What does Jeremias Chapter 2 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Remembered espousals contrast with defiled inheritance and failed leaders. Broken cisterns and corrupted vineyard depict abandoned allegiance. Innocent blood and denied sin lead to threatened shame of trust.

Chapter breakdown

Jeremias 2 commands proclamation in Jerusalem recalling youth, espousals and following through unsown desert. Holy firstfruits Israel is protected against devourers. Jacob's families are asked what iniquity their fathers found in the Lord, leaving for vanity instead of remembering deliverance from Egypt and an uninhabited drought land. Entry into Carmel brings defilement; the edition defines Carmel as fruitful, plentiful land. Priests, law holders, pastors and Baal prophets fail, and judgment extends to children.

Cethim and Cedar supply a comparison about nations changing gods, while this people changes glory for an idol. Astonished heavens witness two evils: forsaking living water's fountain and digging broken cisterns. Questions about slave and prey lead to roaring lions, burned cities and humiliation by Memphis and Taphnes. Egypt's troubled water and Assyria's river accompany the bitter rebuke of apostasy. Refused service, hill and tree prostitution and a corrupted chosen vineyard illustrate unfaithfulness. Nitre and borith cannot erase the stain; the edition explains borith's cleansing use.

Denied pollution is challenged by valley ways, a swift runner and wild ass in desire, followed by refusal of the warning about bare feet and thirst because of love of strangers. A caught thief illustrates rulers' shame. Stock and stone are called parents, then the Lord is asked to rescue in affliction; gods as numerous as cities are challenged to deliver. Unheeded correction, prophets devoured by their sword, forgotten ornaments and bride's stomacher lead to innocent poor blood in skirts and denial of sin. Judgment answers this denial. Egypt will shame them like Assyria, with a hand upon the head and destroyed trust. A camel, named rivers, specified exile and a rule that every foreign alliance inevitably fails are not supplied.

The story inside

Opening: Remembered espousals contrast with defiled inheritance and failed leaders. Development: Broken cisterns and corrupted vineyard depict abandoned allegiance. Conclusion: Innocent blood and denied sin lead to threatened shame of trust.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Remembered espousals contrast with defiled inheritance and failed leaders.
2
Broken cisterns and corrupted vineyard depict abandoned allegiance.
3
Innocent blood and denied sin lead to threatened shame of trust.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 84083–84090
2:2. Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown. 2:3. Israel is holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
Lines 84092–84097
2:4. Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel: 2:5. Thus 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?
Lines 84105–84109
2:7. And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land and made my inheritance an abomination. Carmel.... That is, a fruitful, plentiful land.
Lines 84128–84130
2:13. For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Lines 84154–84166
2:20. Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself. 2:21. Yet, I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard? 2:22. Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God. Borith.... An herb used to clean clothes, and take out spots and dirt.
Lines 84184–84190
2:27. Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: Thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us. 2:28. Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
Lines 84213–84223
2:35. And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgment, because thou hast said: I have not sinned. 2:36. How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. 2:37. For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.