腰带的比喻

13 耶和华对我说:“你去买一条麻布腰带束在腰间,不可让它沾水。” 我照耶和华的话买了腰带,束在腰间。 耶和华又对我说: “拿着你买来的腰带去幼发拉底河边,把它藏在那里的石缝中。” 于是,我照耶和华的吩咐把腰带藏在那里。 多日后,耶和华对我说:“去幼发拉底河边取回我吩咐你藏的腰带。” 我就去幼发拉底河边把所藏的腰带挖出来,但腰带已经腐烂,不能用了。

耶和华对我说: “这是耶和华说的,‘我也要这样消灭犹大的骄傲和耶路撒冷的狂妄。 10 这邪恶的百姓拒绝听我的话,一意孤行,跟随、供奉、祭拜别的神明,他们将像这腰带一样毫无用处。 11 我本想使以色列人和犹大人紧靠着我,就像腰带紧贴在人的腰间,让他们做我的子民,使我声名远扬、得到赞美和尊崇,他们却不肯听从。这是耶和华说的。’

12 “因此,你告诉他们,以色列的上帝耶和华说,‘每个瓶子都要盛满酒。’若他们说,‘难道我们不知道每个瓶子都要盛满酒吗?’ 13 你就告诉他们,‘耶和华说,我要使坐在大卫宝座上的君王以及祭司、先知、耶路撒冷人和这片土地上所有的居民都酩酊大醉; 14 我要使他们彼此撞得粉碎,就算父子也要彼此相撞;我要毁灭他们,决不心慈手软。’”

15 耶和华说话了,你们要留心听,
不可傲慢。
16 趁着你们的上帝耶和华还未使黑暗来临,
你们还未在漆黑的山上绊倒,
要把荣耀归给祂。
否则,祂必使你们期望的光明变为幽冥和黑暗。
17 如果你们因为骄傲而不肯听,
我会暗自哭泣、泪流满面,
因为耶和华的子民将要被掳。

18 耶和华让我对君王和太后说:
“从宝座上下来吧,
因为你们头上华美的王冠将要掉落。”
19 南部的城邑将被围困,
无人能解围,
犹大人都要被掳,无一幸免。

20 耶路撒冷啊,
举目看看那些从北方来的敌人吧,
从前赐给你的佳美羊群——你的百姓如今在哪里呢?
21 耶和华让你结交的盟友来统治你,
你还有什么话可说?
难怪你痛苦不堪,
就像分娩的妇人。
22 也许你在想:“为什么这些事发生在我身上?”
你的裙子被撕破,你遭受蹂躏,
是因为你罪大恶极。
23 古实人能改变他们的肤色吗?
豹子能脱去它们的斑点吗?
你这作恶成性的人怎能行善呢?
24 因此,耶和华说:
“我要把你分散到四方,
像旷野的风吹散碎秸一样。
25 这是你应得的报应,
是我量给你的,
因为你把我抛诸脑后,
信靠假神。
这是耶和华说的。
26 因此,我要把你的裙子掀到你的脸上,
使人见到你的羞耻。
27 你在山上和田野间拜偶像,
像无耻的妇人与情郎苟合,
发出淫语浪声。
这些可憎之事,我都看见了。
耶路撒冷啊,你有祸了!
你什么时候才肯自洁呢?”

腰帶的比喻

13 耶和華對我說:「你去買一條麻布腰帶束在腰間,不可讓它沾水。」 我照耶和華的話買了腰帶,束在腰間。 耶和華又對我說: 「拿著你買來的腰帶去幼發拉底河邊,把它藏在那裡的石縫中。」 於是,我照耶和華的吩咐把腰帶藏在那裡。 多日後,耶和華對我說:「去幼發拉底河邊取回我吩咐你藏的腰帶。」 我就去幼發拉底河邊把所藏的腰帶挖出來,但腰帶已經腐爛,不能用了。

耶和華對我說: 「這是耶和華說的,『我也要這樣消滅猶大的驕傲和耶路撒冷的狂妄。 10 這邪惡的百姓拒絕聽我的話,一意孤行,跟隨、供奉、祭拜別的神明,他們將像這腰帶一樣毫無用處。 11 我本想使以色列人和猶大人緊靠著我,就像腰帶緊貼在人的腰間,讓他們做我的子民,使我聲名遠揚、得到讚美和尊崇,他們卻不肯聽從。這是耶和華說的。』

12 「因此,你告訴他們,以色列的上帝耶和華說,『每個瓶子都要盛滿酒。』若他們說,『難道我們不知道每個瓶子都要盛滿酒嗎?』 13 你就告訴他們,『耶和華說,我要使坐在大衛寶座上的君王以及祭司、先知、耶路撒冷人和這片土地上所有的居民都酩酊大醉; 14 我要使他們彼此撞得粉碎,就算父子也要彼此相撞;我要毀滅他們,決不心慈手軟。』」

15 耶和華說話了,你們要留心聽,
不可傲慢。
16 趁著你們的上帝耶和華還未使黑暗來臨,
你們還未在漆黑的山上絆倒,
要把榮耀歸給祂。
否則,祂必使你們期望的光明變為幽冥和黑暗。
17 如果你們因為驕傲而不肯聽,
我會暗自哭泣、淚流滿面,
因為耶和華的子民將要被擄。

18 耶和華讓我對君王和太后說:
「從寶座上下來吧,
因為你們頭上華美的王冠將要掉落。」
19 南部的城邑將被圍困,
無人能解圍,
猶大人都要被擄,無一倖免。

20 耶路撒冷啊,
舉目看看那些從北方來的敵人吧,
從前賜給你的佳美羊群——你的百姓如今在哪裡呢?
21 耶和華讓你結交的盟友來統治你,
你還有什麼話可說?
難怪你痛苦不堪,
就像分娩的婦人。
22 也許你在想:「為什麼這些事發生在我身上?」
你的裙子被撕破,你遭受蹂躪,
是因為你罪大惡極。
23 古實人能改變他們的膚色嗎?
豹子能脫去牠們的斑點嗎?
你這作惡成性的人怎能行善呢?
24 因此,耶和華說:
「我要把你分散到四方,
像曠野的風吹散碎稭一樣。
25 這是你應得的報應,
是我量給你的,
因為你把我拋諸腦後,
信靠假神。
這是耶和華說的。
26 因此,我要把你的裙子掀到你的臉上,
使人見到你的羞恥。
27 你在山上和田野間拜偶像,
像無恥的婦人與情郎苟合,
發出淫語浪聲。
這些可憎之事,我都看見了。
耶路撒冷啊,你有禍了!
你什麼時候才肯自潔呢?」

A Linen Belt

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:(A) “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[a](B) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.(C)

Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride(D) of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen(E) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts(F) and go after other gods(G) to serve and worship them,(H) will be like this belt—completely useless!(I) 11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown(J) and praise and honor.(K) But they have not listened.’(L)

Wineskins

12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness(M) all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity(N) or mercy or compassion(O) to keep me from destroying(P) them.’”

Threat of Captivity

15 Hear and pay attention,
    do not be arrogant,
    for the Lord has spoken.(Q)
16 Give glory(R) to the Lord your God
    before he brings the darkness,
before your feet stumble(S)
    on the darkening hills.
You hope for light,
    but he will turn it to utter darkness
    and change it to deep gloom.(T)
17 If you do not listen,(U)
    I will weep in secret
    because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
    overflowing with tears,(V)
    because the Lord’s flock(W) will be taken captive.(X)

18 Say to the king(Y) and to the queen mother,(Z)
    “Come down from your thrones,
for your glorious crowns(AA)
    will fall from your heads.”
19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up,
    and there will be no one to open them.
All Judah(AB) will be carried into exile,
    carried completely away.

20 Look up and see
    those who are coming from the north.(AC)
Where is the flock(AD) that was entrusted to you,
    the sheep of which you boasted?
21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you
    those you cultivated as your special allies?(AE)
Will not pain grip you
    like that of a woman in labor?(AF)
22 And if you ask yourself,
    “Why has this happened to me?”(AG)
it is because of your many sins(AH)
    that your skirts have been torn off(AI)
    and your body mistreated.(AJ)
23 Can an Ethiopian[b] change his skin
    or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
    who are accustomed to doing evil.(AK)

24 “I will scatter you like chaff(AL)
    driven by the desert wind.(AM)
25 This is your lot,
    the portion(AN) I have decreed for you,”
declares the Lord,
“because you have forgotten(AO) me
    and trusted in false gods.(AP)
26 I will pull up your skirts over your face
    that your shame may be seen(AQ)
27 your adulteries and lustful neighings,
    your shameless prostitution!(AR)
I have seen your detestable acts
    on the hills and in the fields.(AS)
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
    How long will you be unclean?”(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 13:4 Or possibly to the Euphrates; similarly in verses 5-7
  2. Jeremiah 13:23 Hebrew Cushite (probably a person from the upper Nile region)

13 The Eternal directed me.

Eternal One: Go and buy a linen undergarment; put it around your waist next to your body beneath your clothes, but do not wash it.

So I bought the undergarment, just as the Eternal had told me, and put it around my waist. Then the Eternal spoke to me a second time.

Eternal One: Now take off this undergarment you’ve purchased and have been wearing around your waist, and go to the Euphrates. I want you to hide it in a crevice in the rocks there.

So I took the undergarment to the Euphrates and hid it in the rocks, just as the Eternal told me. After many days had passed, the Eternal spoke to me a third time.

Eternal One: Now go back to the Euphrates, and get the linen undergarment I told you to hide there.

When I went back and dug up this garment from the place where I’d hidden it, I found it had begun to rot. This garment that was once new and clean was now completely worthless. The word of the Eternal came to me to drive home His point.

At times God’s message given through Jeremiah must be acted out. He wants so badly for His people to understand, that mere words aren’t sufficient. This is one such moment.

Eternal One: Mark My words, for the same thing will happen to the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 I will ruin these haughty and wicked people who ignore My words, who follow their own stubborn hearts, who run after other gods, who bow down to lifeless idols. They will end up like this rotten undergarment in your hands—completely worthless! 11 Just as the undergarment clings to a person’s waist, so did I, the Eternal One, make Israel and Judah to cling tightly to Me. They were to be My people, known by all, bringing honor and glory to My name. That was My plan for them, but they did not listen.

This is the first of several symbolic actions or prophetic dramas in the book. God made Israel and Judah to stick close to him—as close as an undergarment—but because they disobey Him and refuse to live within the bonds of the covenant, God will bury them in exile, and they will be ruined.

Eternal One: 12 Speak this word to the people as well: “Listen to what the Eternal, the God of Israel, has to say: ‘Every jug will be filled with wine.’ When they respond, ‘Tell us something we don’t already know, prophet! Don’t you think we know that every jug will be filled with wine?’ 13 Go on telling them, ‘This is what the Eternal says: “I am going to fill all who live in this land with drunkenness—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the false prophets, and all the citizens of Jerusalem. 14 And then I will smash them together in confusion and panic—smashing fathers against sons in the chaos of the enemy invasion. I will have no pity on them. My sorrow or compassion will not keep Me from ruining them.”’”

15 Listen carefully to me!
    Stop being so smug, because the Eternal has spoken.
16 It is time to honor the Eternal your God before He makes the darkness fall
    and you stumble on the darkening mountains.
You will long for the light,
    but He will make the darkness deepen as the gloom settles in.
17 If you still won’t listen, I will weep for you in secret.
    From the depths of my soul, I will cry bitter tears,
Because the Eternal’s own flock will be taken captive.
18 Tell the king and the queen mother:
    Come down from your thrones, and take a seat in a humble place,
    for your glorious crowns will be taken from you.”
19 The cities in the Negev have already shut their gates.
    There will be no one to open them.
The people of Judah will be taken captive,
    all of them carried away into exile.

20 (to Jerusalem) Now look to the north and see who is marching toward you.
    Where is the beautiful flock that was entrusted to you?
21 What will you say when He appoints your so-called allies,
    the very ones you trained, to rule over you?
Will not the pain stab at you
    as it does a woman in childbirth?
22 When you begin to ask yourself, “Why is all this happening to me?”
    know this: it is because of the weight of your sins.
This is why your enemies will tear off your skirts and violate your bodies.
23 And still, you will not change.
    Can the Ethiopian change his skin?
    Can a leopard change its spots?
It seems just as unlikely that you will change your ways and do good,
    when you are so used to doing evil—it has become such a part of you.

24 Eternal One (to His people): This is why I will scatter you
        like chaff driven by the desert wind.
25     This is now your fate—retribution measured out for you from the Eternal—
        for you have forgotten Me and trusted in the lies of another.
26     For all this, I will be the One who lifts your skirts over your face,
        exposing you and letting others see your disgrace.
27     As for your faithlessness, your adulteries and your lustful ways,
        as for the degrading way you prostitute yourself to other gods out in the open, I see it all.
    For all this, your fate is sealed. O Jerusalem—how bad it will be for you!
        How long before you are clean again?

13 Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

So I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins.

And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,

Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith 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.

12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and 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, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.

16 Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive.

18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none 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 behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

22 And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

27 I have seen 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? when shall it once be?