Jeremiah 13

1Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

3And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,

4Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

7Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

8Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.footnote a

11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

12Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.footnote bfootnote c

15Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

16Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock is carried away captive.

18Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.footnote d

19The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

20Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

21What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?footnote e

22And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.footnote f

23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.footnote g

24Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

25This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

27I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?footnote h

The Linen Loincloth

1This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”

2So I bought a loincloth in accordance with the word of the LORD, and I put it around my waist.

3Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time: 4“Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go at once to Perathfootnote a and hide it there in a crevice of the rocks.”

5So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD had commanded me.

6Many days later the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to Perath, and get the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” 7So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth, and I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But now it was ruined—of no use at all.

8Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9“This is what the LORD says: In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this loincloth—of no use at all.

11For just as a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I have made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me, declares the LORD, so that they might be My people for My renown and praise and glory. But they did not listen.

The Wineskins

12Therefore you are to tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every wineskin shall be filled with wine.’
And when they reply, ‘Don’t we surely know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13then you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem. 14I will smash them against one another, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no mercy or pity or compassion to keep Me from destroying them.’”

Captivity Threatened

15Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant,for the LORD has spoken. 16Give glory to the LORD your Godbefore He brings darkness,before your feet stumbleon the dusky mountains.You wait for light,but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness. 17But if you do not listen,I will weep in secret because of your pride.My eyes will overflow with tears,because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

18Say to the kingand to the queen mother:“Take a lowly seat,for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”

19The cities of the Negev have been shut tight,and no one can open them.All Judah has been carried into exile,wholly taken captive. 20Lift up your eyes and seethose coming from the north.Where is the flock entrusted to you,the sheep that were your pride?

21What will you say when He sets over youclose allies whom you yourself trained?Will not pangs of anguish grip you,as they do a woman in labor? 22And if you ask yourself,“Why has this happened to me?”It is because of the magnitude of your iniquitythat your skirts have been stripped offand your body has been exposed.footnote b 23Can the Ethiopianfootnote cchange his skin,or the leopard his spots?Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil.

24“I will scatter you like chaffdriven by the desert wind. 25This is your lot,the portion I have measured to you,”declares the LORD,“because you have forgotten Meand trusted in falsehood. 26So I will pull your skirts up over your face,that your shame may be seen. 27Your adulteries and lustful neighings,your shameless prostitutionon the hills and in the fields—I have seen your detestable acts.Woe to you, O Jerusalem!How long will you remain unclean?”