Jeremiah 2:9-19

9So the Lord says this: ‘Because of your sins, I will speak against you in court. I will show that you are guilty, as well as your children and your grandchildren.

10No other nation has done what you have done! Send people across the sea to islands in the west. Or send them to the deserts in the east. Let them find out if any other people have done this terrible thing.

11Have any other nations turned against their gods? No! They have not done that, even to their false gods! But my people have turned against me, the true God who makes them great.’

12The Lord says, ‘The whole universe should see how terrible this is. Yes, everything should shake with fear!

13My people have done two evil things: I give them life, like a spring of fresh water, but they have turned away from me. Instead, they have tried to get water for themselves. They have dug holes in the ground to store it. But those holes cannot hold the water. It quickly runs away.

14Israel's people are surely not slaves. They were not born as slaves. But their enemies have taken them away as prisoners.

15Their enemies have attacked them like lions. They have destroyed my people's land. They have destroyed your cities with fire. Nobody lives in them any more.

16Soldiers from Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken your skulls!

17You Israelites have caused this to happen. The Lord your God was leading you on the right way. But you decided not to follow him any longer.

18So what help will you get from Egypt? If you drink water from the Nile river, will that make you strong? No! And what help will you get from Assyria? If you drink water from the Euphrates river, will that make you strong? No!

19The wicked things that you have done will punish you. You are guilty because you have turned away from me. You have brought terrible trouble on yourselves, because you have turned against me, the Lord your God. Because you no longer respect me, you will realize that you are in great trouble.’ That is what the Lord God Almighty says.