2:1 The word of the LORD came to me:
2:2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.
2:3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the LORD.
2:4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.
2:5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
2:6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
2:7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
2:8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
2:9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
2:10 Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
2:11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.
2:12 Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.
2:13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
2:14 Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
2:15 Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.
2:16 Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
2:17 Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?
2:18 Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Shihor? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the River?
2:19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
2:20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
2:21 I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
2:22 Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.
2:23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
2:24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, 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.
2:25 Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, ‘It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
2:26 “As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced–they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets.
2:27 They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
2:28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.
2:29 “Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.
2:30 “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.
2:31 “You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?
2:32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.
2:33 How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
2:34 On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this
2:35 you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
2:36 Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.
2:37 You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.
2:1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
2:2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Jehovah: / I remember concerning you the kindness of your youth, / The love of your bridal days, / When you followed after Me in the wilderness, / In a land that was not sown.
2:3 Israel was holiness to Jehovah, / The firstfruits of His increase; / All who ate of it were guilty; / Evil came upon them, / Declares Jehovah.
2:4 Hear the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.
2:5 Thus says Jehovah: / What iniquity did your fathers find in Me / That they went far away from Me / And walked after vanity / And became vain?
2:6 And they did not say, Where is Jehovah, / Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, / Who brought us through the wilderness, / Through a land of deserts and pits, / Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, / Through a land that no one passes through / And where no man dwells?
2:7 And I brought you into the land of the fruited field, / To eat its fruit and its goodness. / But you came and defiled My land / And made My inheritance an abomination.
2:8 The priests did not say, / Where is Jehovah? / And those who handle the law did not know Me, / And the shepherds transgressed against Me, / And the prophets prophesied by Baal / And followed after things that did not benefit them.
2:9 Therefore I will yet contend with you, declares Jehovah; / And with your children s children I will contend.
2:10 For pass over to the coastlands of Kittim and see, / And send someone to Kedar and consider carefully, / And see if there has ever been anything like this.
2:11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods, / Even though they are no gods? / But My people have exchanged their glory / For that which does not benefit them.
2:12 Be appalled at this, O heavens, / And be horrified; be very desolate, / Declares Jehovah.
2:13 For My people have committed two evils: / They have forsaken Me, / The fountain of living waters, / To hew out for themselves cisterns, / Broken cisterns, / Which hold no water.
2:14 Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn slave? / Why has he become a prey?
2:15 The young lions roared over him; / They sounded their voices. / And they have made his land a waste; / His cities are burned, without inhabitant.
2:16 Also the children of Memphis and Tahpanhes / Have shaved the crown of your head.
2:17 Have you not done this to yourself / By your forsaking Jehovah your God / When He was leading you in the way?
2:18 And now what do you have on the road to Egypt, / To drink the waters of the Shihor? / And what do you have on the road to Assyria, / To drink the waters of the River?
2:19 Your own wickedness will correct you, / And your apostasies will reprove you. / Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, / That you have forsaken Jehovah your God / And that My fear is not in you, / Declares the Lord Jehovah of hosts.
2:20 For long ago you broke your yoke; / You tore off your bonds; / And you said, I will not serve! / Indeed upon every high hill / And under every flourishing tree / You have lain down, you have committed fornication.
2:21 Yet I, I had planted you as a choice vine, / Wholly a faithful seed. / How then have you turned yourself before Me / Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
2:22 For though you wash yourself with lye / And make use of much soap, / Your iniquity remains as a stain before Me, / Declares the Lord Jehovah.
2:23 How can you say, I am not defiled; / I have not gone after the Baals? / Look at your way in the valley; / Know what you have done. / You are like a swift young camel entangling her ways,
2:24 Like a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, / Panting after the wind in her desire. / In her passion who can turn her away? / None that seek her will weary themselves: / They will find her in her month.
2:25 Keep your foot from being unshod / And your throat from thirst; / But you said, It is hopeless. / No! For I have loved strangers, / And I will go after them.
2:26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, / So the house of Israel is ashamed ? / They, their kings, their princes, / And their priests and their prophets,
2:27 Who say to a tree, You are my father; / And to a stone, You have brought me forth ? / For they have turned their back to Me, / And not their faces. / Yet in a time of their trouble they will say, / Arise and save us.
2:28 But where are your gods, whom you made for yourselves? / Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; / For according to the number of your cities / Are your gods, O Judah.
2:29 Why do you contend with Me? / You have all transgressed against Me, / Declares Jehovah.
2:30 In vain I have stricken your children: / They have taken no correction. / Your own sword has devoured your prophets / Like a destroying lion.
2:31 O generation, attend to the word of Jehovah: / Have I been a wilderness to Israel, / Or a land of deep darkness? / Why do My people say, We roam about; / We will no longer come to You?
2:32 Can the virgin forget her ornaments, / Or the bride her attire? / But My people have forgotten Me / For days without number.
2:33 How you prepare your ways / To seek love! / Therefore you have even taught / Wicked women your ways.
2:34 Also on your skirts is found / The lifeblood of the innocent poor. / You did not find them breaking in, / But killed them because of all these things.
2:35 But you said, I am innocent; / Surely His anger will turn from me. / I am about to enter into judgment with you, / Because you say, I have not sinned.
2:36 Why do you go about so much / To change your way? / You will be put to shame by Egypt also, / Even as you were put to shame by Assyria.
2:37 Indeed, from it you will go forth / With your hands upon your head; / For Jehovah has rejected those in whom you trust, / And you will not prosper by them.