Jeremiah 2
2The LORD told meH1697H3068H5592to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem. "I remember how faithful you were when you were young, how you loved me when we were first married; you followed me through the desert, through a land that had not been planted.H1980H7121H241H3389H559H559H3068H2142H2617H5271H160H3623H3212H310H4057H776H22323Israel, you belonged to me alone; you were my sacred possession. I sent suffering and disaster on everyone who hurt you. I, the LORD, have spoken."H3478H6944H3068H7225H8393H398H816H7451H935H5002H30684Listen to the LORD's message, you descendants of Jacob, you tribes of Israel.H8085H1697H3068H1004H3290H4940H1004H34785The LORD says: "What accusation did your ancestors bring against me? What made them turn away from me? They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves.H559H3068H5766H1H4672H7368H3212H310H1892H18916They did not care about me, even though I rescued them from Egypt and led them through the wilderness: a land of deserts and sand pits, a dry and dangerous land where no one lives and no one will even travel.H559H3068H5927H776H4714H3212H4057H776H6160H7745H776H6723H6757H776H376H5674H120H34277I brought them into a fertile land, to enjoy its harvests and its other good things. But instead they ruined my land; they defiled the country I had given them.H935H3759H776H398H6529H2898H935H2930H776H7760H5159H84418The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' My own priests did not know me. The rulers rebelled against me; the prophets spoke in the name of Baal and worshiped useless idols.H3548H559H3068H8610H8451H3045H7462H6586H5030H5012H1168H1980H310H32769"And so I, the LORD, will state my case against my people again. I will bring charges against their descendants.H7378H5002H3068H1121H1121H737810Go west to the island of Cyprus, and send someone eastward to the land of Kedar. You will see that nothing like this has ever happened before.H5674H339H3794H7200H7971H6938H995H3966H720011No other nation has ever changed its gods, even though they were not real. But my people have exchanged me, the God who has brought them honor, for gods that can do nothing for them.H1471H3235H430H430H5971H4171H3519H327612And so I command the sky to shake with horror, to be amazed and astonished,H8074H8064H8175H3966H2717H5002H306813for my people have committed two sins: they have turned away from me, the spring of fresh water, and they have dug cisterns, cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.H5971H6213H8147H7451H5800H4726H2416H4325H2672H877H7665H877H3557H432514"Israel is not a slave; he was not born into slavery. Why then do his enemies hunt him down?H3478H5650H1004H3211H4069H95715They have roared at him like lions; they have made his land a desert, and his towns lie in ruins, completely abandoned.H3715H7580H5414H6963H7896H776H8047H5892H3341H342716Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked his skull.H1121H5297H8471H7462H693617Israel, you brought this on yourself ! You deserted me, the LORD your God, while I was leading you along the way.H6213H5800H3068H430H6256H3212H187018What do you think you will gain by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? What do you think you will gain by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?H1870H4714H8354H4325H7883H1870H804H8354H4325H510419Your own evil will punish you, and your turning from me will condemn you. You will learn how bitter and wrong it is to abandon me, the LORD your God, and no longer to remain faithful to me. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken."H7451H3256H4878H3198H3045H7200H7451H4751H5800H3068H430H6345H5002H136H3069H663520The Sovereign LORD says, "Israel, long ago you rejected my authority; you refused to obey me and worship me. On every high hill and under every green tree you worshiped fertility gods.H5769H7665H5923H5423H4147H559H5674H5647H1364H1389H7488H6086H6808H218121I planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. But look what you have become! You are like a rotten, worthless vine.H5193H8321H571H2233H2015H5494H5237H161222Even if you washed with the strongest soap, I would still see the stain of your guilt.H3526H5427H7235H1287H5771H3799H6440H5002H136H306923How can you say you have not defiled yourself, that you have never worshiped Baal? Look how you sinned in the valley; see what you have done. You are like a wild camel in heat, running around loose,H559H2930H1980H310H1168H7200H1870H1516H3045H6213H7031H1072H8308H187024rushing into the desert. When she is in heat, who can control her? No male that wants her has to trouble himself; she is always available in mating season.H6501H3928H4057H7602H7307H185H5315H8385H7725H1245H3286H2320H467225Israel, don't wear your feet out, or let your throat become dry from chasing after other gods. But you say, 'No! I can't turn back. I have loved foreign gods and will go after them.' "H4513H7272H3182H1627H6773H559H2976H157H2114H310H321226The LORD says, "Just as a thief is disgraced when caught, so all you people of Israel will be disgraced - your kings and officials, your priests and prophets.H1590H1322H4672H1004H3478H3001H4428H8269H3548H503027You will all be disgraced - you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.H559H6086H1H68H3205H6437H6203H6440H6256H7451H559H6965H346728"Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? When you are in trouble, let them save you - if they can! Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities.H430H6213H6965H3467H6256H7451H4557H5892H430H306329What is your complaint? Why have you rebelled against me?H7378H6586H5002H306830I punished you, but it did no good; you would not let me correct you. Like a raging lion, you have murdered your prophets.H7723H5221H1121H3947H4148H2719H398H5030H7843H73831People of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Have I been like a desert to you, like a dark and dangerous land? Why, then, do you say that you will do as you please, that you will never come back to me?H1755H7200H1697H3068H4057H3478H776H3991H559H5971H7300H93532Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted.H1330H7911H5716H3618H7196H5971H7911H3117H455733You certainly know how to chase after lovers. Even the worst of women can learn from you.H3190H1870H1245H160H3925H7451H187034Your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and innocent, not with the blood of burglars. "But in spite of all this,H3671H4672H1818H5315H34H5355H4672H429035you say, 'I am innocent; surely the LORD is no longer angry with me.' But I, the LORD, will punish you because you deny that you have sinned.H559H5352H639H7725H8199H559H239836You have cheapened yourself by turning to the gods of other nations. You will be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria.H235H3966H8138H1870H954H4714H954H80437You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame. I, the LORD, have rejected those you trust; you will not gain anything from them."H3318H3027H7218H3068H3988H4009H6743
Columbus, OH
