Jeremiah 13

Jeremiah 13

A Linen Sash

1Thus says the Lord to me, “Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it upon your loins, and do not put it in water.”[#Jer 13:11]

2So I bought a waistband according to the word of the Lord and put it on my loins.[#Isa 20:2]

3The word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,

4“Take the waistband that you have, which is upon your loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a hole of the rock.”

5So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord had commanded me.[#Ex 39:42–43; 40:16]

6After many days the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates and take the waistband from there, which I commanded you to hide there.”

7Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the waistband was destroyed. It was profitable for nothing.

8Then the word of the Lord came to me:

9Thus says the Lord : After this manner I will destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.[#Lev 26:19; Isa 2:10–17]

10This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who walk in the imagination of their hearts, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall be even as this waistband which is good for nothing.[#Jer 9:14; 16:12]

11For as the waistband cleaves to the loins of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cleave to Me, says the Lord , so that they might be to Me a people for renown, and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not listen.[#Ex 19:5–6; Jer 33:9]

The Metaphor of Wine Bottles

12Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And when they say to you, “Do we not certainly know that every bottle should be filled with wine?”

13then you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord : Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings that sit on the throne of David, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness.[#Ps 60:3; 75:8]

14I will dash them against one another, even the fathers and the sons together, says the Lord . I will not show pity or spare or have mercy, but will destroy them.[#Ps 2:9; #Dt 29:20]

Exile Threatened

15Hear and give heed;

do not be proud,

for the Lord has spoken.

16Give glory to the Lord your God,[#Jos 7:19]

before He causes darkness

and before your feet stumble

on the dark mountains,

and while you look for light,

He turns it into the shadow of death

and makes it gross darkness.

17But if you will not listen to it,

my soul will weep in secret places

for your pride;

and my eyes will weep sorely

and run down with tears,

because the flock of the Lord is carried away captive.

18Say to the king and to the queen mother:[#2Ki 24:12; Jer 22:26]

“Humble yourselves, sit down,

for your beautiful crown

shall come down from your head.”

19The cities of the Negev will be shut up,

and no one will open them;

all Judah will be carried away into captivity;

it will be wholly carried away captive.

20Lift up your eyes and see

those who come from the north.

Where is the flock that was given to you,

your beautiful flock?

21What will you say when He appoints over you

those you yourself had taught to be companions to you?

Shall not sorrows take hold of you,

as a woman in labor?

22And if you say in your heart,

“Why have these things come upon me?”

for the greatness of your iniquity

your skirts have been removed

and your heels made bare.

23Can the Cushite change his skin

or the leopard his spots?

Then you also can do good,

who are accustomed to doing evil.

24Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble[#Lev 26:33]

that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

25This is your lot,

the portion of your measures from Me,

says the Lord ,

because you have forgotten Me

and trusted in falsehood.

26Therefore I Myself have uncovered your skirts over your face

so that your shame may appear.

27I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings,

the lewdness of your harlotry,

and your abominations

on the hills in the fields.

Woe to you, O Jerusalem!

How long will you remain unclean?

The Holy Bible, Modern English Version Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.
Published by: United Bible Association