Rashi on TanakhJeremiah 13

a girdle (pourceint in O.F.).

and do not put it in water to wash it when it will be soaked with sweat, in order that it hasten to decay.

it was of no use for anything It was not fit for anything.

and it shall be like this girdle Their pride shall be like this rotten girdle.

bottle Heb. נבל. This is an earthenware vessel, and it is used to hold wine.

And I will dash them one against the other I will dash one against the other until they break into small pieces. Cf (Psalms 2:9) “Like a potter’s vessel shall you shatter them (תנפצם)” (ibid. 137: 9). “And dash ונפץ your babes”; and so is every expression of נפוץ in Scripture.

and the fathers and the sons I will dash one against the other.

and before your feet stumble Heb. יתנגפו (achopper in French), to stumble.

the dark mountains Heb. נשף, the dark mountains when they go into exile.

and making it into a thick cloud Heb. ושית, like ולשית, and to make the light into a thick cloud.

because of your pride Because of your greatness which will be curtailed. Another explanation: Because of the pride of the kingdom of Heaven that will be given over to the idols of Babylon.

to the king and to the queen mother Jehoiachin and his mother.

your greatness has come down Heb. מראשתיכם (vostremijevec in O.F.), your ascent, as it is stated: (II Kings 24:12) “And Jehoiachin... came out to him (sic), he and his mother and his servants,” and he led all of them in exile.

The cities of the South are shut up before those coming upon them from the north [i.e.,] the cities of Eretz Israel are shut up because of fear of Nebuchadnezzar.

she was exiled peacefully Jehoiachin will not wage war, but he will come out peacefully, and he will exile them. Another interpretation. שלומים (gueredon in O.F.), reprisal. That is to say: she was exiled as the recompense for their iniquity. And Jonathan rendered in this manner: the recompense of their sins was received.

Lift your eyes and see those coming upon you from the North.

Where is the flock that was given you After they are exiled, this will be said to Jerusalem.

What will you say when He visits i.e., when the Holy One, blessed be He, visits upon you?

when you accustomed them to be princes at your head You sent emissaries to the Chaldees to bring their idols from there to worship them, as it is written in Ezekiel (23 16): “And she lusted for them to the sight of her eyes, and she sent emissaries to them, to the Chaldees.” Another explanation of “you accustomed them to be princes over you”: Hezekiah who showed the emissaries of Merodach-baladan his entire treasure house (Isaiah 39:2, II Kings 20:13).

your skirts The skirts of the garments (tes ourlets in French), your hems. When a woman is stripped in a humiliating way, they turn her chemise upside down.

your steps cut off Your ways are cut off. נחמסו is like (Lam. 2:6) “And He cut off (ויחמֹס) like a garden His dwelling.”

your steps (traces in O.F.) Travelers have stopped.

a Cushite Heb. כושי, the name of a black man, who is called Maure in French, a Moor.

or a leopard leopard in French.

his spots The leopard is spotted, and they are the spots (taches in French), and it is impossible for them to change.

to do evil Heb. הרע, like להרע, to do evil.

the portion of your measures The portion of your measures, a measure for a measure.

have uncovered your skirts I have uncovered the hems of your garments upon your face.

your neighings like the neighing of adulterous horses.

After when will you ever become purified?