Jeremiah 1:15-2:10

New International Version

¹⁵I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
    in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
    and against all the towns of Judah.^(A)
¹⁶I will pronounce my judgments^(B) on my people
    because of their wickedness^(C) in forsaking me,^(D)
in burning incense to other gods^(E)
    and in worshiping^(F) what their hands have made.^(G)

¹⁷“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say^(H) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified^(I) by them, or I will terrify you before them. ¹⁸Today I have made you^(J) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you but will not overcome^(K) you, for I am with you^(L) and will rescue^(M) you,” declares the Lord.

Israel Forsakes God

2 The word^(N) of the Lord came to me: ²“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,^(O)
    how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,^(P)
    through a land not sown.
³Israel was holy^(Q) to the Lord,^(R)
    the firstfruits^(S) of his harvest;
all who devoured^(T) her were held guilty,^(U)
    and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.

⁴Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.

⁵This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
    that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols^(V)
    and became worthless^(W) themselves.
⁶They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
    who brought us up out of Egypt^(X)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
    through a land of deserts^(Y) and ravines,^(Z)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
    a land where no one travels^(AA) and no one lives?’
⁷I brought you into a fertile land
    to eat its fruit and rich produce.^(AB)
But you came and defiled my land
    and made my inheritance detestable.^(AC)
⁸The priests did not ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;^(AD)
    the leaders^(AE) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,^(AF)
    following worthless idols.^(AG)

⁹“Therefore I bring charges^(AH) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
    “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
¹⁰Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus^(AI) and look,
    send to Kedar^[a]^(AJ) and observe closely;
    see if there has ever been anything like this: