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:

4 "Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath "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.'

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.'"

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?

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?"

1 Thus said the LORD to me, Go and get you a linen girdle, and put it on your 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 to me the second time, saying,

4 Take 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.

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 to me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from there, which I commanded you to hide there.

7 Then 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.

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

9 Thus said 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 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.

12 Therefore 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?

13 Then 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' 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, said the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

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

16 Give 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.

17 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' flock is carried away captive.

18 Say to 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 you, your beautiful flock?

21 What 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?

22 And 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.

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

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

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

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

27 I 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?