Study Desk

They decorate their idols with silver and gold. With hammers and nails they fasten them down so they won't fall over.

Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, so the idols are made by craftsmen and goldsmiths. They put blue and purple clothes on the idols. All these things are made by skilled workers.

People are so stupid and know so little. Goldsmiths are made ashamed by their idols, because those statues are only false gods. They have no breath in them.

This is what the Lord says: "At this time I will throw out the people who live in this land. I will bring trouble to them so that they may be captured."

The shepherds are stupid and don't ask the Lord for advice. So they do not have success, and all their flocks are scattered and lost.

But your ancestors did not listen to me. They were stubborn and did what their own evil hearts wanted. So I made all the curses of this agreement come upon them. I commanded them to obey the agreement, but they did not.'"

So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will soon bring a disaster on the people of Judah which they will not be able to escape. They will cry to me for help, but I will not listen to them.

Before this, I was like a gentle lamb waiting to be butchered. I did not know they had made plans against me, saying: "Let us destroy the tree and its fruit. Let's kill him so people will forget him."

But, Lord All-Powerful, you are a fair judge. You know how to test peoples' hearts and minds. I have told you what I have against them. So let me see you give them the punishment they deserve.

So the Lord speaks about the people from Anathoth who plan to kill Jeremiah and say, "Don't prophesy in the name of the Lord , or we will kill you!"

So this is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "I will soon punish the men from Anathoth. Their young men will die in war. Their sons and daughters will die from hunger.

My people have become to me like a lion in the forest. They roar at me, so I hate them.

So I bought a linen belt, just as the Lord told me, and put it around my waist.

So I went to Perath and hid the belt there, just as the Lord told me.

So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from where I had hidden it. But now it was ruined; it was good for nothing.

These evil people refuse to listen to my warnings. They stubbornly do only what they want to do, and they follow other gods to serve and worship them. So they will become like this linen belt—good for nothing.

As a belt is wrapped tightly around a person's waist, I wrapped the families of Israel and Judah around me," says the Lord . "I did that so they would be my people and bring fame, praise, and honor to me. But my people would not listen.

I will pull your skirts up over your face so everyone will see your shame.

The important men send their servants to get water. They go to the wells, but they find no water. So they return with empty jars. They are ashamed and embarrassed and cover their heads in shame.

The ground is dry and cracked open, because no rain falls on the land. The farmers are upset and sad, so they cover their heads in shame.