Jeremiah 2:5

Faith Sin

³ Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.

⁴ Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.

This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

⁶ They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

⁷ I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?
KJV: 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?
WEB: The LORD says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?
ASV: thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
DARBY: Thus saith Jehovah: What injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?
BLB: Thus says YHWH, “What injustice did your⁺ fathers find in Me, that they have gone far away from Me, and went after the empty, and became empty?

ÅB: Så sier Herren: Hva urett har deres fedre funnet hos meg, siden de gikk langt bort fra meg og fulgte de tomme guder og ble selv tomme?
OTB: Dette sier Herren: "Hva fant deres forfedre mangelfullt i meg, at de vandret så langt fra meg? De fulgte verdiløse avguder og ble verdiløse selv.
B1930: Så sier Herren: Hvad urett har eders fedre funnet hos mig, siden de gikk langt bort fra mig og fulgte de tomme guder og blev selv tomme?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Kings 17:15
They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and themselves became worthless, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.
Read in context
Romans 1:21
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
Read in context
Jonah 2:8
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.
Read in context
Jeremiah 10:14–15
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
Read in context
Psalms 115:8
Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.
Read in context
Isaiah 44:9
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Read in context
Jeremiah 51:17–18
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
Read in context
1 Samuel 12:21
Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.
Read in context