Jeremiah2

The LORD recalls Israel's initial devotion and faithfulness in the wilderness, contrasting it sharply with their subsequent apostasy. He laments that His people have committed two evils: forsaking Him, the fountain of living waters, and hewing out broken cisterns of idolatry. Despite His past deliverance and provision, Israel has become degenerate, pursuing foreign gods and alliances, which will ultimately lead to shame and desolation.

God Recalls Israel's Early Love

1
Moreover, the woorde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,
2
Goe, and crie in the eares of Ierusalem, saying, Thus sayeth the Lord, I remember thee, with the kindenes of thy youth and the loue of thy marriage, when thou wentest after me in the wildernes in a lande that was not sowen.
3
Israel was as a thing halowed vnto the Lord, and his first fruits: all they that eat it, shall offend: euil shall come vpon them, saith the Lord.

Israel Has Forsaken the Lord

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Heare ye the word of the Lord, O house of Iaakob, and all the families of the house of Israel.
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Thus sayeth the Lord, What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee, that they are gone farre from mee, and haue walked after vanitie, and are become vaine?
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For they saide not, Where is the Lord that brought vs vp out of the lande of Egypt? that led vs through the wildernesse, through a desert, and waste land, through a drie land, and by the shadow of death, by a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
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And I brought you into a plentifull countrey, to eat the fruit thereof, and the commodities of the same: but when yee entred, yee defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
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The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that should minister the Lawe, knewe me not: the pastours also offended against me, and the Prophets prophesied in Baal, and went after things that did not profite.

The Uniqueness of Israel's Sin

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Wherefore I wil yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and I will pleade with your childrens children.
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For goe ye to the yles of Chittim, and beholde, and sende vnto Kedar. and take diligent heede, and see whether there be such things.
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Hath any nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but my people haue chaged their glorie, for that which doeth not profite.
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O yee heauens, be astonied at this: bee afraid and vtterly confounded, sayeth the Lord.
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For my people haue committed two euils: they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters, to digge them pittes, euen broken pittes, that can holde no water.

Sin Brings Its Own Punishment

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Is Israel a seruaunt, or is hee borne in the house? why then is he spoiled?
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The lions roared vpon him and yelled, and they haue made his land waste: his cities are burnt without an inhabitant.
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Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes haue broken thine head.
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Hast not thou procured this vnto thy selfe, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?
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And what hast thou now to do in the way of Egypt? to drinke the water of Nilus? or what makest thou in the way of Asshur? to drinke the water of the Riuer?
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Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee, and thy turnings backe shall reprooue thee: know therefore and beholde, that it is an euil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not in thee, sayeth the Lord God of hostes.

Shameful and Stubborn Idolatry

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For of olde time I haue broken thy yoke, and burst thy bondes, and thou saidest, I will no more transgresse, but like an harlot thou runnest about vpon al hie hilles, and vnder all greene trees.
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Yet I had planted thee, a noble vine, whose plants were all natural: howe then art thou turned vnto me into the plants of a strange vine?
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Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much sope, yet thine iniquitie is marked before me, sayeth the Lord God.
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Howe canst thou say, I am not polluted, neither haue I followed Baalim? beholde thy waies in the valley, and know, what thou hast done: thou art like a swift dromedarie, that runneth by his waies.
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And as a wilde asse, vsed to the wildernesse, that snuffeth vp the winde by occasion at her pleasure: who can turne her backe? all they that seeke her, will not wearie themselues, but wil finde her in her moneth.
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Keepe thou thy feete from barenes, and thy throte from thirst: but thou saidest desperately, No, for I haue loued strangers, and them will I follow.
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As the theefe is ashamed, when he is foud, so is the house of Israel ashamed, they, their kings, their princes and their Priests, and their Prophets,
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Saying to a tree, Thou art my father, and to a stone, Thou hast begotten me: for they haue turned their back vnto me, and not their face: but in ye time of their troble they wil say, Arise, and help vs.
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But where are thy gods, that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can helpe thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the nomber of thy cities, are thy gods, O Iudah.

Denial of Guilt and Final Warning

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Wherefore wil ye pleade with me? ye all haue rebelled against me, sayeth the Lord.
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I haue smitten your children in vaine, they receiued no correction: your owne sworde hath deuoured your Prophets like a destroying lyon.
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O generation, take heede to the worde of the Lord: haue I bene as a wildernesse vnto Israel? or a lande of darkenesse? Wherefore sayeth my people then, We are lordes, we will come no more vnto thee?
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Can a maid forget her ornament, or a bride her attire? yet my people haue forgotten me, daies without number.
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Why doest thou prepare thy way, to seeke amitie? euen therefore will I teach thee, that thy waies are wickednesse.
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Also in thy wings is founde the bloud of the soules of ye poore innocents: I haue not found it in holes, but vpon all these places.
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Yet thou saiest, Because I am giltles, surely his wrath shall turne from mee: beholde, I will enter with thee into iudgement, because thou saiest, I haue not sinned.
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Why runnest thou about so much to change thy waies? for thou shalt be confounded of Egypt, as thou art confounded of Asshur.
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For thou shalt goe foorth from thence, and thine hands vpon thine head, because the Lord hath reiected thy confidence, and thou shalt not prosper thereby.
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