Chapter 13

Thus saith¹ the LORD unto me, Go² and get¹ thee a linen girdle, and put¹ it upon thy loins, and put⁵⁵ it not in water.

So I got⁴ a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put⁴ [it] on my loins.

And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,²

Take³ the girdle that thou hast got,¹ which [is] upon thy loins, and arise,³ go³ to Euphrates, and hide³ it there in a hole of the rock.

So I went,⁴ and hid⁴ it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded¹⁴ me.

And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said⁴ unto me, Arise,³ go³ to Euphrates, and take³ the girdle from thence, which I commanded¹⁴ thee to hide² there.

Then I went⁴ to Euphrates, and digged,⁴ and took⁴ the girdle from the place where I had hid¹ it: and, behold, the girdle was marred,⁸ it was profitable⁴ for nothing.

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,²

Thus saith¹ the LORD, After this manner will I mar⁵⁵ the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

This evil people, which refuse to hear² my words, which walk⁶ in the imagination of their heart, and walk⁴ after other gods, to serve² them, and to worship⁹⁹ them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good⁴ for nothing.

For as the girdle cleaveth⁴ to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave⁵² unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith⁷ 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.¹

Therefore thou shalt speak¹ unto them this word; Thus saith¹ the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled¹¹ with wine: and they shall say¹ unto thee, Do we not certainly² know⁴ that every bottle shall be filled¹¹ with wine?

Then shalt thou say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the LORD, Behold, I will fill¹⁸ all the inhabitants⁶ of this land, even the kings that sit⁶ upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

And I will dash¹⁴ them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith⁷ the LORD: I will not pity,⁴ nor spare,⁴ nor have mercy,¹⁷ but destroy⁵³ them.

Hear³ ye, and give ear;⁵⁴ be not proud:⁴ for the LORD hath spoken.¹⁴

Give³ glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness,⁵⁵ and before your feet stumble¹⁰¹ upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look¹⁴ for light, he turn¹ it into the shadow of death, [and] make^{3 7896 4} [it] gross darkness.

But if ye will not hear⁴ it, my soul shall weep⁴ in secret places for [your] pride; and mine eye shall weep⁴ sore,² and run down⁴ with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.⁸

Say³ unto the king and to the queen, Humble⁵⁴ yourselves, sit down:³ for your principalities shall come down,¹ [even] the crown of your glory.

The cities of the south shall be shut up,²⁷ and none shall open⁶ [them]: Judah shall be carried away captive⁹⁰ all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.⁹⁰

Lift up³ your eyes, and behold³ them that come⁶ from the north: where [is] the flock [that] was given⁸ thee, thy beautiful flock?

What wilt thou say⁴ when he shall punish⁴ thee? for thou hast taught¹⁴ them [to be] captains, [and] as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee,⁴ as a woman in travail?²

And if thou say⁴ in thine heart, Wherefore come¹ these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered,⁸ [and] thy heels made bare.⁸

Can the Ethiopian change⁴ his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may⁴ ye also do good,⁵³ that are accustomed to do evil.⁵³

Therefore will I scatter⁵⁵ them as the stubble that passeth away⁶ by the wind of the wilderness.

This [is] thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith⁷ the LORD; because thou hast forgotten¹ me, and trusted⁴ in falsehood.

Therefore will I discover¹ thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.⁸

I have seen¹ 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?⁴ when [shall it] once [be]?