OET-RV JER Chapter 2

2 Then Yahweh gave me a message 2 to proclaim to Yerushalem’s ears:

“Yahweh says: I remember your loyal commitment when you were all young

≈ and your love when you were committed to me.

You all followed after me in the wilderness where no crops were planted.

3 Yisrael was set apart for Yahweh—the firstfruits of his harvest.

All those who devoured it became guilty—calamity came to them.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

4 Listen to Yahweh’s message you descendants of Yakov (Jacob),

≈ and all you clans that are part of Yisrael (Israel).

5 Yahweh asks: what injustices did you ancestors find in me,

that caused them to become distant from me.

They chased after vanity and became vain.

6 They didn’t try to find out where Yahweh was—

the one brought led them out of Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim)

then led them through the wilderness with its pits and desert areas.

It was a region of deep darkness without water—

an area that no one passes through, let alone lives in.

7 Then I took you to the Carmel region

to eat its fruit and other good things.

However you came and defiled my land

≈ and made the inheritance that I gave you into something detestable.

8 The priests didn’t ask where Yahweh was,

and the handlers of the law didn’t know me.

The shepherds rebelled against me,

and the prophets prophesied by Ba’al

and they went after things that wouldn’t profit them.

9 Yahweh declares: I will bring a case against you all,

and I’ll contend against your children and your grandchildren.

10 If you all cross over west to the coasts of Cypress island and look,

or head east to Kedar, ask around and pay careful attention

to see if something like this has ever happened before.

11 Has a country ever swapped out its gods (not that they were actual gods)?

But my people have exchanged their greatness for something of no benefit.

12 You heavens, be appalled and shudder.

≈ Become utterly desolate.

That’s what Yahweh says

13 because my people have done two evil things:

1. They’ve abandoned the spring of living water

and 2. They’ve gone and dug wells for themselves—broken cisterns that can’t hold any water.

14 Is Yisrael a slave? Was it born into slavery?

Why has it been carried off as plunder?

15 Young lions roared at it—

≈ they’ve made their voice heard.

They’ve made the land into wasteland—

≈ its cities have become ruins without any inhabitants.

16 Also the people from Memphis (Heb. Nof) and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.

17 Didn’t you bring this on yourself by abandoning your god, Yahweh

at the time when he was leading you along the right path.

18 So now, what’s the point of travelling to Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim) to drink from Shihor’s waters?

≈ And why bother taking a trip to Assyria (Heb. Ashshur) to drink the river water?

19 Your own wickedness will punish you

≈ and your turning away will rebuke you.

So see and know that it’s evil and bitter to abandon your god Yahweh,

and you no longer have respect for me.

That’s Commander-in-chief Yahweh’s declaration.

20 I broke off your yoke from long ago.

≈ I tore your chains to pieces and you said that you wouldn’t disobey,

because you’d been lying down with prostitutes on every high hill and under every leafy tree.

21 I myself had planted you as a choice vine from a reliable seed,

but how you’ve changed yourself into some degenerate, wild vine,

22 because even if you wash yourself with bleach or use heaps of soap,

your guilt remains as a stain in front of me.

That is the declaration of my master, Yahweh.

23 How can you say, ‘I’m not defiled—I haven’t worshipped the Baals’?

Consider your conduct in the valley.

≈ Recognise what you’ve done:

behaving like a young, female camel that flits here and there.

24 You’re like a wild, female donkey, accustomed to the wilderness in its desire for the wind.

No one can hold her back when she’s in heat.

All those searching for her won’t give up trying to find her at mating time.

25 Keep your feet from becoming bare, and your throat from thirst,

but you’ve said that it’s hopeless,

as you love foreign gods and feel obliged to follow them.

26 It’s like the shame felt by a thief who gets caught.

So too, you Israelis will be shamed:

the people, their kings and officials, and their priests and prophets

27 who say to the tree, ‘You’re my father,’

and to the standing stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’

Yes, they show their backs to me, not their faces,

but when calamity comes, they’ll say, ‘Do something and rescue us!’

28 So where then are the gods that you made for yourself?

Let them take action if they can save you at the time of your calamity,

because you have as many gods and you have cities in Yehudah (Judah).

29 Why do you all complain to me, when all of you have rebelled against me?

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

30 It was a waste of time when I beat your sons—they wouldn’t accept discipline.

You’ve all killed your prophets like a destructive lion.

31 You in this generation, pay attention to Yahweh’s message.

Have I been a wilderness to Yisrael, or a land of thick darkness?

Why would my people say that they’ve now gone their own ways

and so won’t come back to me again?

32 Would a young woman forget to wear her jewelry,

≈ or a bride forget to wear her wedding sashes?

However my people have forgotten me for such a long time.

33 You’ve become very good at finding love—

you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!

34 The blood of innocent, poor people was even found on your clothes—

it wasn’t because you caught them breaking in, but you did it anyway

35 then you said, ‘But I’m innocent—surely he’s not angry at me.’

Listen, I’m about to judge you because you said that you didn’t sin.

36 Why are you constantly changing your alliances?

You’ll be disappointed by Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim) just like you were disappointed by Assyria (Heb. Ashshur).

37 What’s more, you’ll be removed from this place will your hands on your head,

because Yahweh has rejected the ones that you put your confidence in

→ and they won’t be of any help to you.