13
1 The
LORD said to me,
“Go, and buy
yourself a
linen belt, and
put it on
your waist,
and don’t put it
in water.”
2 So
I bought a belt
according to the
LORD’s word, and
put it on
my waist.
3 The
LORD’s word came
to me the
second time,
saying,
4 “Take
the belt that you
have bought, which
is on your
waist, and arise,
go to the
Euphrates, and
hide it there
in a cleft of
the rock.”
5 So
I went and
hid it by
the Euphrates, as
the LORD commanded
me.
6 After
many days, the
LORD said to me,
“Arise, go to
the Euphrates, and
take the belt from
there, which I
commanded you to
hide there.”
7 Then
I went to
the Euphrates, and
dug, and took
the belt from the
place where I
had hidden it;
and behold,
the belt was
ruined. It was
profitable for
nothing.
8 Then
the LORD’s word
came to me,
saying,
9 “The
LORD says, ‘In
this way I
will ruin the
pride of Judah,
and the great
pride of Jerusalem.
10 This
evil people, who
refuse to hear
my words, who
walk in the
stubbornness of
their heart, and
have gone after
other gods to
serve them and
to worship them,
will even be
as this belt,
which is
profitable for
nothing.
11 For
as the belt 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 be to
me for a
people, for a
name, for praise,
and for glory;
but they would
not hear.’
12 “Therefore
you shall speak
to them this
word: ‘The LORD,
the God of
Israel says, “Every
container should be
filled with
wine.” ’ They will
tell you, ‘Do
we not certainly
know that
every container should
be filled with
wine?’
13 Then
tell them, ‘The
LORD says, “Behold,
I will fill
all the
inhabitants of
this land, even
the kings who
sit on David’s
throne, the
priests, the
prophets, and all
the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, with
drunkenness.
14 I
will dash them
one against
another, even
the fathers and
the sons together,”
says the LORD: “I
will not pity,
spare, or have
compassion, that I
should not destroy
them.” ’ ”
15 Hear,
and give ear.
Don’t 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
look for light,
he turns it
into the shadow
of death,
and makes it
deep darkness.
17 But
if you will
not hear it,
my soul will
weep in secret
for your pride.
My eye will
weep bitterly,
and run down
with tears,
because the LORD’s
flock has been
taken captive.
18 Say to
the king and
to the queen
mother,
“Humble yourselves.
Sit down, for
your crowns have
come down,
even the crown
of your glory.
19 The
cities of the
South are shut
up,
and there is
no one to
open them.
Judah is carried
away captive: all
of them.
They are 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
flock?
21 What
will you say when
he sets over you
as head those
whom you have
yourself taught to
be friends to you?
Won’t sorrows take hold
of you, as
of a woman
in travail?
22 If
you say in your
heart,
“Why have these
things come on
me?”
Your skirts are
uncovered because
of the greatness
of your iniquity,
and your
heels suffer violence.
23 Can
the Ethiopian
change his skin,
or the leopard
his spots?
Then may you
also do good,
who are
accustomed to do
evil.
24 “Therefore I
will scatter them
as the stubble
that passes away
by the wind
of the wilderness.
25 This
is your lot,
the portion
measured to you
from me,” says
the LORD,
“because you have
forgotten me,
and trusted in
falsehood.”
26 Therefore
I will also uncover
your skirts on
your face,
and your shame
will appear.
27 I
have seen your
abominations, even
your adulteries
and your neighing,
the lewdness of
your prostitution,
on the hills
in the field.
Woe to you,
Jerusalem!
You will not
be made clean.
How long will
it yet be?”