanceH7235 of soapH1287, the stainH3799 of your guiltH5771 is still before MeH6440,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.

23“HowH349 can you sayH559, ‘I am notH3808 defiledH2930;I have notH3808 runH1980 afterH310 the BaalsH1168’?LookH7200 at your behaviorH1870 in the valleyH1516;acknowledgeH3045 whatH4100 you have doneH6213.You are a swiftH7031 young she-camelH1072galloping here and thereH8308 H1870,24a wild donkeyH6501 at home inH3928 the wildernessH4057,sniffingH7602 the windH7307 in the heatH8385 of herH5315 desireH185.WhoH4310 can restrain her passionH7725?AllH3605 who seek herH1245 need notH3808 weary themselvesH3286;in mating seasonH2320 they will find herH4672.25You should have keptH4513 your feetH7272 from going bareH3182and your throatH1637 from being thirstyH6773.But you saidH559, ‘It is hopelessH2976 H3808!ForH3588 I loveH157 foreignH2114 gods,and I must go afterH310 themH1980.’

26As the thiefH1590 is ashamedH1322 whenH3588 he is caughtH4672,soH3651 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 is disgracedH954.TheyH1992, their kingsH4428, their officialsH8269,their priestsH3548, and their prophetsH503027sayH559 to a treeH6086, ‘YouH859 are my fatherH1,’and to a stoneH68, ‘YouH859 gave me birthH3205 .’They have turnedH6437 their backsH6203 to MeH413and notH3808 their facesH6440.Yet in the timeH6256 of troubleH7451, they sayH559,‘Rise upH6965 and save usH3467!’28But whereH346 are the godsH430 you madeH6213 for yourselves?Let them rise upH6965 in your timeH6256 of troubleH7451and save youH3467 if they canH518;forH3588 your godsH430 areH1961 as numerousH4557as your citiesH5892, O JudahH3063.

29WhyH4100 do you bring a caseH7378 against MeH413?You have allH3605 rebelledH6586 against Me,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.30“I have struckH5221 your sonsH1121 in vainH7723;they acceptedH3947 noH3808 disciplineH4148.Your own swordH2719 has devouredH398 your prophetsH5030like a voraciousH7843 lionH738.”

31YouH859 people of this generationH1755, considerH7200 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068:

“Have I beenH1961 a wildernessH4057 to IsraelH3478orH518 a landH776 of dense darknessH3991?WhyH4069 do My peopleH5971 sayH559,‘We are free to roamH7300;we willH3808 comeH935 to YouH413 no moreH5750’?32Does a maidenH1330 forgetH7911 her jewelryH5716or a brideH3618 her wedding sashH7196?Yet My peopleH5971 have forgotten MeH7911for daysH3117 withoutH369 numberH4557.

33HowH4100 skillfullyH3190 H1870 you pursueH1245 loveH160 H3651!EvenH1571 the most immoral of womenH7451could learnH3925 from your waysH1870.34MoreoverH1571, your skirtsH3671 are stainedH4672with the bloodH1818 H5315 of the innocentH5355 poorH34,though you did notH3808 find themH4672 breaking inH4290.

ButH3588 in spite ofH5921 allH3605 these thingsH42835you sayH559 H3588, ‘I am innocentH5352.SurelyH389 His angerH639 will turnH7725 from meH4480.’BeholdH2005, I will judgeH8199 youH854,becauseH5921 you sayH559, ‘I have notH3808 sinnedH2398.’

36HowH4100 impulsive you areH2151,constantlyH3966 changingH8138 your waysH1870 H1571!You will be disappointedH954 by EgyptH4714just asH834 youH954 were by AssyriaH804.37MoreoverH1571 H854, you will leaveH3318 that placeH2088with your handsH3027 onH5921 your headH7218,forH3588 the LORDH3068 has rejectedH3988 those you trustH4009;you will notH3808 prosperH6743 by their help.”

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 ↩

The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)

Notes

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2