Jeremiah 2

Jeremiah · Chapter 2

Jeremiah 2:5

1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.3Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.4Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?6Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?7And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.8The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.9Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.10For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.14Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?15The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.16Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.17Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?18And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?19Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.20For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?22For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.23How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;24A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.26As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,27Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.28But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.29Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.30In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.31O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?32Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.33Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.34Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.35Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.36Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.37Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?Thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
thusכֹּ֣ה׀kohH3541
thus

כֹּה (koh) 1) thus, here, in this manner 1a) thus, so 1b) here, here and there 1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

he saysאָמַ֣ר'a-MARH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Yahwehיְהוָ֗הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

what?מַה־mah-H4100
what

מָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes)

did they findמָּצְא֨וּma-tze-'UH4672
to find

מָצָא (ma.tsa) 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in …

ancestors yourאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֥ם'a-vo-tei-KHEMH0001G
father

אָב (av) 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

injusticeעָ֔וֶל'A-velH5766A
injustice

עָ֫וֶל (e.vel) injustice, unrighteousness Another spelling of av.lah (עַוְלָה "injustice" H5766B)

thatכִּ֥יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

they became distantרָחֲק֖וּra-cha-KUH7368
to remove

רָחַק (ra.chaq) v 1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away 1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant 1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far 1c2) to remove, put far away 2) (Niphal) loose v inf (as adv) 3) at a distance

from with the meמֵעָלָ֑יme-'a-LAIH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

and they walkedוַיֵּֽלְכ֛וּvai-ye-le-KHUH1980N
to go: went

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) : went/go[away] 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to walk 1b2) to walk (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to traverse 1c2) to walk about 1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

afterאַחֲרֵ֥י'a-cha-REIH0310A
after

אַחַר (a.char) 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after

the vanityהַהֶ֖בֶלha-HE-velH1892
vanity

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly

and they became vainוַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃vai-yeh-BA-luH1891
to become vain

הָבַל (ha.val) 1) to act emptily, become vain, be vain 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become vain 1a2) to be utterly vain (with cognate acc) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to become vain 1b2) to fill with vain hopes

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.