Jeremiah 13

1 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to me: “Go [walk, proceed] and buy [acquire, redeem] yourself a linen [made from flax] loincloth [girdle, belt] and put [place, set] it around your waist [loins, hips], but do not [absolutely not] let it touch [enter, come into contact with] water [a source of refreshment, purification].” word study 2 So I bought [acquired, procured] a loincloth [girdle, belt] as the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had instructed me, and I put [set, placed] it around my waist [loins, hips]. word study 3 Then the word [divine message, utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] came [was revealed, existed] to me [toward me, in my direction] a second [again, another time] time [occasion, instance] [saying, to speak]: word study 4 “Take the loincloth [girdle, belt] that you bought [acquired, purchased] and are wearing [on your loins, around your waist], and go [walk, proceed] at once [immediately, without delay] to Perath [Euphrates, the river] and hide [conceal, secrete] it there [in that place, at that location] in a crevice [cleft, hole] of the rocks [crags, rocky cliffs].” word study 5 So I went [to walk, to live out my faith] and hid [to conceal, to bury] it at [by the River] Perath [Euphrates, the longest river in western Asia], as [in accordance with, because of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] me. word study 6 Many days [a long time, after a considerable period] later the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said to me, “Arise [rise up, stand], go to Perath [Euphrates, the largest river in western Asia], and get the loincloth [girdle, belt] that I commanded [gave orders, instructed] you to hide [conceal, bury] there [in that place].” word study 7 So I went [to walk, to move from one place to another] to Perath [Euphrates, the largest river in western Asia] and dug up [to search, to dig deeply] the loincloth [girdle], and I took it from the place [location, a specific area] where I had hidden [to conceal, to bury] it. But now it was ruined [to be marred, corrupted]—of no use [not profitable, without value] at all. word study 8 Then the word [message from God, divine communication] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] came [was given, existed] to me [toward me, in my direction]: word study 9 “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: In the same way [thus, in this manner] I will ruin [destroy] the pride [excellency, majesty] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] and the great [chief, abundant] pride [arrogance, excellency] of Jerusalem [the city of peace]. word study 10 These evil [wicked, morally corrupt] people, who refuse to listen [hear and obey] to My words [divine message, instruction], who follow the stubbornness [hard-heartedness, obstinacy] of their own hearts [mind, will, emotions], and who go after [pursue, follow] other gods [false deities, idols] to serve [worship, obey] and worship [bow down, reverence] them, they will be like this loincloth [girdle, belt]—of no use [profit, value] at all. word study 11 For just as a loincloth [girdle, belt] clings to a man’s waist, so I have made the whole house [family, nation] of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me, declares the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], so that they might be My people [chosen nation, special possession] for My renown [fame, glory] and praise [worship, adoration] and glory [honor, splendor]. But they did not listen [obey, heed]. word study 12 Therefore you are to tell them that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Israel [the people chosen by God], says: ‘Every wineskin [container for holding wine] shall be filled [made full, completed] with wine [fermented drink].’ And when they reply, ‘Don’t we surely know [have certain understanding, perceive] that every wineskin [leather bag for liquids] should be filled [fulfilled, satisfied] with wine [intoxicating beverage]?’ word study 13 then you are to tell them that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘I am going to fill [make complete, satisfy] with drunkenness [intoxication, a state of being drunk] all who live [dwell, reside] in this land [the earth, a country]—the kings [royal persons, rulers] who sit [dwell, remain] on David’s [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] throne [a seat of power, authority], the priests [persons who serve God, lead worship], the prophets [persons who speak for God], and all [everything, every person] the people of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine]. word study 14 I will smash [dash, shatter] them against one another, fathers [parental figures, male ancestors] and sons [children, descendants] alike, declares the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. I will allow no [not any, none] mercy [pity, compassion] or pity [sympathy, sorrow] or compassion [tender love, kindness] to keep Me from destroying [ruining, annihilating] them.’” word study 15 Listen [and give ear, pay attention] and give heed [be attentive, obedient]. Do not be arrogant [proud, haughty, lifted up], for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has spoken [communicated, uttered His word]. word study 16 Give [honor, praise] glory [great honor, splendor] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] before [prior to, before it is too late] He brings [causes, inflicts] darkness [deep gloom, thick darkness], before [prior to, before it happens] your feet [steps, path] stumble [trip, fall] on the dusky [twilight, dark] mountains [hills, spiritual high points]. You wait [look, long] for light [spiritual illumination, happiness], but He turns [changes, transforms] it into [to, becomes] deep gloom [shadow of death, distress] and thick [heavy] darkness [cloud, gloom]. word study 17 But if you do not listen [refuse to hear, disobey], I will weep [mourn, lament] in secret [hidden, private places] because of your pride [arrogance, haughtiness]. My eyes will overflow [be filled to the point of spilling over] with tears [sorrow, grief], because the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] flock [congregation, people of God] has been taken captive [carried away, exiled]. word study 18 Say [to command, to speak] to the king [royal person, ruler] and to the queen mother [woman in a position of power, noble lady]: “Take a lowly [humble, abased] seat [position of rest, dwelling], for your glorious [beautiful, honorable] crowns [royal headpieces] have fallen [come down, descended] from your heads [positions of authority, dominion].” word study 19 The cities [towns, settlements] of the Negev [the southern district, south country] have been shut tight [completely closed, locked up], and no one can open them [none shall open, without an opener]. All [the whole, entire] Judah [the tribe, region] has been carried into exile [taken captive, removed], wholly [completely, entirely] taken captive [carried away, removed]. word study 20 Lift up [raise, elevate] your eyes [the sources of your understanding] and see [gaze, behold] those coming [approaching, advancing] from the north [the direction of divine judgment]. Where [in what location, what place] is the flock [a group of people, a congregation] entrusted [given, committed] to you, the sheep [the people of Judah, the chosen ones] that were your pride [your beauty, your glory]? word study 21 What [in what manner, how] will you say when He sets over you close allies [as head, leaders, or friends] whom you yourself [personally, intentionally] trained [taught, guided, or instructed]? Will not pangs [sorrows, pains, or anguish] of anguish [deep distress, severe suffering] grip you, as they do a woman [a female, a wife, or a mother] in labor [travail, childbirth, or giving birth]? word study 22 And if you ask yourself [with a troubled heart, inquiring within], “Why [for what reason, on account of what] has this happened to me?” It is because of the [great, abundant] magnitude of your iniquity [moral evil, sin] that your skirts [hem, the bottom edge of a robe] have been stripped off [uncovered, revealed] and your body [entire being, person] has been exposed [laid bare, made vulnerable]. word study 23 Can the Ethiopian [Cushite, a descendant of Cush] change his skin [human skin or animal hide], or the leopard [with its striped appearance] his spots [marks on an animal’s fur]? Neither are you able [to have power or capability] to do good [be pleasing or joyful]— you who are accustomed [trained or instructed] to doing evil [causing harm or affliction]. word study 24 “I will scatter [disperse, shatter into pieces] you like chaff [stubble, dry straw] driven [carried away, passed] by the desert [wilderness, open field] wind [a blast of air]. word study 25 This [your fate, the part measured out to you] is your lot [portion, allotted share], the portion [part, division] I have measured [determined, fitted] to you,” declares [says, utters] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “because you have forgotten [been oblivious to, mislaid] Me and trusted [had confidence, put faith] in falsehood [deception, lies, what is false]. word study 26 So I [the Lord] will pull your skirts [hem, the bottom edge of a robe] up over your face [presence, being in front of someone], that your shame [dishonor, feelings of guilt] may be seen [appear, become visible, to be exposed]. word study 27 Your adulteries [unfaithfulness, spiritual infidelity] and lustful neighings [like a horse in heat, intense passion], your shameless prostitution [idol worship, spiritual whoredom] on the hills [high places, idolatrous worship sites] and in the fields [open areas, places of pagan rituals]— I have seen [observed, taken notice of] your detestable acts [abominations, wicked deeds]. Woe [alas, sorrow] to you, O Jerusalem [city of peace, God’s holy city]! How long will you remain unclean [impure, defiled, spiritually polluted]?” word study