Self-interpreting Bible

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Jeremiah 13

1Under the type of a linen girdle hidden at Euphrates God prefigureth the destruction of his people. 12Under the parable of bottles filled with wine he foretelleth their excess of misery. 15He exhorteth them to prevent their impending judgments by repentance: 22and sheweth that their abominations are the cause of these evils.


1 THUS saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a alinen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it bnot in water.

2 So I got a girdle caccording to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,

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

    5 So eI went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

    6 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.

      7 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 fprofitable for nothing.

      8 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

        9 Thus saith the LORD, gAfter this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

        10 This hevil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the 1imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, ishall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

        11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have jI 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 kfor a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: lbut they would not hear.

        12 ¶Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, mEvery bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, nDo 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 othe kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, pwith drunkenness.

        14 And I will dash them 2one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: qI will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, 3but destroy them.

        15 ¶rHear ye, and give ear; sbe not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

        16 tGive glory to the LORD your God, before he cause udarkness, and before your feet stumble vupon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into wthe shadow of death, and make it xgross darkness.

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

        18 Say unto the king and to the queen, aHumble yourselves, sit down: for your 4principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

        19 The cities of the south shall be bshut up, and none shall open them: cJudah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

        20 Lift up your eyes, and behold dthem that come from the north: ewhere is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

        21 What wilt thou say when he shall 5punish thee? for fthou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: gshall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in *travail?

        22 ¶And if thou say in thine heart, hWherefore come these things upon me? iFor the greatness of thine iniquity are jthy skirts discovered, and thy heels 6made bare.

        23 kCan the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then lmay ye also do good, that are 7accustomed to do evil.

        24 mTherefore will I scatter them nas the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

        25 oThis is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast pforgotten me, and qtrusted in falsehood.

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

        27 I have seen sthine adulteries, and thy tneighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt uthou not be made clean? 8when shall it once be?