Jeremiah 13

The image of the girdle is intimate. Israel and Judah are Yahweh's girdle. You can't get much closer to the person than that.

The impending doom is expressed in verse 13: And you say to them, Thus says Yahweh, Note me well 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, with drunkenness.

Jeremiah 13 Verse 13 is an astonishingly long recitation, 63 syllables and no rest in the verse.
And no breaking of the drive of the verse to its last word.

Some aspects of this chapter were straightforward. Other aspects were choppy. I also discover inadvertent overlaps. שׁלם includes the idea of wholeness, and I have used whole and wholeness a few times, but I have used wholly כליל for  a technical term in Exodus, more related to כל than to שׁלם. I have switched entirely with wholly. O woolly language!

So how can we perceive truth with woolly language? It is a problem. Particularly since our idols are protection of our own interests. We should answer that question implied by verse 25, have we trusted in falsehood?

Jeremiah 13		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הָל֞וֹךְ וְקָנִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ אֵז֣וֹר פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים וְשַׂמְתּ֖וֹ עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וּבַמַּ֖יִם לֹ֥א תְבִאֵֽהוּ	1		Thus says Yahweh to me, Go and buy for yourself a girdle of flax, and put it over your loins, and do not bring it into water.	3e	4C	26 8
וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאֵז֖וֹר כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֖ם עַל־מָתְנָֽי	2		And I bought the girdle according to the word of Yahweh, and I put it on my loins.	3e	4B	11 6
וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר	3		And the word of Yahweh happened to me a second time, saying,	3c	3g	12
קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵז֛וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע	4	c	Take the girdle that you purchased that is on your loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and bury it there in a cavern of the cliff.	3c	4B	16 16
וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ וָאֶטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בִּפְרָ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אוֹתִֽי	5		And I went and I buried it at the Euphrates, as Yahweh commanded me.	3d	4A	10 9
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י ק֚וּם לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְקַ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְטָמְנוֹ־שָֽׁם	6		And it happened at the end of many days, and Yahweh said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the girdle that I commanded you to bury there.	3e	4C	8 30
וָאֵלֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר וָֽאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־טְמַנְתִּ֣יו שָׁ֑מָּה וְהִנֵּה֙ נִשְׁחַ֣ת הָאֵז֔וֹר לֹ֥א יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל	7		And I went to the Euphrates, and I excavated, and I took the girdle from the place where I had buried it. And behold, the girdle was impaired. It would not be useful for anything.	3e	4B	27 13
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר	8		And the word of Yahweh happened to me, saying,	3e	3g	10
כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כָּ֠כָה אַשְׁחִ֞ית אֶת־גְּא֧וֹן יְהוּדָ֛ה וְאֶת־גְּא֥וֹן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם הָרָֽב	9	g	Thus says Yahweh, Thus I will impair the pride of Judah and the vast pride of Jerusalem.	3c	4B	5 20
הָעָם֩ הַזֶּ֨ה הָרָ֜ע הַֽמֵּאֲנִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֗י הַהֹֽלְכִים֙ בִּשְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְעָבְדָ֖ם וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וִיהִי֙ כָּאֵז֣וֹר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל	10		This evil people, who will not hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and they walk after other gods to serve them and to worship them. And they will be as this girdle that is not useful to anyone.	3e	4B	47 14
כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יִדְבַּ֨ק הָאֵז֜וֹר אֶל־מָתְנֵי־אִ֗ישׁ כֵּ֣ן הִדְבַּ֣קְתִּי אֵ֠לַי אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וּלְשֵׁ֥ם וְלִתְהִלָּ֖ה וּלְתִפְאָ֑רֶת וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵֽעוּ	11	~	For as the girdle clings to the loins of a person, so clings to me all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah, an oracle of Yahweh, that you would be mine, for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for an adornment. And they did not hear.	3e	4C	51 5
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כָּל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֣לֵא יָ֑יִן וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ הֲיָדֹ֙עַ֙ לֹ֣א נֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כָל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֥לֵא יָֽיִן	12		And you will say to them this word, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Every skin-bottle will be filled with wine. And they will say to you, Did we not know that every skin-bottle will be filled with wine?	3e	4C	32 22
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנְנִ֣י מְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֪רֶץ הַזֹּ֟את וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הַיֹּשְׁבִים֩ לְדָוִ֨ד עַל־כִּסְא֜וֹ וְאֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַנְּבִיאִ֗ים וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֖ם שִׁכָּרֽוֹן	13		And you say to them, Thus says Yahweh, Note me well 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, with drunkenness.	3d	4B	63
וְנִפַּצְתִּים֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֜יו וְהָאָב֧וֹת וְהַבָּנִ֛ים יַחְדָּ֖ו נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה לֹֽא־אֶחְמ֧וֹל וְלֹֽא־אָח֛וּס וְלֹ֥א אֲרַחֵ֖ם מֵהַשְׁחִיתָֽם	14		And I will smash them, each to its kin, both the parents and the children as one, an oracle of Yahweh. I will not show pity, nor will I spare, nor will I have compassion, but I will destroy them.	3c	4A	22 15
שִׁמְע֥וּ וְהַאֲזִ֖ינוּ אַל־תִּגְבָּ֑הוּ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר	15		Hear and give ear. Do not be haughty, for Yahweh has spoken.	3e	4A	11 5
תְּנוּ֩ לַיהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם כָּבוֹד֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־הָ֣רֵי נָ֑שֶׁף וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת וְשִׁ֖ית לַעֲרָפֶֽל	16		Give glory to Yahweh your God, before he makes darkness, and before you stub your feet on the mountains of twilight, and you expect light, and he renders it a shadow of death, and imposes murk.	3d	4C	29 19
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמָע֔וּהָ בְּמִסְתָּרִ֥ים תִּבְכֶּֽה־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִפְּנֵ֣י גֵוָ֑ה וְדָמֹ֨עַ תִּדְמַ֜ע וְתֵרַ֤ד עֵינִי֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה עֵ֥דֶר יְהוָֽה	17		And if you will not hear it, in hidden places my integrity will weep in the face of hubris, and my eyes will tear with tearing, and will run down with tears that the troop of Yahweh is captive.	3e	4C	19 20
אֱמֹ֥ר לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְלַגְּבִירָ֖ה הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ שֵׁ֑בוּ כִּ֤י יָרַד֙ מַרְאֲשׁ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּֽפְאַרְתְּכֶֽם	18		Say to the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves. Sit, for your preeminence will come down, the crown of your adornment.	3d	4C	14 15
עָרֵ֥י הַנֶּ֛גֶב סֻגְּר֖וּ וְאֵ֣ין פֹּתֵ֑חַ הָגְלָ֧ת יְהוּדָ֛ה כֻּלָּ֖הּ הָגְלָ֥ת שְׁלוֹמִֽים	19		The cities of the south will be imprisoned, and none will open. Judah will be exiled, all of it, wholly exiled.	3c	4B	12 12
שְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ וּרְא֔וּ הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצָּפ֑וֹן אַיֵּ֗ה הָעֵ֙דֶר֙ נִתַּן־לָ֔ךְ צֹ֖אן תִּפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ	20		Lift up your eyes, and see those coming from the north. Where is the troop given to you, the sheep of your adornment.	3e	4C	13 12
מַה־תֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־יִפְקֹ֣ד עָלַ֔יִךְ וְ֠אַתְּ לִמַּ֨דְתְּ אֹתָ֥ם עָלַ֛יִךְ אַלֻּפִ֖ים לְרֹ֑אשׁ הֲל֤וֹא חֲבָלִים֙ יֹאחֱז֔וּךְ כְּמ֖וֹ אֵ֥שֶׁת לֵדָֽה	21		What will you say when he visits you? And you taught them, captains to be head over you. Will not pangs grasp you like a woman giving birth?	3d	4C	24 14
וְכִ֤י תֹאמְרִי֙ בִּלְבָבֵ֔ךְ מַדּ֖וּעַ קְרָאֻ֣נִי אֵ֑לֶּה בְּרֹ֧ב עֲוֺנֵ֛ךְ נִגְל֥וּ שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ נֶחְמְס֥וּ עֲקֵבָֽיִךְ	22		And if you say in your heart, Why do these encounter me? In the abundance of your iniquity your skirts are uncovered, violently removed, your heels.	3c	4C	16 17
הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ	23		Will an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his stripes? Even you, you are able to do good, who have learned to do evil.	3e	4C	16 14
וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם כְּקַשׁ־עוֹבֵ֑ר לְר֖וּחַ מִדְבָּֽר	24		So I will disperse them as stubble passed through, by the wind in the wilderness.	3e	4A	8 5
זֶ֣ה גוֹרָלֵ֧ךְ מְנָת־מִדַּ֛יִךְ מֵֽאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁכַ֣חַתְּ אוֹתִ֔י וַֽתִּבְטְחִ֖י בַּשָּֽׁקֶר	25	B	This is your lot, the portion of your ample supply from me, an oracle of Yahweh, that you have forgotten me, and you trusted in falsehood.	3c	4B	16 14
וְגַם־אֲנִ֛י חָשַׂ֥פְתִּי שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ עַל־פָּנָ֑יִךְ וְנִרְאָ֖ה קְלוֹנֵֽךְ	26		And even I, I will strip your skirts over your face, and your disgrace will appear.	3d	4A	14 6
נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ זִמַּ֣ת זְנוּתֵ֔ךְ עַל־גְּבָעוֹת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי שִׁקּוּצָ֑יִךְ א֥וֹי לָךְ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם לֹ֣א תִטְהֲרִ֔י אַחֲרֵ֥י מָתַ֖י עֹֽד	27		Your adulteries, and your neighings, the lewdness of your harlotry, upon the hillocks, in the field, I have seen your detestable things. Woe to you, Jerusalem, you will not be clean. After, when? for ever?	3e	4C	29 17