CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Jeremiah 13
Chapter 13 of 52
Chapter Overview
What happens in Jeremiah 13
God uses two powerful word pictures to warn Judah. First, he tells Jeremiah to buy a linen belt and hide it by a river, where it becomes ruined. Just as that belt was ruined, God will ruin Judah's pride. Then God speaks of wine jars being filled, picturing the people becoming confused and helpless. The chapter ends with a call to turn from sin before darkness comes.
Scripture
Jeremiah 13
The Ruined Linen Belt
Study note
God tells Jeremiah to buy a linen belt and wear it, then hide it in the rocks by the Euphrates River. When Jeremiah later digs it up, the belt is ruined and useless. God explains that just as the belt was meant to cling to a person, Israel and Judah were meant to cling to God. But because they refused to listen and followed other gods, they have become useless.
1 The Lord gave me these instructions: "Go buy a linen belt and tie it around your waist. Don't let it get wet." 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 went and bought a belt, just as the Lord told me, and tied it around my waist. So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
3 Then the Lord spoke to me a second time. And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
4 "Take the belt you bought and are wearing, and travel to the Euphrates River. Hide it in a crack between the rocks." 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 the belt by the Euphrates, exactly as the Lord told me to. So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 After many days had passed, the Lord said, "Go back to the Euphrates and get the belt I told you to hide." 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 So I traveled back to the Euphrates and dug up the belt from where I had hidden it. But it was completely ruined and no good for anything. 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 Lord spoke to me again. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 The Lord said, "In this same way, I will break the pride of Judah and the huge arrogance of Jerusalem." Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 "These evil people refuse to listen to what I say. They stubbornly follow their own desires and chase after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They will end up just like that belt — completely useless." 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 "Just as a belt wraps tightly around a person's waist, I wrapped all the people of Israel and Judah close to myself," says the Lord. "I wanted them to be my people, to bring me fame, praise, and glory. But they wouldn't listen." 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
Study note
God uses another picture. He says that every jar should be filled with wine. When the people agree, God explains that he will fill everyone in the land with confusion and helplessness, from kings to priests to common people. He will let them destroy one another.
12 "Tell them, 'The Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wine jar should be filled with wine.' They'll say to you, 'Well obviously! Of course every jar should be filled with wine!'" 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 tell them this. The Lord says: 'I will fill everyone in this land with confusion. The kings on David's throne will be helpless. So will the priests, the prophets, and all who live in Jerusalem.'" 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 "I will smash them against each other — parents and children together," says the Lord. "I will show no pity, no mercy, and no compassion. Nothing will stop me from destroying them." 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.
A Warning Against Pride
Study note
Jeremiah urges the people to listen and give glory to God before it is too late. If they refuse, Jeremiah himself will weep in secret because God's people will be taken away as captives. The cities of the southern desert will be shut up with no one to open them.
15 Listen up and pay attention! Don't be proud, because the Lord himself has spoken. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
16 Give honor to the Lord your God before it's too late — before he brings the darkness, before you trip and stumble on the shadowy mountains. You keep looking for light, but he will turn it into heavy darkness and thick, deep gloom. 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 If you won't listen, I will weep alone because of your stubborn pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord's flock is being dragged away as prisoners. 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 Tell the king and the queen mother, "Step down from your thrones, because your beautiful crowns are about to fall off your heads." 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 in the southern desert will be locked shut with no one to open them. The entire population of Judah will be hauled away as captives — every last one of them. 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.
Jerusalem's Shame
Study note
God speaks directly to Jerusalem, asking where the flock she was given to care for has gone. Her enemies will rule over her. Just as a leopard cannot change its spots, the people are so used to doing evil that they cannot change their ways. God will scatter them like straw blown by the desert wind.
20 Open your eyes and watch those armies coming down from the north. Where is the beautiful flock that was given to you — the people you were so proud of? 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 will you say when God puts your old allies in charge over you? Won't you be gripped with pain, like a woman in labor? 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 If you ask yourself, "Why is all this happening to me?" the answer is simple: your many sins. That's why you have been humiliated. 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 someone from Ethiopia change the color of their skin? Can a leopard get rid of its spots? You can't do good either, because you're so used to doing evil. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
24 "I will scatter you like bits of straw blown away by the desert wind." Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 "This is what you deserve -- the payment I have measured out for you," says the Lord. "You forgot all about me and put your trust in false gods." This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26 "I myself will pull your skirts up over your face so everyone can see your shame." Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
27 "I have seen your terrible sins — your unfaithfulness, your shameless idol worship on the hills and in the open fields. What an awful situation, Jerusalem! How long will you go on being unclean?" 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?
Key Themes
Themes in Jeremiah 13
The ruined linen belt as a signPride leading to destructionSin as a deeply ingrained habitObject lessons in prophetic ministryThe shame of persistent rebellion
Apply This Today
Living Jeremiah 13
Just as a belt clings to a person's waist, God designed His people to cling to Him. When we allow pride and habitual sin to separate us from God, we become as useless as a rotting cloth. Changing deeply ingrained patterns is difficult but not impossible with God's help.
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