Jeremiah 13

Symbol of the Linen Sash

1 Thus the Lord said to me: Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.2 So I got a sash according to the word of the Lord, and put it around my waist.3 And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,4 Take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock.5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.6 Now it came to pass after many days that the Lord said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.8 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,9 Thus says the Lord: In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, says the Lord, that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.

Symbol of the Wine Bottles

12 Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And they will say to you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?13 Then you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this landeven the kings who sit on Davids throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness!14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says the Lord. I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them.

Pride Precedes Captivity

15 Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the Lord has spoken.16 Give glory to the Lord your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.17 But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the Lords flock has been taken captive.18 Say to the king and to the queen mother, Humble yourselves; Sit down, For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.19 The cities of the South shall be shut up, And no one shall open them; Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it; It shall be wholly carried away captive.20 Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, Your beautiful sheep?21 What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them To be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, Like a woman in labor?22 And if you say in your heart, Why have these things come upon me? For the greatness of your iniquity Your skirts have been uncovered, Your heels made bare.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.24 Therefore I will scatter them like stubble That passes away by the wind of the wilderness.25 This is your lot, The portion of your measures from Me, says the Lord, Because you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.26 Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face, That your shame may appear.27 I have seen your adulteries And your lustful neighings, The lewdness of your harlotry, Your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?

JEREMIAH 13

Jeremiah's Linen Shorts

1 The [Lord] told me, “Go and buy a pair of linen shorts. Wear them for a while, but don't wash them.”

2 So I bought a pair of shorts and put them on.
3 Then the [Lord] said, 4 “Take off the shorts. Go to Paraht and hide the shorts in a crack between some large rocks.”

5 And that's what I did.
6 Some time later the [Lord] said, “Go back and get the shorts.”

7 I went back and dug the shorts out of their hiding place, but the cloth had rotted, and the shorts were ruined.

8 Then the [Lord] said:
9 Jeremiah, I will use Babylonia tot destroy the pride of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 10 The people of Judah are evil and stubborn. So instead of listening to me, they do whatever they want and even worship other gods. When I am finished with these people, they will be good for nothing, just like this pair of shorts.

11 These shorts were tight around your waist, and that's how tightly I held onto the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. I wanted them to be my people. I wanted to make them famous, so that other nations would praise and honor me, but they refused to obey me.

Wine Jars

The [Lord] said:

12 Jeremiah, tell the people of Judah, “The [Lord] God of Israel orders you to fill your wine jars with wine.”
They will answer, “Of course we fill our wine jars with wine! Why are you telling us something we already know?”

13 Then say to them:
I am the [Lord], and what I'm going to do will make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem appear to be full of wine. And the worst ones will be the kings of David's family and the priests and the prophets.

14 Then I will smash them against each other like jars. I will have no pity on the young or the old, and they will all be destroyed. I, the [Lord], have spoken.

The People of Judah //Will Be Taken Away

15 People of Judah,
don't be too proud to listen
to what the [Lord] has said.

16 You hope for light,
but God is sending darkness.
Evening shadows already deepen
in the hills.
So return to God
and confess your sins to him
before you trip and fall.

17 If you are too proud to listen,
I will weep alone.
Tears will stream from my eyes
when the [Lord]'s people
are taken away as prisoners.

18 The [Lord] told me to tell you
that your king and his mothert
must surrender their thrones
and remove their crowns.t

19 The cities in the Southern Desert
are surrounded;
no one can get in or out.
Everyone in Judah
will be taken away.

20 Jerusalem, you were so proud
of ruling the people of Judah.
But where are they now?
Look north, and you will see
your enemies approaching.

21 You once trusted them to help,
but now I'll let them rule you.t
What do you say about that?
You will be in pain
like a woman giving birth.

22 Do you know why
your clothes were torn off
and you were abused?
It was because
of your terrible sins.

23 Can you ever change
and do what's right?
Can people change the color
of their skin,
or can a leopard
remove its spots?
If so, then maybe you can change
and learn to do right.

24 I will scatter you,
just as the desert wind
blows husks from grain
tossed in the air.

25 I won't change my mind.
I, the [Lord], have spoken.
You rejected me
and worshiped false gods.
*

26 You were married to me,
but you were unfaithful.
You even became a prostitutet
by worshiping disgusting gods
on hilltops and in fields.

27 So I'll rip off your clothes
and leave you naked and ashamed
for everyone to see.
You are doomed!
Will you ever be worthy
to worship me again?