Jeremiah’s linen waistcloth

13 One day Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.” 2 So I bought a very nice waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.

3 Then later Yahweh gave me another message. 4 He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream near Jerusalem and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.” 5 So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.

6 A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go back to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide there.” 7 So I went to the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.

8 Then Yahweh gave me this message: 9 “What happened to your waistcloth shows that I will destroy the things that the people of Jerusalem and other places in Judah are very proud of. 10 Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth. 11 Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention to me. “