Jeremiah

Thus says the LORD to me, "Go and get you a linen girdle, and put it upon your 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 to me the second time, saying,

"Take the girdle that you hast got, which is upon your 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 to me, "Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded you 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 ruined, it was profitable for nothing.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Thus says the LORD, "After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem."

"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 profitable for nothing."

"For as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah," says 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."

Therefore you shall speak to them this word; "Thus says 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?"

Then shall you say to them, "Thus says 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.'"

"And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together," says the LORD: "I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them."

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

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

But 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.

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

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.

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

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

And if you say in your heart, "Wherefore come these things upon me?" For the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts discovered, and your heels made bare.

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

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

This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me, says the LORD; because you hast forgotten Me, and trusted in falsehood.

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

I have seen your adulteries, and your neighings, the lewdness of your whoredom, 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?