The Linen Belt

1Thus said the LORD to me, Go and get you a linen girdle, and put it on your loins, and put it not in water. 2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins. 3And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, 4Take the girdle that you have got, which is on your loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock. 5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said to me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from there, which I commanded you to hide there. 7Then I went to Euphrates, and dig, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

8Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9Thus said the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10This 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. 11For as the girdle sticks to the loins of a man, so have I caused to stick to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, said the LORD; that they might be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

The Wineskins

12Therefore you shall speak to them this word; Thus said the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say to you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? 13Then shall you say to them, Thus said the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit on David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. 14And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, said the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Captivity Threatened

15Hear you, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD has spoken.

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

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

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

19The 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.

20Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?

21What will you say when he shall punish you? for you have taught them to be captains, and as chief over you: shall not sorrows take you, as a woman in travail?

22And if you say in your heart, Why come these things on me? For the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts discovered, and your heels made bore.

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

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

25This is your lot, the portion of your measures from me, said the LORD; because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26Therefore will I discover your skirts on your face, that your shame may appear.

27I have seen your adulteries, and your neighings, the lewdness of your prostitution, and your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! will you not be made clean? when shall it once be?