The Hebrew Prophets

For euen thy brethren, and the house of thy father, euen they haue delt vnfaithfully with thee, and they haue cryed out altogether vpon thee: but beleeue them not, though they speake faire to thee.

I haue forsaken mine house: I haue left mine heritage: I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hands of her enemies.

Mine heritage is vnto mee, as a lion in the forest: it crieth out against mee, therefore haue I hated it.

Shall mine heritage bee vnto mee, as a bird of diuers colours? are not the birdes about her, saying, Come, assemble all ye beastes of the fielde, come to eate her?

Many pastors haue destroyed my vineyarde, and troden my portion vnder foote: of my pleasant portion they haue made a desolate wildernesse.

They haue layde it waste, and it, being waste, mourneth vnto me: and the whole lande lyeth waste, because no man setteth his minde on it.

The destroyers are come vpon all the high places in the wildernesse: for the sworde of the Lord shall deuoure from the one end of the land, euen to the other ende of the lande: no flesh shall haue peace.

They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they were sicke, and had no profite: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.

Thus sayeth the Lord against all mine euill neighbours, that touch the inheritance, which I haue caused my people Israel to inherite, Beholde, I will plucke them out of their lande, and plucke out the house of Iudah from among them.

And after that I haue plucked them out, I will returne, and haue compassion on them, and will bring againe euery man to his heritage, and euery man to his land.

And if they will learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my Name, (The Lord liueth, as they taught my people to sweare by Baal) then shall they be built in the middes of my people.

But if they will not obey, then will I vtterly plucke vp, and destroy that nation, sayeth the Lord.

Thus sayth the Lord vnto mee, Goe, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it vpon thy loynes, and put it not in water.

So I bought the girdle according to the commandement of the Lord, and put it vpon my loynes.

And the worde of the Lord came vnto me the second time, saying,

Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is vpon thy loynes, and arise, goe towarde Perath, and hide it there in the cleft of the rocke.

So I went, and hid it by Perath, as the Lord had commanded me.

And after many dayes, the Lord sayde vnto mee, Arise, goe towarde Perath, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

Then went I to Perath, and digged, and tooke the girdle from the place where I had hid it, and behold, the girdle was corrupt, and was profitable for nothing.

Then the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Thus sayth the Lord, After this maner will I destroy the pride of Iudah, and the great pride of Ierusalem.

This wicked people haue refused to heare my word, and walke after ye stubbernesse of their owne heart, and walke after other gods to serue them, and to worship them: therefore they shalbe as this girdle, which is profitable to nothing.

For as the girdle cleaueth to the loynes of a man, so haue I tied to me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Iudah, saith the Lord, that they might bee my people: that they might haue a name and prayse, and glory, but they would not heare.

Therefore thou shalt saye vnto them this word, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Euery bottell shalbe filled with wine, and they shall say vnto thee, Doe we not knowe that euery bottell shalbe filled with wine?

Then shalt thou say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, euen the Kings that sit vpon the throne of Dauid, and the Priestes and the Prophets and all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem with drunkennesse.