Jeremiah Chapter 13

4 which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God;

5 that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, O Jehovah.

6 And Jehovah said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not.

9 And Jehovah said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13 For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble.

15 What hath my beloved to do in my house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness

16 with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

17 Jehovah called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

18 For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense unto Baal.

19 And Jehovah gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then thou showedst me their doings.

20 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me,

21 saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

22 But, O Jehovah of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, I shall see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

23 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, that thou die not by our hand;

24 therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;

25 and there shall be no remnant unto them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

26 Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?

27 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart.

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 Thus said Jehovah unto me: Go and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins; but dip it not in water.

2 And I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.

3 And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,

4 Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

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

6 And it came to pass at the end of many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence which I commanded thee to hide there.

7 And I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle was spoiled, it was good for nothing.

8 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

9 Thus saith Jehovah: After this manner will I spoil the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and go after othergods, to serve them and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle which is good for nothing.

11 For as a 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 Jehovah; 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.

12 And thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, theGod of Israel, Every skin shall be filled with wine. And they will say unto thee, Do we not very well know that every skin shall be filled with wine?

13 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings that sit for David upon his throne, and the priests and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 And I will dash them one against another, both the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy so as not to destroy them.

15 Hear ye, and give ear, be not lifted up; for Jehovah hath spoken.

16 Give glory to Jehovah yourGod, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight; and ye shall look for light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death, and make [it] gross darkness.

17 And 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 Jehovah's flock is gone into captivity.

18 Say unto the king and to the queen: Humble yourselves, sit down low; for from your heads shall come down the crown of your magnificence.

19 The cities of the south are shut up, and there is none to open [them]; all Judah is carried away captive: it is 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?

21 What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee, since thou thyself hast trained them to be princes in chief over thee? Shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

22 And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, [and] thy heels have suffered violence.

23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

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

25 This shall be thy lot, thy measured portion from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and confided in falsehood.

26 Therefore will I also turn thy skirts over thy face, and thy shame shall be seen.

27 Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy fornication, on the hills, in the fields, — thine abominations, have I seen. Woe unto thee, Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? after how long a time yet?

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

1 Thus saith the Lord, Go and procure for thyself a linen girdle, and put it about thy loins, and let it not be put in water.

2 So I procured the girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.

3 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

4 Take the girdle that is upon thy loins, and arise, and go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

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

6 And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle, which I commanded thee to hide there.

7 So I went to the river Euphrates, and dug, and took the girdle out of the place where I [had] buried it: and, behold, it was rotten, utterly good for nothing.

8 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord,

9 Thus will I mar the pride of Juda, and the pride of Jerusalem;

10 [even] this great pride [of the men] that will not hearken to my words, and have gone after strange gods, to serve them, and to worship them: and they shall be as this girdle, which can be used for nothing.

11 For as a girdle cleaves about the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to myself the house of Israel, and the whole house of Juda; that they might be to me a famous people, and a praise, and a glory: but they did not hearken to me.

12 And thou shalt say to this people, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and it shall come to pass, if they shall say to thee, Shall we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? that thou shalt say to them,

13 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I [will] fill the inhabitants of this land, and their kings the sons of David that sit upon their throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and Juda and all the dwellers in Jerusalem, with strong drink.

14 And I will scatter them a man and his brother, and their fathers and their sons together: I will not have compassion, saith the Lord, and I will not spare, neither will I pity [to save them] from destruction.

15 Hear ye, and give ear, and 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 ye shall wait for light, and behold the shadow of death, and they shall be brought into darkness.

17 But if ye will not hearken, your soul shall weep in secret because of pride, and your eyes shall pour down tears, because the Lord's flock is sorely bruised.

18 Say ye to the king and the princes, Humble yourselves, and sit down; for your crown of glory is removed from your head.

19 The cities toward the south were shut, and there was none to open [them]: Juda is removed [into captivity], they have suffered a complete removal.

20 Lift up thine eyes, O Jerusalem, and behold them that come from the north; where is the flock that was given thee, the sheep of thy glory?

21 What wilt thou say when they shall visit thee, for thou didst teach them lessons for rule against thyself; shall not pangs seize thee as a woman in travail?

22 And if thou shouldest say in thine heart, Wherefore have these things happened to me? Because of the abundance of thine iniquity have thy skirts been discovered, that thine heels might be exposed.

23 If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall ye be able to do good, having learnt evil.

24 So I scattered them as sticks carried by the wind into the wilderness.

25 Thus is thy lot, and the reward of your disobedience to me, saith the Lord; as thou didst forget me, and trust in lies,

26 I also will expose thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall be seen;

27 thine adultery also, and thy neighing, and the looseness of thy fornication: on the hills and in the fields I have seen thine abominations. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem, for thou hast not been purified so as to follow me; how long yet [shall it be]?

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Vade, et posside tibi lumbare lineum, et pones illud super lumbos tuos, et in aquam non inferes illud.

2 Et possedi lumbare iuxta verbum Domini, et posui circa lumbos meos.

3 Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, secundo, dicens:

4 Tolle lumbare, quod possedisti, quod est circa lumbos tuos, et surgens vade ad Euphraten, et absconde ibi illud in foramine petræ.

5 Et abii, et abscondi illud in Euphrate, sicut præceperat mihi Dominus.

6 Et factum est post dies plurimos, dixit Dominus ad me: Surge, vade ad Euphraten: et tolle inde lumbare, quod præcepi tibi ut absconderes illud ibi.

7 Et abii ad Euphraten, et fodi, et tuli lumbare de loco, ubi absconderam illud: et ecce computruerat lumbare, ita ut nulli usui aptum esset.

8 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:

9 Hæc dicit Dominus: Sic putrescere faciam superbiam Iuda, et superbiam Ierusalem multam.

10 Populum istum pessimum, qui nolunt audire verba mea, et ambulant in pravitate cordis sui: abieruntque post deos alienos ut servirent eis, et adorarent eos: et erunt sicut lumbare istud, quod nulli usui aptum est.

11 Sicut enim adhæret lumbare ad lumbos viri, sic agglutinavi mihi omnem domum Israel, et omnem domum Iuda, dicit Dominus: ut essent mihi in populum, et in nomen, et in laudem, et in gloriam: et non audierunt.

12 Dices ergo ad eos sermonem istum: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Omnis laguncula implebitur vino. Et dicent ad te: Numquid ignoramus quia omnis laguncula implebitur vino?

13 Et dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego implebo omnes habitatores terræ huius, et reges qui sedent de stirpe David super thronum eius, et sacerdotes, et prophetas, et omnes habitatores Ierusalem, ebrietate:

14 et dispergam eos virum a fratre suo, et patres et filios pariter, ait Dominus: non parcam, et non concedam: neque miserebor ut non disperdam eos.

15 Audite, et auribus percipite. Nolite elevari, quia Dominus locutus est.

16 Date Domino Deo vestro gloriam antequam contenebrescat, et antequam offendant pedes vestri ad montes caliginosos: expectabitis lucem, et ponet eam in umbram mortis, et in caliginem.

17 Quod si hoc non audieritis, in abscondito plorabit anima mea a facie superbiæ: plorans plorabit, et deducet oculus meus lacrymam, quia captus est grex Domini.

18 Dic regi, et dominatrici: Humiliamini, sedete: quoniam descendit de capite vestro corona gloriæ vestræ.

19 Civitates Austri clausæ sunt, et non est qui aperiat: translata est omnis Iuda transmigratione perfecta.

20 Levate oculos vestros, et videte qui venitis ab Aquilone: ubi est grex, qui datus est tibi, pecus inclytum tuum?

21 Quid dices cum visitaverit te? tu enim docuisti eos adversum te, et erudisti in caput tuum: numquid non dolores apprehendent te, quasi mulierem parturientem?

22 Quod si dixeris in corde tuo: Quare venerunt mihi hæc? Propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuæ revelata sunt verecundiora tua, pollutæ sunt plantæ tuæ.

23 Si mutare potest æthiops pellem suam, aut pardus varietates suas: et vos poteritis benefacere, cum didiceritis malum.

24 Et disseminabo eos quasi stipulam, quæ vento raptatur in deserto.

25 Hæc sors tua, parsque mensuræ tuæ a me, dicit Dominus, quia oblita es mei, et confisa es in mendacio.

26 unde et ego nudavi femora tua contra faciem tuam, et apparuit ignominia tua,

27 adulteria tua, et hinnitus tuus scelus fornicationis tuæ: super colles in agro vidi abominationes tuas. Væ tibi Ierusalem, non mundaberis post me: usquequo adhuc?

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 The LORD said to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”

2 So I bought a belt according to the LORD’s word, and put it on my waist.

3 The LORD’s word came to me the second time, saying,

4 “Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.”

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

6 After many days, the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.”

7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing.

8 Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

9 “The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.

11 For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says the LORD; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

12 “Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Every container should be filled with wine.”’ They will tell you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every container should be filled with wine?’

13 Then tell them, ‘The LORD says, “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.”’”

15 Hear, and give ear. Don’t be proud, for the LORD has spoken.

16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep darkness.

17 But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

18 Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are wholly carried away captive.

20 Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful flock?

21 What will you say when he sets over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? Won’t sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

22 If you say in your heart, “Why have these things come on me?” Your skirts are uncovered because of the greatness of your iniquity, and your heels suffer violence.

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

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

25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” says the LORD, “because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”

26 Therefore I will also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will appear.

27 I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 Thus said Jehovah unto me, `Go, and thou hast got for thee a girdle of linen, and hast placed it on thy loins, and into water thou dost not cause it to enter:'

2 and I get the girdle, according to the word of Jehovah, and I place <FI>it<Fi> on my loins.

3 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me a second time, saying,

4 `Take the girdle that thou hast got, that <FI>is<Fi> on thy loins, and rise, go to Phrat, and hide it there in a hole of the rock;

5 and I go and hide it by Phrat, as Jehovah commanded me.

6 And it cometh to pass, at the end of many days, that Jehovah saith unto me, `Rise, go to Phrat, and take thence the girdle, that I commanded thee to hide there;'

7 and I go to Phrat, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and lo, the girdle hath been marred, it is not profitable for anything.

8 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, `Thus said Jehovah:

9 Thus do I mar the excellency of Judah, And the great excellency of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, And go after other gods to serve them, And to bow themselves to them, Yea it is--as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything.

11 For, as the girdle cleaveth unto the loins of a man, So I caused to cleave unto Me The whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, an affirmation of Jehovah, To be to Me for a people, and for a name, And for praise, and for beauty, And they have not hearkened.

12 And thou hast said unto them this word, Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, `Every bottle is full of wine,' And they have said unto thee: `Do we not certainly know that every bottle is full of wine?'

13 And thou hast said unto them, `Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am filling all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings who sit for David on his throne, And the priests, and the prophets, And all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, <FI>With<Fi> drunkenness,

14 And have dashed them one against another, And the fathers and the sons together, An affirmation of Jehovah, I do not pity, nor spare, nor have I mercy, So as not to destroy them.

15 Hear, and give ear--be not haughty, For Jehovah hath spoken.

16 Give ye to Jehovah your God honour, Before He doth cause darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And ye have waited for light, And He hath made it for death-shade, And hath appointed <FI>it<Fi> for thick darkness.

17 And if ye do not hear it, In secret places doth my soul weep, because of pride, Yea, it weepeth sore, And the tear cometh down mine eyes, For the flock of Jehovah hath been taken captive.

18 Say to the king and to the mistress: Make yourselves low--sit still, For come down have your principalities, The crown of your beauty.

19 The cities of the south have been shut up, And there is none opening, Judah hath been removed--all of her, She hath been removed completely--

20 Lift up your eyes, and see those coming in from the north, Where <FI>is<Fi> the drove given to thee, thy beautiful flock?

21 What dost thou say, when He looketh after thee? And thou--thou hast taught them <FI>to be<Fi> over thee--leaders for head? Do not pangs seize thee as a travailing woman?

22 And when thou dost say in thy heart, `Wherefore have these met me?' For the abundance of thine iniquity Have thy skirts been uncovered, Have thy heels suffered violence.

23 Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

24 And I scatter them as stubble, Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness.

25 This <FI>is<Fi> thy lot, the portion of thy measures from Me--an affirmation of Jehovah, Because thou hast forgotten me, And dost trust in falsehood.

26 I also have made bare thy skirts before thy face, And thy shame hath been seen.

27 Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, The wickedness of thy whoredom, on heights in a field, I have seen thine abominations. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem, Thou art not cleansed, after when <FI>is it<Fi> again?

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).