Jeremiah 2:4-8

New Century Version

⁴ Hear the word of the Lord, family of Jacob,
    all you family groups of Israel.

“I was fair to your ancestors,
    so why did they turn away from me?
Your ancestors worshiped useless idols
    and became useless themselves.
⁶ Your ancestors didn’t say,
    ‘Where is the Lord who brought us out of Egypt?
He led us through the desert,
    through a dry and rocky land,
through a dark and dangerous land.
    He led us where no one travels or lives.’
⁷ I brought you into a fertile land
    so you could eat its fruit and produce.
But you came and made my land unclean;
    you made it a hateful place.
⁸ The priests didn’t ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
The people who know the teachings didn’t know me.
    The leaders turned against me.
The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal
    and worshiped useless idols.