Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Jeremiah 2
New International Version

### Israel Forsakes God

2 The word(A) of the Lord came to me: 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,(B)
how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,(C)
through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy(D) to the Lord,(E)
the firstfruits(F) of his harvest;
all who devoured(G) her were held guilty,(H)
and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.

4 Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.

5 This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols(I)
and became worthless(J) themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
who brought us up out of Egypt(K)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts(L) and ravines,(M)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
a land where no one travels(N) and no one lives?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.(O)
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.(P)
8 The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;(Q)
the leaders(R) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,(S)
following worthless idols.(T)

9 “Therefore I bring charges(U) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus(V) and look,
send to Kedar[a](W) and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods(X) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious(Y) God
for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, you heavens,
and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken(Z) me,
the spring of living water,(AA)
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Is Israel a servant, a slave(AB) by birth?
Why then has he become plunder?
15 Lions(AC) have roared;
they have growled at him.
They have laid waste(AD) his land;
his towns are burned(AE) and deserted.(AF)
16 Also, the men of Memphis(AG) and Tahpanhes(AH)
have cracked your skull.
17 Have you not brought this on yourselves(AI)
by forsaking(AJ) the Lord your God
when he led you in the way?
18 Now why go to Egypt(AK)
to drink water from the Nile[b]?(AL)
And why go to Assyria(AM)
to drink water from the Euphrates?(AN)
19 Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding(AO) will rebuke(AP) you.
Consider then and realize
how evil and bitter(AQ) it is for you
when you forsake(AR) the Lord your God
and have no awe(AS) of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke(AT)
and tore off your bonds;(AU)
you said, ‘I will not serve you!’(AV)
Indeed, on every high hill(AW)
and under every spreading tree(AX)
you lay down as a prostitute.(AY)
21 I had planted(AZ) you like a choice vine(BA)
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt,(BB) wild vine?
22 Although you wash(BC) yourself with soap(BD)
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.(BE)
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;(BF)
I have not run after the Baals’?(BG)
See how you behaved in the valley;(BH)
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running(BI) here and there,
24 a wild donkey(BJ) accustomed to the desert,(BK)
sniffing the wind in her craving—
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!(BL)
I love foreign gods,(BM)
and I must go after them.’(BN)

26 “As a thief is disgraced(BO) when he is caught,
so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
their priests(BP) and their prophets.(BQ)
27 They say to wood,(BR) ‘You are my father,’
and to stone,(BS) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs(BT) to me
and not their faces;(BU)
yet when they are in trouble,(BV) they say,
‘Come and save(BW) us!’
28 Where then are the gods(BX) you made for yourselves?
Let them come if they can save you
when you are in trouble!(BY)
For you, Judah, have as many gods
as you have towns.(BZ)

29 “Why do you bring charges against me?
You have all(CA) rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
30 “In vain I punished your people;
they did not respond to correction.(CB)
Your sword has devoured your prophets(CC)
like a ravenous lion.

31 “You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:

“Have I been a desert to Israel
or a land of great darkness?(CD)
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
we will come to you no more’?(CE)
32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten(CF) me,
days without number.
33 How skilled you are at pursuing(CG) love!
Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 On your clothes is found
the lifeblood(CH) of the innocent poor,
though you did not catch them breaking in.(CI)
Yet in spite of all this
35 you say, ‘I am innocent;(CJ)
he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment(CK) on you
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’(CL)
36 Why do you go about so much,
changing(CM) your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt(CN)
as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,(CO)
for the Lord has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped(CP) by them.

#### Footnotes

1. Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
2. Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew Shihor; that is, a branch of the Nile

#### Cross references

1. Jeremiah 2:1 : Isa 38:4; Eze 1:3; Mic 1:1
2. Jeremiah 2:2 : Ps 71:17; Isa 54:4; Jer 3:4; Eze 16:8-14, 60; Hos 2:15; 11:1; Rev 2:4
3. Jeremiah 2:2 : S Ex 13:21; S Dt 1:19
4. Jeremiah 2:3 : S Dt 7:6
5. Jeremiah 2:3 : S Ex 19:6; S Dt 7:6
6. Jeremiah 2:3 : Lev 23:9-14; Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4
7. Jeremiah 2:3 : Isa 41:11; Jer 10:25; 30:16
8. Jeremiah 2:3 : Jer 50:7
9. Jeremiah 2:5 : S Dt 32:21; S 1Sa 12:21; Ps 31:6
10. Jeremiah 2:5 : 2Ki 17:15
11. Jeremiah 2:6 : S Ex 6:6; Hos 13:4
12. Jeremiah 2:6 : S Dt 1:19
13. Jeremiah 2:6 : S Dt 32:10
14. Jeremiah 2:6 : Jer 51:43
15. Jeremiah 2:7 : S Nu 13:27; Dt 8:7-9; 11:10-12
16. Jeremiah 2:7 : Ps 106:34-39; Jer 3:9; 7:30; 16:18; Eze 11:21; 36:17
17. Jeremiah 2:8 : S 1Sa 2:12; Jer 4:22
18. Jeremiah 2:8 : Jer 3:15; 23:1; 25:34; 50:6
19. Jeremiah 2:8 : S 1Ki 18:22
20. Jeremiah 2:8 : ver 25; S Isa 40:19; S 56:10; Jer 5:19; 9:14; 16:19; 22:9
21. Jeremiah 2:9 : Jer 25:31; Hos 4:1; Mic 6:2
22. Jeremiah 2:10 : S Ge 10:4
23. Jeremiah 2:10 : S Ge 25:13
24. Jeremiah 2:11 : S Isa 37:19; Jer 16:20; Gal 4:8
25. Jeremiah 2:11 : S 1Sa 4:21; Ro 1:23
26. Jeremiah 2:13 : S Dt 31:16; S Isa 65:11
27. Jeremiah 2:13 : S Isa 12:3; Jn 4:14
28. Jeremiah 2:14 : Ex 4:22; Jer 31:9
29. Jeremiah 2:15 : Jer 4:7; 50:17
30. Jeremiah 2:15 : S Isa 1:7
31. Jeremiah 2:15 : S 2Ki 25:9
32. Jeremiah 2:15 : S Lev 26:43
33. Jeremiah 2:16 : S Isa 19:13
34. Jeremiah 2:16 : Jer 43:7-9
35. Jeremiah 2:17 : Jer 4:18
36. Jeremiah 2:17 : S Isa 1:28; Jer 17:13; 19:4
37. Jeremiah 2:18 : S Isa 30:2
38. Jeremiah 2:18 : S Jos 13:3
39. Jeremiah 2:18 : S 2Ki 16:7; Hos 5:13; 7:11; 8:9
40. Jeremiah 2:18 : S Isa 7:20
41. Jeremiah 2:19 : Jer 3:11, 22; 7:24; 11:10; 14:7; Hos 14:4
42. Jeremiah 2:19 : Isa 3:9; 59:12; Hos 5:5
43. Jeremiah 2:19 : S Job 20:14; Am 8:10
44. Jeremiah 2:19 : Jer 19:4
45. Jeremiah 2:19 : S Ps 36:1
46. Jeremiah 2:20 : S Lev 26:13
47. Jeremiah 2:20 : Ps 2:3; Jer 5:5
48. Jeremiah 2:20 : S Job 21:14
49. Jeremiah 2:20 : Isa 57:7; Jer 3:23; 17:2
50. Jeremiah 2:20 : S Dt 12:2
51. Jeremiah 2:20 : S Isa 1:21; Eze 16:15
52. Jeremiah 2:21 : S Ex 15:17
53. Jeremiah 2:21 : S Ps 80:8
54. Jeremiah 2:21 : S Isa 5:4
55. Jeremiah 2:22 : S Ps 51:2; La 1:8, 17
56. Jeremiah 2:22 : S Job 9:30
57. Jeremiah 2:22 : Jer 17:1
58. Jeremiah 2:23 : S Pr 30:12
59. Jeremiah 2:23 : ver 25; Jer 9:14; 23:27
60. Jeremiah 2:23 : S 2Ki 23:10; Jer 7:31; 19:2; 31:40
61. Jeremiah 2:23 : ver 33; Jer 31:22
62. Jeremiah 2:24 : S Ge 16:12; Jer 14:6
63. Jeremiah 2:24 : S Job 39:6
64. Jeremiah 2:25 : S Isa 57:10
65. Jeremiah 2:25 : Dt 32:16; Jer 3:13; 14:10
66. Jeremiah 2:25 : S ver 8,S 23
67. Jeremiah 2:26 : Jer 48:27; La 1:7; Eze 16:54; 36:4
68. Jeremiah 2:26 : Eze 22:26
69. Jeremiah 2:26 : Jer 32:32; 44:17, 21
70. Jeremiah 2:27 : Jer 10:8
71. Jeremiah 2:27 : Jer 3:9
72. Jeremiah 2:27 : S 1Ki 14:9; S 2Ch 29:6; Ps 14:3; Eze 8:16
73. Jeremiah 2:27 : Jer 18:17; 32:33; Eze 7:22
74. Jeremiah 2:27 : Jdg 10:10; Isa 26:16
75. Jeremiah 2:27 : Isa 37:20; Hos 5:15
76. Jeremiah 2:28 : S Isa 45:20
77. Jeremiah 2:28 : S Dt 32:37; S Isa 40:19
78. Jeremiah 2:28 : S 2Ki 17:29
79. Jeremiah 2:29 : Jer 5:1; 6:13; Da 9:11; Mic 3:11; 7:2
80. Jeremiah 2:30 : S Lev 26:23
81. Jeremiah 2:30 : S Ne 9:26; S Jer 11:21; Ac 7:52; 1Th 2:15
82. Jeremiah 2:31 : Isa 45:19
83. Jeremiah 2:31 : S Job 21:14
84. Jeremiah 2:32 : S Dt 32:18; S Isa 57:11
85. Jeremiah 2:33 : S ver 23
86. Jeremiah 2:34 : S 2Ki 21:16; S Pr 6:17
87. Jeremiah 2:34 : S Ex 22:2
88. Jeremiah 2:35 : S Pr 30:12
89. Jeremiah 2:35 : Isa 66:16; Jer 25:31; 39:7; 45:5; Eze 17:20; 20:35; Joel 3:2
90. Jeremiah 2:35 : S 2Sa 12:13; 1Jn 1:8, 10
91. Jeremiah 2:36 : Jer 31:22
92. Jeremiah 2:36 : S Ps 108:12; S Isa 30:2, 3, 7; Jer 37:7
93. Jeremiah 2:37 : 2Sa 13:19
94. Jeremiah 2:37 : Jer 37:7

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles