Chapter 2

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,²

Go² and cry¹ in the ears of Jerusalem, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD; I remember¹ thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest² after me in the wilderness, in a land [that was] not sown.⁷

Israel [was] holiness unto the LORD, [and] the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour⁶ him shall offend;⁴ evil shall come⁴ upon them, saith⁷ the LORD.

Hear³ ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

Thus saith¹ the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found¹ in me, that they are gone far¹ from me, and have walked⁴ after vanity, and are become vain?⁴

Neither said¹ they, Where [is] the LORD that brought us up⁵⁶ out of the land of Egypt, that led⁵⁶ 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 passed¹ through, and where no man dwelt?¹

And I brought⁵⁵ you into a plentiful country, to eat² the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered,⁴ ye defiled¹⁷ my land, and made¹ mine heritage an abomination.

The priests said¹ not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle⁶ the law knew¹ me not: the pastors⁶ also transgressed¹ against me, and the prophets prophesied⁸ by Baal, and walked¹ after [things that] do not profit.⁵⁵

Wherefore I will yet plead⁴ with you, saith⁷ the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.⁴

For pass over³ the isles of Chittim, and see;³ and send³ unto Kedar, and consider¹¹² diligently, and see³ if there be such a thing.

Hath a nation changed⁵² [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed⁵² their glory for [that which] doth not profit.⁵⁵

Be astonished,³ O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid,³ be ye very desolate,³ saith⁷ the LORD.

For my people have committed¹ two evils; they have forsaken¹ me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out² cisterns, broken¹² cisterns, that can hold⁵⁵ no water.

[Is] Israel a servant? [is] he a homeborn ³²¹¹ [slave]? why is he spoiled?

The young lions roared⁴ upon him, [and] yelled,^{1 6963} and they made⁴ his land waste: his cities are burned⁸ without inhabitant.⁶

Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken⁴ the crown of thy head.

Hast thou not procured⁴ this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken² the LORD thy God, when he led⁵⁶ thee by the way?

And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink² the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink² the waters of the river?

Thine own wickedness shall correct¹⁷ thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove⁵⁵ thee: know³ therefore and see³ that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken² the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith⁷ the Lord GOD of hosts.

For of old time I have broken¹ thy yoke, [and] burst¹⁴ thy bands; and thou saidst,⁴ I will not transgress;^{4 5647 4} when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest,⁶ playing the harlot.⁶

Yet I had planted¹ thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned⁸ into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

For though thou wash¹⁷ thee with nitre, and take thee much⁵⁵ soap, [yet] thine iniquity is marked¹² before me, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

How canst thou say,⁴ I am not polluted,⁸ I have not gone¹ after Baalim? see³ thy way in the valley, know³ what thou hast done:¹ [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing¹⁸ her ways;

A wild ass used to the wilderness, [that] snuffeth up¹ the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away?⁵⁵ all they that seek¹⁸ her will not weary⁴ themselves; in her month they shall find⁴ her.

Withhold³ thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst,⁴ There is no hope:¹² no; for I have loved¹ strangers,⁵ and after them will I go.⁴

As the thief is ashamed when he is found,¹¹ so is the house of Israel ashamed;⁵² they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

Saying⁶ to a stock, Thou [art] my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth:¹ for they have turned¹ [their] back unto me, and not [their] face: but in the time of their trouble they will say,⁴ Arise,³ and save⁵⁴ us.

But where [are] thy gods that thou hast made¹ thee? let them arise,⁴ if they can save⁵⁵ thee in the time of thy trouble: for [according to] the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

Wherefore will ye plead⁴ with me? ye all have transgressed¹ against me, saith⁷ the LORD.

In vain have I smitten⁵² your children; they received¹ no correction: your own sword hath devoured¹ your prophets, like a destroying⁵⁶ lion.

O generation, see³ ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say¹ my people, We are lords;¹ we will come⁴ no more unto thee?

Can a maid forget⁴ her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten¹ me days without number.

Why trimmest⁵⁵ thou thy way to seek¹⁵ love? therefore hast thou also taught¹⁴ the wicked ones thy ways.

Also in thy skirts is found⁸ the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found¹ it by secret search, but upon all these.

Yet thou sayest,⁴ Because I am innocent,⁸ surely his anger shall turn¹ from me. Behold, I will plead¹² with thee, because thou sayest,² I have not sinned.¹

Why gaddest thou about⁴ so much to change¹⁵ thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed⁴ of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed¹ of Assyria.

Yea, thou shalt go forth⁴ from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected¹ thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper⁵⁵ in them.