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A Linen Belt

13 The Lord said to me, “Go and buy a linen belt. Put it around your waist. But do not let it get wet.” So I bought a belt, just as the Lord had told me to do. And I put it around my waist.

Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, “Take off the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist. Go to Perath. Hide the belt there in a crack in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath. I did just as the Lord had told me to do.

Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go to Perath. Get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath. I dug up the belt. I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But it had rotted. It was completely useless.

Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, “In the same way, I will destroy Judah’s pride. And I will destroy the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 These people are evil. They refuse to listen to what I say. They do what their stubborn hearts want them to do. They chase after other gods. They serve them and worship them. So they will be like this belt. They will be completely useless. 11 A belt is tied around a person’s waist. In the same way, I tied all the people of Israel to me. I also tied all the people of Judah to me like a belt. I wanted them to be my people. They should have brought me fame and praise and honor. But they have not listened to me,” announces the Lord.

Wineskins

12 “Tell them, ‘The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, “Every wineskin should be filled with wine.” ’ Here is what the people might say to you. ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 If they do, here is what you must tell them. ‘The Lord says, “I am going to fill with wine everyone who lives in this land. I will make the kings who sit on David’s throne drunk. And I will fill with wine the priests, the prophets and everyone who lives in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them against one another. I will punish parents and children alike,” announces the Lord. “I will not feel sorry for them. I will not show them any kindness. My tender love for them will not keep me from destroying them.” ’ ”

Judah Will Be Taken Away From Their Land

15 People of Judah, listen to me.
    Pay attention and don’t be proud.
    The Lord has spoken.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God.
    Honor him before he sends
    darkness to cover the land.
Do this before you trip and fall
    on the darkened hills.
You hope that light will come.
    But he will turn it into thick darkness.
    He will change it to deep shadows.
17 If you don’t listen,
    I will weep in secret.
    Because you are so proud,
I will weep bitterly.
    Tears will flow from my eyes.
    The Lord’s flock will be taken away as prisoners.

18 Speak to the king and his mother. Tell them,
    “Come down from your thrones.
Your glorious crowns
    are about to fall from your heads.”
19 The gates of the cities in the Negev Desert will be shut tight.
    There won’t be anyone to open them.
Everyone in Judah will be carried away as prisoners.
    You will be completely taken away.

20 Jerusalem, look up!
    Your enemies are coming from the north.
Where is the flock you were supposed to take care of?
    Where are the sheep you were so proud of?
21 You have worked hard to make special friends.
    But the Lord will let them rule over you.
    Then what will you say?
Suffering will take hold of you.
    It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.
22 Suppose you ask yourself,
    “Why has this happened to me?”
It’s because you have committed so many sins.
    That’s the reason your skirt has been torn off.
    That’s why your body has been treated so badly.
23 Can people from Ethiopia change their skin?
    Can leopards change their spots?
It’s the same with you.
    You have always done what is evil.
    So how can you do what is good?

24 The Lord says, “I will scatter you like straw
    that the desert wind blows away.
25 This is what will happen to you.
    I have appointed it for you,” announces the Lord.
“You have forgotten me.
    You have trusted in other gods.
26 So I will pull your skirt up over your face.
    Then people will see the shame of your naked body.
27 They will see that you have not been faithful to me.
    You have committed adultery with other gods.
And you have acted like a prostitute
    who does not have any shame.
I have seen what you did
    on the hills and in the fields.
    And I hate it.
How terrible it will be for you, Jerusalem!
    How long will you choose to be ‘unclean’?”

A Linen Belt

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:(A) “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[a](B) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.(C)

Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride(D) of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen(E) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts(F) and go after other gods(G) to serve and worship them,(H) will be like this belt—completely useless!(I) 11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown(J) and praise and honor.(K) But they have not listened.’(L)

Wineskins

12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness(M) all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity(N) or mercy or compassion(O) to keep me from destroying(P) them.’”

Threat of Captivity

15 Hear and pay attention,
    do not be arrogant,
    for the Lord has spoken.(Q)
16 Give glory(R) to the Lord your God
    before he brings the darkness,
before your feet stumble(S)
    on the darkening hills.
You hope for light,
    but he will turn it to utter darkness
    and change it to deep gloom.(T)
17 If you do not listen,(U)
    I will weep in secret
    because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
    overflowing with tears,(V)
    because the Lord’s flock(W) will be taken captive.(X)

18 Say to the king(Y) and to the queen mother,(Z)
    “Come down from your thrones,
for your glorious crowns(AA)
    will fall from your heads.”
19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up,
    and there will be no one to open them.
All Judah(AB) will be carried into exile,
    carried completely away.

20 Look up and see
    those who are coming from the north.(AC)
Where is the flock(AD) that was entrusted to you,
    the sheep of which you boasted?
21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you
    those you cultivated as your special allies?(AE)
Will not pain grip you
    like that of a woman in labor?(AF)
22 And if you ask yourself,
    “Why has this happened to me?”(AG)
it is because of your many sins(AH)
    that your skirts have been torn off(AI)
    and your body mistreated.(AJ)
23 Can an Ethiopian[b] change his skin
    or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
    who are accustomed to doing evil.(AK)

24 “I will scatter you like chaff(AL)
    driven by the desert wind.(AM)
25 This is your lot,
    the portion(AN) I have decreed for you,”
declares the Lord,
“because you have forgotten(AO) me
    and trusted in false gods.(AP)
26 I will pull up your skirts over your face
    that your shame may be seen(AQ)
27 your adulteries and lustful neighings,
    your shameless prostitution!(AR)
I have seen your detestable acts
    on the hills and in the fields.(AS)
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
    How long will you be unclean?”(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 13:4 Or possibly to the Euphrates; similarly in verses 5-7
  2. Jeremiah 13:23 Hebrew Cushite (probably a person from the upper Nile region)