3. Then the Lord said,
4. “Take off the shorts. Go to Parah and hide the shorts in a crack between some large rocks.”
5. And that's what I did.
6. Some time later the Lord said, “Go back and get the shorts.”
7. I went back and dug the shorts out of their hiding place, but the cloth had rotted, and the shorts were ruined.
8. Then the Lord said:
9. Jeremiah, I will use Babylonia to destroy the pride of the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
10. The people of Judah are evil and stubborn. So instead of listening to me, they do whatever they want and even worship other gods. When I have finished with these people, they will be good for nothing, just like this pair of shorts.
11. These shorts were tight around your waist, and that's how tightly I held on to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. I wanted them to be my people. I wanted to make them famous, so that other nations would praise and honour me, but they refused to obey me.
12. Jeremiah, tell the people of Judah, “The Lord God of Israel orders you to fill your wine jars with wine.”They will answer, “Of course we fill our wine jars with wine! Why are you telling us something we already know?”
13. Then say to them:I am the Lord, and what I'm going to do will make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem appear to be full of wine. And the worst ones will be the kings of David's family and the priests and the prophets.
14. Then I will smash them against each other like jars. I will have no pity on the young or the old, and they will all be destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken.
15. People of Judah,don't be too proud to listento what the Lord has said.
16. You hope for light,but God is sending darkness.Evening shadows already deepenin the hills.So return to Godand confess your sins to himbefore you trip and fall.