Jeremiah 13

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The Linen Underwear

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1 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen undergarment and put it on, but do not put it in water.”

Jeremiah 13:11

2 So I bought underwear as the Lord instructed me and put it on.

Isaiah 20:2

3 Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:

4 “Take the underwear that you bought and are wearing, and go at once to the Euphrates and hide it in a rocky crevice.”

Jeremiah 51:63

5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

Exodus 39:42-43, Exodus 40:16

6 A long time later the Lord said to me, “Go at once to the Euphrates and get the underwear that I commanded you to hide there.

7 So I went to the Euphrates and dug up the underwear and got it from the place where I had hidden it, but it was ruined—of no use at all.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

9 “This is what the Lord says: Just like this I will ruin the great pride of both Judah and Jerusalem.

Leviticus 26:19

10 These evil people, who refuse to listen to Me, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who have followed other gods to serve and worship—they will be like this underwear, of no use at all.

Jeremiah 13:15-17

11 Just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“so that they might be My people for My fame, praise, and glory, but they would not obey.

Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 32:10-11, Psalm 81:11, Isaiah 43:21, Jeremiah 7:24, Jeremiah 33:9

1 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.”

2 So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on.

3 Then the Lord gave me another message:

4 “Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.”

5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me.

6 A long time afterward the Lord said to me, “Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.”

7 So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing.

8 Then I received this message from the Lord:

9 “This is what the Lord says: This shows how I will rot away the pride of Judah and Jerusalem.

10 These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship other gods. Therefore, they will become like this loincloth—good for nothing!

11 As a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the Lord. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory—an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.

1 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”

2 So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

3 Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:

{{Verse|4| “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[a] and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.”

5 So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.

6 Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.”

7 So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

9 “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem

10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!

11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’

1 Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

2 So I got a girdle according 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 Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

5 So I 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 profitable for nothing.

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

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

10 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 good for nothing.

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

The Wine Jars

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12 “Say this to them: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every jar should be filled with wine. Then they will respond to you, ‘Don’t we know that every jar should be filled with wine?’

13 And you will say to them: This is what the Lord says: I am about to fill all who live in this land—the kings who reign for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets and all the residents of Jerusalem—with drunkenness.

Psalm 60:3, Psalm 75:8, Jeremiah 25:27

14 I will smash them against each other, fathers and sons alike”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will allow no mercy, pity, or compassion to keep Me from destroying them.

Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 6:21, Jeremiah 16:5, Jeremiah 19:9-11

12 “So tell them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: May all your jars be filled with wine.’ And they will reply, ‘Of course! Jars are made to be filled with wine!’

13 “Then tell them, ‘No, this is what the Lord means: I will fill everyone in this land with drunkenness—from the king sitting on David’s throne to the priests and the prophets, right down to the common people of Jerusalem.

14 I will smash them against each other, even parents against children, says the Lord. I will not let my pity or mercy or compassion keep me from destroying them.

12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’

13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem.

14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’”

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

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

The Lord's Warning

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15 Listen and pay attention. Do not be proud, for the Lord has spoken.

Proverbs 16:5

16 Give glory to the Lord your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You wait for light,but He brings darkest gloom and makes thick darkness.

Psalm 96:8, Isaiah 5:30, Isaiah 59:9, Amos 5:18

17 But if you will not listen, my innermost being will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, for the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

Jeremiah 9:1,Jeremiah 23:1-2, Malachi 2:2, Luke 19:41-42

18 Say to the king and the queen mother: Take a humble seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.

2 Kings 24:12-15, 2 Chronicles 32:12-19

19 The cities of the Negev are under siege; no one can help them. All of Judah has been taken into exile, taken completely into exile.

20 Look up and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?

Jeremiah 1:15, Jeremiah 6:22, Jeremiah 13:17, Jeremiah 23:2

15 Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.

16 Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.

17 And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.

18 Say to the king and his mother, “Come down from your thrones and sit in the dust, for your glorious crowns will soon be snatched from your heads.”

19 The towns of the Negev will close their gates, and no one will be able to open them. The people of Judah will be taken away as captives. All will be carried into exile.

20 Open up your eyes and see the armies marching down from the north! Where is your flock—your beautiful flock—that he gave you to care for?

15 Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.

16 Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.

17 If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.

18 Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns will fall from your heads.”

19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up, and there will be no one to open them. All Judah will be carried into exile, carried completely away.

20 Look up and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was entrusted to you, the sheep of which you boasted?

15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.

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

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

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

19 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.

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

The Destiny of Jerusalem

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21 What will you say when He appoints close friends as leaders over you, ones you yourself trained? Won’t labor pains seize you, as they do a woman in labor?

Isaiah 13:8, Jeremiah 4:31, Jeremiah 38:22

22 And when you ask yourself, “Why have these things happened to me?” It is because of your great guilt that your skirts have been stripped off, your body exposed.

Jeremiah 2:17-19, Jeremiah 9:2-9

23 Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil.

Proverbs 27:22, Jeremiah 4:22

24 I will scatter you like drifting chaff before the desert wind.

Leviticus 26:33, Ezekiel 5:2, Ezekiel 5:12

25 This is your lot, what I have decreed for you — this is the Lord’s declaration — because you have forgotten Me and trusted in Falsehood

26 I will pull your skirts up over your face so that your shame might be seen.

Lamentations 1:8, Hosea 2:10

27 Your adulteries and your lustful neighing, your heinous prostitution on the hills, in the fields — I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You are unclean — for how long yet?

Proverbs 1:22

21 What will you say when the Lord takes the allies you have cultivated and appoints them as your rulers? Pangs of anguish will grip you, like those of a woman in labor!

22 You may ask yourself, “Why is all this happening to me?” It is because of your many sins! That is why you have been stripped and raped by invading armies.

23 Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil.

24 “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the desert winds.

25 This is your allotment, the portion I have assigned to you,” says the Lord, “for you have forgotten me, putting your trust in false gods.

26 I myself will strip you and expose you to shame.

27 I have seen your adultery and lust, and your disgusting idol worship out in the fields and on the hills. What sorrow awaits you, Jerusalem! How long before you are pure?”

21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor?

22 And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?”— it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated.

23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

24 “I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.

25 This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you,” declares the Lord, “because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods.

26 I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen—

27 your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?”

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

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

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

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

25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

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

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

Study Notes

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:1-11

1. Actions speak louder than words. Jeremiah often used vivid object lessons to arouse the people's curiosity and get his point across. This lesson of the linen loincloth illustrated Judah's destiny. Although the people had once been close to God, their pride had made them useless. Proud people may look important, but God says their pride makes them good for nothing, completely useless. Pride rots our hearts until we lose our usefulness to God.
2. A linen loincloth was one of the more intimate pieces of clothing, clinging close to the body. It was similar to underwear. Jeremiah's action showed how God would ruin Judah just as Jeremiah had ruined the linen loincloth.

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:12-14

1. Jeremiah used the picture of jars of wine to show how God planned to judge the people. This was the opposite of what Jeremiah's audience would have expected, because full jars of wine were normally a sign of blessing. Instead, the full wine jars represented the drunken confusion and numbness of the people. Destruction would surely come, and the Lord resolved to have no mercy.

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:15

When is pride harmful? When it causes us to:

• look down on others
• be selfish with our resources
• force our solutions on others' problems
• think God is blessing us because of our own merits;

OR

• be content with our plans rather than seeking God's plans.

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:18

The king was Jehoiachin, and his mother was Nehushta. The king's father, Jehoiakim, had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar but later rebelled. During Jehoiachin's reign, Nebuchadnezzar's armies besieged Jerusalem, and both Jehoiachin and Nehushta surrendered. Jehoiachin was sent to Babylon and imprisoned (2 Kings 24:1-15). Jeremiah's prophecy came true.

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:19

The Negev region is the dry wasteland stretching southward from Beersheba. The towns in this area would be closed to any refugees fleeing the invading army.

Study Notes: Jeremiah 13:23

Not even the threat of captivity could move the people to repent. The people had become so accustomed to doing evil that they had lost their ability to change. God never rejects those who sincerely turn to Him. God was warning His people to repent before it became impossible to change. We must never put off until tomorrow the changes God wants us to make. Our attitudes and patterns for living can become so set that we lose all desire to change and then no longer fear the consequences of remaining as we are.

Cross-References

1. Jeremiah 13:1 >> Jeremiah 13:11
2. Jeremiah 13:10 >> Jeremiah 11:10, Jeremiah 13:15-17
3. Jeremiah 13:14 >> Jeremiah 15:5
4. Jeremiah 13:17 >> Jeremiah 9:1
5. Jeremiah 13:27 >> Jeremiah 11:15

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