Jeremiah 13:18-27

English Standard Version

¹⁸Say to ^(A)the king and ^(B)the queen mother:
    “Take a lowly seat,
for ^(C)your beautiful crown
    has come down from your head.”
¹⁹^(D)The cities of the Negeb are shut up,
    with none to open them;
all Judah is taken into exile,
    wholly taken into exile.

²⁰“Lift up your eyes ^(E)and see
    those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given you,
    your beautiful flock?
²¹What will you say when they set as head over you
    those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?
^(F)Will not pangs take hold of you
    like those of a woman in labor?
²²And if you say in your heart,
    ^(G)‘Why have these things come upon me?’
it is for the greatness of your iniquity
    that ^(H)your skirts are lifted up
    and you suffer violence.
²³^(I)Can the Ethiopian change his skin
    or ^(J)the leopard his spots?
Then also you can do good
    who are accustomed to do evil.
²⁴I will scatter you^[a] ^(K)like chaff
    driven by the wind from the desert.
²⁵^(L)This is your lot,
    the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord,
because ^(M)you have forgotten me
    and trusted in lies.
²⁶^(N)I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,
    and your shame will be seen.
²⁷I have seen ^(O)your abominations,
    your adulteries and ^(P)neighings, your lewd whorings,
    ^(Q)on the hills in the field.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
    How long will it be ^(R)before you are made clean?”