1. His Earliest Oracles. (II. 2-IV. 4.)

These bear few marks of the later date at which they were dictated by Jeremiah—in fact only a probable reference to Egypt’s invasion of Palestine in 608, Ch. II. 16, and part, if not all, of Ch. III. 6-18. The general theme is a historical retrospect—Israel’s early loyalty to her God, and her subsequent declension to the worship of other gods, figured as adultery; along with a profession of penitence by the people, to which God responds by a stern call to a deeper repentance and thorough reform; failing this, her doom, though vaguely described as yet, is inevitable. The nation is addressed as a whole at first in the second person singular feminine, but soon also in the plural, and the plural prevails towards the end. The nation answers as a whole, sometimes as I but sometimes also as We.

Before expounding the truths conveyed by these early Oracles it is well to translate them in full, for though not originally uttered at the same time, they run now in a continuous stream of verse—save for one of those “portages” of prose which I have described.(137) There is no reason for denying the whole of this passage to Jeremiah, whether because it is in prose or because it treats of Northern Israel as well as Judah.(138) But on parts of it the colours are distinctly of a period later than that of the Prophet. All the rest of the Oracles may be taken to be from himself. Duhm after much hesitation has come to doubt the genuineness of Ch. II. 5-13, but his suspicions of deuteronomic influence seem groundless, and even if they were sound they would be insufficient for denying the verses to Jeremiah.(139)

II. 1, 2, And he said, Thus sayeth the Lord:(140)

I remember the troth of thy youth, Thy love as a bride, Thy following Me through the desert, The land unsown. Holy to the Lord was Israel, 3 First-fruit of His income; All that would eat it stood guilty, Evil came on them. Rede of the Lord— Hear the Lord’s Word, House of Jacob, 4 All clans of Israel’s race! [Thus sayeth the Lord] 5 What wrong found your fathers in Me, That so far they broke from Me, And following after the Bubble(141) Bubbles became. Nor said they: 6 Where is the Lord who carried us up From the land of Miṣraim?(142) Who led us through the desert, Land of waste and chasms, Land of drought and barren,(143) A land which nobody crosses, Nor mankind settles upon it. And I brought you into a garden, 7 To feed on its fruit and its wealth. But coming ye fouled My land, My heritage turned to loathing. The priests never said, 8 Where is the Lord? They who handle the Law knew Me not, The rulers(144) rebelled against Me; By Baal the prophets did prophesy, And followed the worthless. So still with you must I strive,(145) 9 And strive with your sons.(146) For cross to the isles of Kittîm and look 10 Send to Kedár, and think for yourselves,(147) And see, was ever like this? Have any nations(148) changed their gods, 11 And these no gods at all? Yet My people exchanged their(149) Glory For that which is worthless. Be heavy,(150) O heavens, for this, 12 Shudder and shudder again! Twain the wrongs My people have wrought— 13 Me have they left, The Fount of live water, To hew themselves cisterns, Cisterns broken, That cannot hold water!

Israel a slave! 14 Or house-born serf! Why he for a prey? Against him the young lions roar, 15 Give forth their voice, And his land they lay waste, Burned are his towns and tenantless. The sons, too, of Noph and Taḥpanḥes have forced, 16 Have abused thee.(151) Is not all this being done thee 17 For thy leaving of Me?(152) And now what to thee is the road to Miṣraim,(153) Nile’s waters to drink? Or what is to thee the road to Asshúr, 18 To drink of the River? Be thy scourge thine own sin, 19 Thy doublings convict thee! Know and see how sore for thyself, How bitter to leave Me! But never was awe of Me thine— Rede of the Lord thy God.(154)

From of old thou hast broken thy yoke, 20 Hast burst thy bonds, Saying, “I will not serve!” While upon every high hill, And under each rustling tree, Harlot thou sprawlest! Yet a noble vine did I plant thee, 21 Wholly true seed; How could’st thou change to a corrupt,(155) A wildling grape? Yea, though thou scour thee with nitre, 22 And heap to thee lye, Ingrained is thy guilt before Me, Rede of the Lord, thy God.(156) How sayest thou, “I’m not defiled, 23 Nor gone after the Baals.” Look at thy ways in the Valley, And own thy deeds! A young camel, light o’ heel,(157) Zig-zagging her tracks, A heifer, schooled to the desert— 24 In the heat of her lust, Snapping the wind in her passion, Who is to turn her? None that would seek her need strain them, In her month they shall find her. Save thou thy feet from the peeling, 25 Thy throat from thirst! But thou sayest, “No use!(158) For with strangers I’m fallen in love, Them must I after!” Like the shame of the thief when he’s caught, 26 Shall Israel’s sons(159) be shamed. [They and their kings and their princes, Their priests and their prophets](160) Who say to a stock “Thou my Father!” 27 To a stone “Thou hast borne me!” Their(161) backs they have turned to Me Never their(162) faces. Yet in time of their trouble they say “Rise up and save us!” Where be thy gods thou hast made thee? 28 Let them rise, if so they may save thee In time of thy trouble; For as thy townships in number,(163) So be, O Judah, thy gods! What quarrel have you against Me? 29 All you are the sinners;(164) Against Me you all have rebelled— Rede of the Lord. In vain have I smitten your sons 30 Ye(165) took not correction Your(166) sword has devoured your prophets, Like a ravaging lion. O generation—you!—look at the Word of the Lord!(167) 31 Have I been a desert to Israel, Or land of thick darkness? Why say My folk “We are off, No more to meet Thee!” Can a maiden forget her adorning, 32 Or her girdle a bride? Yet Me have My people forgotten, Days without number! Why trimmest thou still thy ways 33 To seek after love? Therefore thou also to evil Thy ways hast trained:(168) Yea, on thy skirts is found blood 34 Of innocent souls, Not only on felons(?) I find it But over all these.(169) Yet thou said’st, “I am assoiled, 35 Sure His wrath turns from me!” Behold I am going to judge thee For saying, “I’m sinless!” How very light dost thou take it, 36 To change thy ways! E’en of Miṣraim shalt thou be ashamed(170) As ashamed of Ashshúr. Out of this too shalt thou come 37 With thy hands on thy head, For spurned hath the Lord the things of thy trust, Not by them shalt thou prosper!

III. 1. [Saying]:—If a man dismiss his wife and she go from him and become another man’s, shall she return to him?(171) Is that woman(172) not too polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers and—wouldest return unto Me? Rede of the Lord.

Lift to the clearings thine eyes, 2 Where not wast thou tumbled? For them by the roads thou hast sate, Like an Arab in desert, Thou hast fouled the land with thy whoredoms And with thy vices; With thy lovers so many 3 It has meant but thy snare.(173) The brow of a harlot was thine, Shame thou hadst done with. But now—thou callest me “Father, 4 Friend of my youth!” “Bears He a grudge for ever, 5 Stands on His guard for aye?”(174) Lo, so thou hast spoken, yet done Ills to thine utmost.