Jeremiah 13:9-27

9“Thus says the Lord, ‘Just so will I destroy the 1pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10This wicked people, who 2refuse to listen to My words, who 3walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless. 11For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah 4cling to Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for 56renown, for 7praise and for glory; but they 8did not listen.’

12“Therefore you are to speak this word to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jug is to be filled with wine.”’ And when they say to you, ‘Do we not very well know that every jug is to be filled with wine?’ 13then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land--the kings that sit for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem--with 9drunkenness! 14I will 10dash them against each other, both the 11fathers and the sons together,” declares the Lord. “I will 12not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them.”’”

15Listen and give heed, do not be 13haughty, For the Lord has spoken.1614Give glory to the Lord your God, Before He brings 15darkness And before your 16feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into 17deep darkness, And turns it into gloom.17But 18if you will not listen to it, My soul will 19sob in secret for such pride; And my eyes will bitterly weep And flow down with tears, Because the 20flock of the Lord has been taken captive.18Say to the 21king and the queen mother, “22Take a lowly seat, For your beautiful 23crown Has come down from your head.”19The 24cities of the Negev have been locked up, And there is no one to open them; All 25Judah has been carried into exile, Wholly carried into exile.

20“Lift up your eyes and see Those coming 26from the north. Where is the 27flock that was given you, Your beautiful sheep?21What will you say when He appoints over you-- And you yourself had taught them-- Former 2829companions to be head over you? Will not 30pangs take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth?22If you 31say in your heart, ‘32Why have these things happened to me?’ Because of the 33magnitude of your iniquity 34Your skirts have been removed And your heels have 35been exposed.2336Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can 37do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.24Therefore I will 38scatter them like drifting straw To the desert 39wind.25This is your 40lot, the portion measured to you From Me,” declares the Lord, “Because you have 41forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.26So I Myself have also 42stripped your skirts off over your face, That your shame may be seen.27As for your 43adulteries and your lustful neighings, The 44lewdness of your prostitution On the 45hills in the field, I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! 46How long will you remain unclean?”