⁴ For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians^[a] as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.

Judgment for Idolatry

44 This is the message Jeremiah received concerning the Judeans living in northern Egypt in the cities of Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis,^[a] and in southern Egypt^[b] as well:

³ “So now, son of man, pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile could carry, and leave your home to go somewhere else. Do this right in front of the people so they can see you. For perhaps they will pay attention to this, even though they are such rebels. ⁴ Bring your baggage outside during the day so they can watch you. Then in the evening, as they are watching, leave your house as captives do when they begin a long march to distant lands. ⁵ Dig a hole through the wall while they are watching and go out through it. ⁶ As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.”

⁷ So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the night with my pack on my shoulder.

⁸ The next morning this message came to me from the Lord: ⁹ “Son of man, these rebels, the people of Israel, have asked you what all this means. ¹⁰ Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: These actions contain a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem^[a] and for all the people of Israel.’ ¹¹ Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives.

¹² “Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.

²² I will call the Babylonian armies back again. They will fight against this city and will capture it and burn it down. I will see to it that all the towns of Judah are destroyed, with no one living there.”

⁹ “What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.