2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

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

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

(a) Because this river was far from Jerusalem, it is evident that this was a vision, by which it was signified that the Jews would pass over the Euphrates to be captives in Babylon, and there for length of time would seem to be rotten, although they were joined to the Lord before as a girdle about a man.

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

6 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 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 word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9 Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 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 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.

12 Therefore thou shalt speak to them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every {b} skin shall be filled with wine: and they shall say to thee, Do we not certainly know that every skin shall be filled with wine?

(b) Every one of you will be filled with spiritual drunkenness, and be without all knowledge to seek how to help yourselves.

13 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 And I will {c} 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.

(c) It will be as easy for me to destroy the greatest and the strongest as it is for a man to break earthen bottles.

15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he shall cause {d} darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for {e} light, he shall turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

(d) That is, affliction and misery by the Babylonians, Isa 8:22.

(e) Meaning, for help and support of the Egyptians.

17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall {f} weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.

(f) You will surely be led away captive and I, according to my affection toward you, will weep and lament for your stubbornness.

18 Say to the {g} king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

(g) For Jehoiachin and his mother rendered themselves by Jeremiah's counsel to the king of Babylon, 2Ki 24:12.

19 The cities of {h} 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.

(h) That is, of Judah, which lies south of Babylon.

20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the {i} flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

(i) He asks the king, where his people is become.

21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast {k} taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

(k) By seeking to strangers for help, you have made them skilful to fight against you.

22 And if thou shalt say in thy heart, Why come these things upon me? For the greatness of thy iniquity are thy skirts {l} uncovered, and thy heels made bare.

(l) The cloak of hypocrisy will be pulled off, and your shame seen.

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

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

25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 Therefore will I uncover thy skirts upon thy face, {m} that thy shame may appear.

(m) As your iniquities have been revealed to all the world, so shall your shame and punishment.

27 I have seen thy adulteries, and thy {n} neighings, the lewdness of thy harlotry, and thy abominations on the hills in {o} the fields. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

(n) He compares idolaters to horses inflamed after mares.

(o) There is no place so high nor low, where the marks and signs of your idolatry do not appear.