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英文原文
Still the prophet is attempting to awaken this secure and stubborn people to repentance, by the consideration of the judgments of God that were coming upon them. He is to tell them, I. By the sign of a girdle spoiled that their pride should be stained, Jer 13:1-11. II. By the sign of bottles filled with wine that their counsels should be blasted, Jer 13:12-14. III. In consideration hereof he is to call them to repent and humble themselves, Jer 13:15-21. IV. He is to convince them that it is for their obstinacy and incorrigibleness that the judgments of God are so prolonged and brought to extremity, Jer 13:22-27.
1-11
The Marred Girdle (606 BC)
敗壞的腰帶（主前606年）
¹ 耶和華對我如此說：「你去為自己買一條麻布帶子，束在腰間，卻不要放在水中。」
² 我就照着耶和華的話，買了一條帶子，束在腰間。
³ 耶和華的話第二次臨到我說：
⁴ 「你要拿着你買來束在腰間的那條帶子，起來往伯拉大河去，將它藏在磐石的穴中。」
⁵ 我就照耶和華所吩咐我的去行，往伯拉大河去，把它藏在那裏。
⁶ 過了多日，耶和華對我說：「你起來往伯拉大河去，從那裏取出我曾吩咐你藏在那裏的那條帶子。」
⁷ 於是我往伯拉大河去，掘開土，從我所藏之處取出那帶子；看哪，那帶子已經敗壞，毫無用處了。
⁸ 那時耶和華的話臨到我說：
⁹ 「耶和華如此說：我必照樣敗壞猶大的驕傲，和耶路撒冷的極大驕傲。」
¹⁰ 「這惡民不肯聽我的話，隨自己頑梗的心而行，去隨從別神，事奉敬拜，他們也必像這條帶子一樣，毫無用處。」
¹¹ 「腰帶怎樣緊貼人的腰間，照樣我也使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼我；這是耶和華說的，好使他們作我的子民，作我的名、我的讚美、我的榮耀；只是他們不肯聽。」
此處有：一、一個記號，就是先知佩帶了相當時日的一條腰帶，因為被藏在伯拉大河旁磐石的穴中而敗壞了。先知們通常用記號來教訓人，使那些愚蒙、不肯思想的人，可以因如此擺在他們眼前的事而有所省察、相信並受感動。1. 他要佩帶一條麻布腰帶一段時日（耶13:1-2）。有人以為他是貼身穿着的，因為那是麻布，又因聖經說它緊貼他的腰間（耶13:11）。但更可能是穿在外衣之上，因為它是「為名、為讚美」而戴的，多半是一條精緻的腰帶，像官長們所佩的，也是現今東方各國常見的。他不可將它放在水中，要原樣穿戴，好使它更堅韌，不易朽壞；因為麻布因洗滌而耗損的，幾乎與因穿着而耗損的一樣多。不沾水，它就更硬挺、更不易彎折，但他仍要設法穿得上。也許這是非常細的精麻，可以長久穿着而不必洗滌。先知如同施洗約翰一樣，並非穿細軟衣服的人，因此人看見他佩着麻布腰帶，便會更加詫異，因為他平日大概佩的是皮帶。2. 他佩帶這條麻布腰帶一些時日之後，要去把它藏在磐石的穴中（耶13:4），在水邊；水漲時腰帶被浸濕，水退時又再變乾，這樣一來便很快朽壞，比之於時刻潮濕或時刻乾燥更壞得快。3. 過了多日，他要去尋找它，結果發現它已全然敗壞，成了一堆破布，毫無用處（耶13:7）。自古以來，解經家們對這記號究竟是真有其事、可被百姓看見觀察的，還是僅在夢中或異象中發生、只限於先知自己心中所見的，一直有所爭論。很難想像先知會被差遣走兩趟往伯拉大河這樣遠的路程，每趟都要花上大約一週的時間，何況他在本地實在難以抽身。因此多數人傾向於認為，這行程至少只是異象中的事，正如以西結從迦巴魯被擄之地到耶路撒冷（結8:3），又從耶路撒冷回到迦巴魯（結11:24）的異象一樣；而這記號的解釋也只是對先知本人說的（耶13:8），並非對百姓說的，因這記號並非公開的。但是，當時耶路撒冷與巴比倫之間的往來大概相當便利，而伯拉大河的某一段也並非遠到不能作為應許之地的極遠邊界（書1:4）；因此我認為，設想先知真的走了兩趟也沒有甚麼不妥之處：因為經上明說，他照着耶和華所吩咐的去行了；這就為他對神的順服留下了顯著的憑據，用以羞愧一個悖逆百姓的頑梗：他奔波的勞苦，正可用以表明他們在拜偶像之事上何等費心敗壞自己，以及他們被擄時將要承受的悲哀疲乏；而伯拉大河既是巴比倫的河，巴比倫又將成為他們受捆绑之地，這在這個記號中也是一個關鍵的情境。
二、這記號所表明的事。先知為使百姓因耶和華的話受感動，情願付任何代價、受任何辛勞。傳道人為着人靈魂的益處，也當如此花費自己、傾盡自己。這記號的解釋記在耶13:9-11。
- 以色列民曾在兩方面如同這條腰帶之於神：（1）神已將他們帶進與自己相交的聖約之中。腰帶怎樣緊貼人的腰間、環繞他，照樣我也使以色列家和猶大家緊貼我。他們是與神相近的子民（詩148:14）；他們是屬他的，是歸他為獨特的子民，是祭司的國度，比別的國民更能親近他。神藉着所賜的律法、所差的先知，以及在護理中所施的恩惠，使他們緊貼自己。他要求他們按時在他殿的院中事奉，並屢次藉獻祭堅固與他所立的約。他使他們如此與自己相聯結，以致看來他們似乎永不可能與他分離。（2）他在此中所定的，是他自己的榮耀。他揀選他們作他的子民，是要他們成為他的名、他的讚美、他的榮耀，正如腰帶是人的裝飾；尤其是大祭司以弗得上巧工織的帶子，是為榮耀、為華美而作的。注意，凡神揀選歸他為子民的，他定意要他們成為他的讚美。〔1〕他們的本分是榮耀他，謹守他的典章，並在其中以他的榮耀為目標，這樣便裝飾了他們所信的。〔2〕他們的幸福，乃是在於他以他們為榮，並在他們身上得着榮耀。當他們行事為人與他的子民相稱時，他便喜悅他們，並以與他們的關係為榮。他很樂意把以色列的神、甚至作以色列的神，列為他自己尊榮的名號之一（代上17:24）。我們若不作他的讚美，徒然自稱是歸他為子民的。2. 然而他們卻因拜偶像和各樣罪惡，自行鬆脫了與神的聯結，遠離了他，奪去了本當歸他的榮耀，將自己埋藏在土中，而且是外邦的土中，與列國攙雜，以致敗壞到毫無用處：他們不能再像神起初所定的那樣，作他的名、他的讚美，因為他們既不肯聽從自己的本分去遵行，也不肯珍視自己的特權。他們不肯聽耶和華的話，原可藉此繼續緊貼於他。他們隨着自己心中所頑梗的而行，任憑幻想引到何處便到何處；對任何心所欲的享樂都不加拒絕，尤其是在敬拜的事上。他們不肯緊貼神，卻去隨從別神，事奉敬拜；他們迷戀那靠近伯拉大河一帶列國的神祇，以致完全敗壞，再不能事奉自己的神，如同這條腰帶——這條朽爛的腰帶一樣，成了所信之道的羞辱，而不是裝飾。這樣一條腰帶竟敗壞到這般田地，這樣的一個民竟如此可悲地墮落，實在可惜！3. 神必藉着審判將他們與自己分開，把他們趕到被擄之地，塗抹他們一切的美貌，毀壞他們一切的光華，使他們如同精緻的腰帶化為破布，成為毫無價值、無用、可鄙的民。神必照樣敗壞猶大的驕傲，和耶路撒冷的極大驕傲。他必剝奪他們一切引以為驕傲的事物，就是他們所誇口的、所倚靠的；這些不僅要被玷污，更要徹底毀壞，如同這條麻布腰帶一樣。請注意，他說到猶大的驕傲（鄉間的百姓以他們的聖地、他們的美地為傲），卻說到耶路撒冷的極大驕傲；因為聖殿和皇宮都在那裏，所以那城的居民比別城的居民更為驕傲。神注意人驕傲的程度差別，注意有些人的驕傲和另一些人的極大驕傲；他必敗壞它，他必玷污它。驕傲必致傾倒，因為神阻擋驕傲的人。他要麼敗壞我們裏面的驕傲（就是以他的恩典使之治死，使我們為之羞愧，並如希西家一般，因我們心中的驕傲、那極大的驕傲而自卑，又醫治我們，任憑它何等之大；而這樣的敗壞驕傲，正是建立人的心靈；我們若在降卑的護理中心受降卑，便為有福），要麼他便敗壞我們所引以為傲的事物。才幹、恩賜、學問、權勢、外在的特權，我們若因這些而驕傲，神按公義便要將之擊打；甚至聖殿，當它成了耶路撒冷的驕傲時，也被毀壞、化為灰燼。神看見一切驕傲的人，使他降卑，這原是他的榮耀。
英文原文
The Marred Girdle (606 BC)
¹ Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
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 girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
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.
Here is, I. A sign, the marring of a girdle, which the prophet had worn for some time, by hiding it in a hole of a rock near the river Euphrates. It was usual with the prophets to teach by signs, that a stupid unthinking people might be brought to consider, and believe, and be affected with what was thus set before them. 1. He was to wear a linen girdle for some time, Jer 13:1,2. Some think he wore it under his clothes, because it was linen, and it is said to cleave to his loins, Jer 13:11. It should rather seem to be worn upon his clothes, for it was worn for a name and a praise, and probably was a fine sash, such as officers wear and such as are commonly worn at this day in the eastern nations. He must not put it in water, but wear it as it was, that it might be the stronger, and less likely to rot: linen wastes almost as much with washing as with wearing. Being not wet, it was the more stiff and less apt to bend, yet he must make a shift to wear it. Probably it was very fine linen which will wear long without washing. The prophet, like John Baptist, was none of those that wore soft clothing, and therefore it would be the more strange to see him with a linen girdle on, who probably used to wear a leathern one. 2. After he had worn this linen girdle for some time, he must go, and hide it in a hole of a rock (Jer 13:4) by the water's side, where, when the water was high, it would be wet, and when it fell would grow dry again, and by that means would soon rot, sooner than if it were always wet or always dry. 3. After many days, he must look for it, and he should find it quite spoiled, gone all to rags and good for nothing, Jer 13:7. It has been of old a question among interpreters whether this was really done, so as to be seen and observed by the people, or only in a dream or vision, so as to go no further than the prophet's own mind. It seems hard to imagine that the prophet should be sent on two such long journeys as to the river Euphrates, each of which would take him up some week's time, when he could so ill be spared at home. For this reason most incline to think the journey, at least, was only in vision, like that of Ezekiel, from the captivity in Chaldea to Jerusalem (Eze 8:3) and thence back to Chaldea (Jer 11:24); and the explanation of this sign is given only to the prophet himself (Jer 13:8), not to the people, the sign not being public. But there being, it is probable, at that time, great conveniences of travelling between Jerusalem and Babylon, and some part of Euphrates being not so far off but that it was made the utmost border of the land of promise (Jos 1:4), I see no inconvenience in supposing the prophet to have made two journeys thither; for it is expressly said, He did as the Lord commanded him; and thus gave a signal proof of his obsequiousness to his God, to shame the stubbornness of a disobedient people: the toil of his journey would be very proper to signify both the pains they took to corrupt themselves with their idolatries and the sad fatigue of their captivity; and Euphrates being the river of Babylon, which was to be the place of their bondage, was a material circumstance in this sign.
II. The thing signified by this sign. The prophet was willing to be at any cost and pains to affect this people with the word of the Lord. Ministers must spend, and be spent, for the good of souls. We have the explanation of this sign, Jer 13:9-11.
1. The people of Israel had been to God as this girdle in two respects:—(1.) He had taken them into covenant and communion with himself: As the girdle cleaves very closely to the loins of a man and surrounds him, so have I caused to cleave to me the houses of Israel and Judah. They were a people near to God (Ps 148:14); they were his own, a peculiar people to him, a kingdom of priests that had access to him above other nations. He caused them to cleave to him by the law he gave them, the prophets he sent among them, and the favours which in his providence he showed them. He required their stated attendance in the courts of his house, and the frequent ratification of their covenant with him by sacrifices. Thus they were made so as to cleave to him that one would think they could never have been parted. (2.) He had herein designed his own honour. When he took them to be to him for a people, it was that they might be to him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, as a girdle is an ornament to a man, and particularly the curious girdle of the ephod was to the high-priest for glory and for beauty. Note, Those whom God takes to be to him for a people he intends to be to him for a praise. [1.] It is their duty to honour him, by observing his institutions and aiming therein at his glory, and thus adorning their profession. [2.] It is their happiness that he reckons himself honoured in them and by them. He is pleased with them, and glories in his relation to them, while they behave themselves as become his people. He was pleased to take it among the titles of his honour to be the God of Israel, even a God to Israel, 1Ch 17:24. In vain do we pretend to be to God for a people if we be not to him for a praise.
2. They had by their idolatries and other iniquities loosed themselves from him, thrown themselves at a distance, robbed him of the honour they owed him, buried themselves in the earth, and foreign earth too, mingled among the nations, and were so spoiled and corrupted that they were good for nothing: they could no more be to God, as they were designed, for a name and a praise, for they would not hear either their duty to do it or their privilege to value it: They refused to hear the words of God, by which they might have been kept still cleaving closely to him. They walked in the imagination of their heart, wherever their fancy led them; and denied themselves no gratification they had a mind to, particularly in their worship. They would not cleave to God, but walked after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them; they doted upon the gods of the heathen nations that lay towards Euphrates, so that they were quite spoiled for the service of their own God, and were as this girdle, this rotten girdle, a disgrace to their profession and not an ornament. A thousand pities it was that such a girdle should be so spoiled, that such a people should so wretchedly degenerate.
3. God would by his judgments separate them from him, send them into captivity, deface all their beauty and ruin their excellency, so that they should be like a fine girdle gone to rags, a worthless, useless, despicable people. God will after this manner mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. He would strip them of all that which was the matter of their pride, of which they boasted and in which they trusted; it should not only be sullied and stained, but quite destroyed, like this linen girdle. Observe, He speaks of the pride of Judah (the country people were proud of their holy land, their good land), but of the great pride of Jerusalem; there the temple was, and the royal palace, and therefore those citizens were more proud than the inhabitants of other cities. God takes notice of the degrees of men's pride, the pride of some and the great pride of others; and he will mar it, he will stain it. Pride will have a fall, for God resists the proud. He will either mar the pride that is in us (that is, mortify it by his grace, make us ashamed of it, and, like Hezekiah, humble us for the pride of our hearts, the great pride, and cure us of it, great as it is; and this marring of the pride will be making of the soul; happy for us if the humbling providences our hearts be humbled) or else he will mar the thing we are proud of. Parts, gifts, learning, power, external privileges, if we are proud of these, it is just with God to blast them; even the temple, when it became Jerusalem's pride, was marred and laid in ashes. It is the honour of God to took upon every one that is proud and abase him.
12-21
The Bottles Filled with Wine; Punishment Predicted; A Call to Repentance (606 BC)
盛滿酒的瓶子；刑罰的預告；悔改的呼召（主前 606 年）
¹² 所以你要對他們說這話：以色列的神耶和華如此說：各樣的皮袋都要盛滿酒。他們必對你說：我們豈不確知各樣的皮袋都要盛滿酒嗎？
¹³ 你就對他們說：耶和華如此說：看哪，我必使這地的一切居民，就是坐在大衛寶座上的君王、祭司、先知，並耶路撒冷的一切居民，都喝醉。
¹⁴ 耶和華說：我要使他們彼此相碰，就是父親和兒子一同相碰；我必不顧惜、不憐憫、不發憐憫，仍要毀滅他們。
¹⁵ 你們當聽，當側耳而聽；不要驕傲；因為耶和華已經說了。
¹⁶ 你們要在耶和華你們的神未使黑暗來到、你們的腳未在昏暗山上絆跌之前，將榮耀歸給祂；你們仰望亮光，祂卻使它變為死蔭，使它成為幽暗。
¹⁷ 你們若不聽，我必因你們的驕傲在隱密處哭泣；我眼必痛哭流淚，因為耶和華的群眾被擄去了。
¹⁸ 你要對君王和太后說：你們當自卑，坐下；因你們的權勢必降卑，甚至你們榮耀的冠冕。
¹⁹ 南方的城邑必被關閉，無人開啟；猶大全被擄去，盡被擄去。
²⁰ 你們要舉目觀看從北方來的人；所交給你的群羊——你美麗的群羊——如今在哪裏呢？
²¹ 耶和華刑罰你的時候，你還說甚麼呢？你曾教他們作軍長*，作*首領管轄你；痛苦豈不將你抓住，如同生產的婦人嗎？
此處有：一. 對這百姓所威脅的一個使他們完全沉醉的審判。這判決以比喻的形式宣告，為要更加引人注意、更加動人（Jer 13:12）：以色列的神耶和華如此說：各樣的皮袋都要盛滿酒；意思就是：那些因罪使自己成為預備遭毀滅的器皿的，必被神的烈怒充滿，如同皮袋被酒充滿；又如每一個預備得榮耀的憐憫器皿必被憐憫和榮耀充滿，照樣他們必被耶和華的烈怒充滿（賽 51:20）；而且他們要如皮袋一般脆弱；又如舊皮袋裝新酒一般，他們必脹破、碎裂（太 9:17）。或者，他們的頭要如皮袋盛滿酒一般滿了酒；因為 Jer 13:13 如此解釋：他們必喝醉；參賽 51:17。這或許是他們中間一句常見的諺語，以各種方式應用；但他們因不明白先知在其中的意思而嘲弄他：「我們豈不確知各樣的皮袋都要盛滿酒嗎？這有甚麼希奇？告訴我們一些我們從前不知道的吧。」他們或許因覺得這話暗指他們醉酒而對先知發怒——這或許部分正是先知的用意。他們喜愛酒餅（何 3:1）。他們的守望者全都貪圖酒（賽 56:12）。他們喜愛那些對他們說酒預言的假先知（彌 2:11）——叫他們盡情作樂、保證他們的瓶中之酒永不缺乏的先知。先知說：「好吧，你們必有你們盛滿酒的皮袋，但不是你們所渴望的那種酒。」他們懷疑他在其中有某種預言對他們不利——而非對他們有益——的隱秘含義；他承認確實如此。他的意思是：
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他們要如同醉酒的人一般頭暈目眩。醉酒的人很適合被比作裝滿酒的皮袋或酒桶；因為酒一進去，機智、智慧、美德和一切有用的東西都出去了。如今神威脅說（Jer 13:13）他們都要喝醉；他們在計謀上要充滿混亂，說話結巴、行動搖晃；不知道自己在說甚麼或作甚麼，更不知道自己當說甚麼或當作甚麼。他們要厭惡一切享受並如醉酒的人一般吐出來（伯 20:15）。他們要陷入沉睡，完全無力自救，又像喝盡理性的人一般任憑周圍一切擺佈和嘲笑。這不僅是他們中間一些人的光景（若有人清醒，或可幫助其餘的人），而是連坐在大衛寶座上的君王——本該像他們的父大衛那樣如神的使者一般有智慧——也要如此沉醉。他們的祭司和先知——他們的假先知——那些假裝引導他們的，也同樣放縱情慾，因此理當與其他人一樣失去理智。不但如此，全地和耶路撒冷的一切居民都同樣深陷其中。神所要毀滅的人，祂必先使他昏昧。
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他們既已頭暈目眩，就要彼此衝撞。耶和華烈怒之杯不僅使他們陷入昏沉——以至於不能自救或互救——更使他們完全發狂——以至於要傷害自己和彼此（Jer 13:14）：我要使人與他的弟兄相碰。不僅他們醉酒的愚妄，連他們醉酒的爭鬥，也要有助於他們的毀滅。醉酒的人常常好鬥，因此有禍患和憂愁（箴 23:29,30）；如此他們的罪成了他們的刑罰；此處正是如此。神差遣邪靈進入家庭和鄰舍之間（如士 9:23），使他們彼此猜忌怨恨；以致父親和兒子一起爭吵，彼此要撕碎，使他們全都成為共同仇敵輕易的獵物。這判令既已發出，神說：我必不顧惜、不憐憫、不發憐憫，仍要毀滅他們；因為他們不顧惜、不憐憫、不發憐憫，要彼此毀滅；見哈 2:15,16。
二. 此處有善勸，若被聽從即可阻止這荒涼。簡而言之，就是自卑，服在神大能的手下。他們若肯聽、側耳而聽，這就是神對他們要說的話：不要驕傲（Jer 13:15）。這正是神與他們爭論的罪之一（Jer 13:9）；讓他們治死並離棄這罪，神就放下祂的爭論。*「不要驕傲；當神藉先知向你們說話時，不要以為自己太高貴不能受教；不要輕蔑，不要任性，不要讓你們的心抗拒神的話，不要輕慢傳話的使者。當神在護理中出來反對你們時（祂也藉此說話），祂威脅時不可安逸，擊打時不可暴躁，因為兩者的根源都是驕傲。」*說話的是偉大的神，祂的權威不容置疑、祂的能力不可抗拒；所以要順服祂所說的，不要驕傲——正如你們一直以來那樣。他們不可驕傲，因為：
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他們當尊崇神、設法榮耀祂：「將榮耀歸給耶和華你們的神」——不要歸給你們的偶像，不要歸給別神。要藉著承認你們的罪、在祂面前自認有罪、接受你們罪孽的刑罰來榮耀祂（Jer 13:16）。要藉著真誠的悔改和歸正來榮耀祂。」那時——也唯有那時——我們才開始照所當行的而活、活得有意義，就是我們開始將榮耀歸給耶和華我們的神——以祂的尊榮為我們的首要目標並如此追求的時候。「快快如此行，趁你們悔改的機會仍存留之時；在祂使黑暗來到之前——在你們看不見逃生之路之前。」注意，那些不肯悔改將榮耀歸給神的人，黑暗必是他們的分。那些被第四碗所燒的人不悔改將榮耀歸給神，下一碗就使他們滿了黑暗（啟 16:9,10）。此處所威脅之黑暗的加重在於：（1.）他們逃脫的嘗試反要加速他們的毀滅：當他們盡一切所能趕路越過昏暗的山時，他們的腳要絆跌——跌倒就不能再起。注意，那些想要逃脫神審判的人必發現道路不可通行；他們盡力奔跑也無濟於事，追趕他們的審判必追上他們；他們的道路又暗又滑（詩 35:6）。因此，在到了那極端之前，我們的智慧乃是將榮耀歸給祂、如此與祂和好——投奔祂的憐憫，那時就無需逃離祂的公義。（2.）他們對更好時局的盼望必落空：你們仰望亮光——盼望安慰和拯救——祂卻使它變為死蔭——極其悽慘可怕——使它成為幽暗——如埃及的黑暗，當法老繼續剛硬他的心時，那黑暗是可以摸得到的。不悔改之罪人的盼望在他死時滅亡，那時他妄想使之滿足。
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他們當自卑、自取羞辱；君王和太后的特權也不能使他們免於此（Jer 13:18）：「你要對君王和太后說」——他們雖偉大，卻必須以真悔改自卑，如此既榮耀神、又為臣民樹立好榜樣。注意，那些在世上被高舉過人的人，必須在比至高者更高的神面前自卑——君王和皇后都要向祂交帳。他們要自卑、坐下——坐下思考將要來臨的事——坐在塵土中哀嘆自己。讓他們自卑，因為神否則必採取有效的方法使他們自卑：「你們的權勢必降卑」——你們所自恃、所信靠的尊榮和權力——甚至你們榮耀的冠冕——你們美好或榮耀的冠冕——當你們被擄帶走時，你們的權勢和它一切徽章在哪裏呢？感謝神，有一個冠冕的榮耀，是那些自卑的人要承受的，必永不降卑。
三. 這勸誡以一些論據加以強調——若他們繼續驕傲不自卑：
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這必成為先知說不出來的悲哀（Jer 13:17）：「你們若不聽」——不肯順服神的話，仍舊頑梗——不僅我的眼，我的靈魂也必在隱密處哭泣。注意，百姓頑梗不肯聽神的話，必使可憐的牧者心碎——他們多少知道主的威嚴和靈魂的價值，非但不渴望、反而戰兢於罪人的死亡。他為之的憂愁是真誠的（他的靈魂哭泣）、是毫無虛飾的，因為他選擇在隱密處哭泣——在那裏無人看見，唯有那一切都看見的眼看見。他不僅把眼淚混入公開的講道，更混入私下的禱告。不但如此，想到他們的處境就使他憂鬱，成為完全的隱士。使他憂愁的是：（1.）看見他們的罪不悔改：「我的靈魂必為你們的驕傲哭泣」——你們的傲慢、頑固和虛妄的自信。注意，別人的罪當成為我們的憂傷。我們要為所不能改正的哀哭，更因為不能改正而更哀哭。（2.）看見他們的災難無可補救：「我的眼必痛哭流淚」——不僅因為我的親屬、朋友和鄰舍遭難，更是因為耶和華的群眾——祂的百姓、祂草場的羊——*被擄去了。*神的尊榮受損、祂國度的利益被削弱的事，總當最使我們憂傷。
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這必成為他們自己不可避免的毀滅（Jer 13:19-21）。（1.）全地要荒涼：*南方的城邑必被關閉。*猶大的城邑位於迦南地的南部；這些城必被仇敵嚴密圍困，以致無人出入；或被居民離棄，以致無人出入。有人理解為埃及的城邑——埃及在猶大南方；他們期望從那裏得著援助之處必落空，他們也找不到通往那裏的途徑。（2.）居民要被趕到外國，在那裏為奴：*猶大全被擄去。*有些人已被擄去，他們希望這可以應驗預言，其餘的人仍可留下；但不：猶大全被擄去。神要在他們中間作徹底的了結：盡被擄去。這在西底家年間最後一次被擄時應驗了，因為他們不悔改。（3.）要成就這事的仇敵如今已近（Jer 13:20）：「你們舉目觀看」——我看見他們行軍，你們若肯也可以觀看從北方來的人——從迦勒底地來；看他們進軍何等迅速、出現何等兇猛。先知於是轉向君王——或更確切地說（因代詞是陰性）轉向城或國。[一.] *「如今你們將怎樣對待交在你們手中、你們當保護的百姓呢？所交給你的群羊——你美麗的群羊——如今在哪裏呢？你如今能帶他們到何處藏身？他們怎能逃脫這些貪婪的狼？」*官長當視自己為牧者，視所管轄的人為群羊——受託照管、必須交帳的群羊；他們當以之為自己美麗的群羊而喜樂，又當在公眾危險之時為他們的安全考慮當作的事。那些疏忽兒女、任憑他們因缺乏良好教育而滅亡的家長，以及疏忽百姓的牧者，當想自己聽見神如此問他們：*所交給你的群羊——你牧養的那美麗群羊——如今在哪裏呢？它餓死了；它被丟給了猛獸。當牧長顯現時，你將如何向他們交帳？[二.] 「對於神作為的公道，你有何可說的呢？耶和華刑罰你的時候，你還說甚麼呢？你甚麼也不能說，只能說神所加於你的一切都是公義的。」那些以為可以免罰而自慰的人，要說甚麼呢？當他們發現自己被欺騙、神懲罰他們時，何等羞愧要遮蓋他們的臉！[三.] 「如今你們對自己給迦勒底人如此權力的愚妄，有何感想？你們向他們求助、與他們結盟，如此教他們反過來管你、作首領管轄你。」希西家開了頭——他把財寶給巴比倫王的使者看，如此引誘他來掠奪。那些既有可信靠的神卻去討好外邦聯盟、信靠他們的人，不過是為自己製造刑杖、教鄰舍如何成為自己的主人。[四.] *「你們將如何承受已在門口的患難？*痛苦豈不將你抓住，如同生產的婦人嗎？*這痛苦你既不能逃避也不能推遲，是極度的痛苦；而且比產婦的痛苦更嚴重的是——他們事先沒有預料到，也沒有男嬰要出生——那隨後能使他們忘記痛苦的喜樂。」
英文原文
The Bottles Filled with Wine; Punishment Predicted; A Call to Repentance (606 BC)
¹² Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
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 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.
¹⁵ Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
¹⁶ Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
¹⁷ But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive.
¹⁸ Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
¹⁹ The cities of 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.
²⁰ Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
²¹ What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
Here is, I. A judgment threatened against this people that would quite intoxicate them. This doom is pronounced against them in a figure, to make it the more taken notice of and the more affecting (Jer 13:12): Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, every bottle shall be filled with wine; that is, those that by their sins have made themselves vessels of wrath fitted to destruction shall be filled with the wrath of God as a bottle is with wine; and, as every vessel of mercy prepared for glory shall be filled with mercy and glory, so they shall be full of the fury of the Lord (Isa 51:20); and they shall be brittle as bottles; and, like old bottles into which new wine is put, they shall burst and be broken to pieces, Mt 9:17. Or, They shall have their heads as full of wine as bottle are; for so it is explained, Jer 13:13, They shall be filled with drunkenness; compare Isa 51:17. It is probable that this was a common proverb among them, applied in various ways; but they, not being aware of the prophet's meaning in it, ridiculed him for it: "Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? What strange thing is there in that? Tell us something that we did not know before." Perhaps they were thus touchy with the prophet because they apprehended this to be a reflection upon them for their drunkenness, and probably it was in part so intended. They loved flagons of wine, Ho 3:1. Their watchmen were all for wine, Isa 56:12. They loved their false prophets that prophesied to them of wine (Mic 2:11), that bade them be merry, for that they should never want their bottle to make them so. "Well," says the prophet, "you shall have your bottles full of wine, but not such wine as you desire." They suspected that he had some mystical meaning in it which prophesied no good concerning them, but evil; and he owns that so he had. What he meant was this,
1. That they should be a giddy as men in drink. A drunken man is fitly compared to a bottle or cask full of wine; for, when the wine is in, the wit, and wisdom, and virtue, and all that is good for any thing, are out. Now God threatens (Jer 13:13) that shall they shall all be filled with drunkenness; they shall be full of confusion in their counsels, shall falter in all their talk and stagger in all their motions; they shall not know what they say or do, much less what they should say or do. They shall be sick of all their enjoyments and throw them up as drunken men do, Job 20:15. They shall fall into a slumber, and be utterly unable to help themselves, and, like men that have drunk away their reason, shall lie at the mercy and expose themselves to the contempt of all about them. And this shall be the condition not of some among them (if any had been sober, they might have helped the rest), but even the kings that sit upon the throne of David, that should have been like their father David, who was wise as an angel of God, shall be thus intoxicated. Their priests and prophets too, their false prophets, that pretended to guide them, were as indulgent of their lusts, and therefore were justly as much deprived of their senses, as any other. Nay, all the inhabitants, both of the land and of Jerusalem were as far gone as they. Whom God will destroy he infatuates.
2. That, being giddy, they should run upon one another. The cup of the wine of the Lord's fury shall throw them not only into a lethargy, so that they shall not be able to help themselves or one another, but into a perfect frenzy, so that they shall do mischief to themselves and one another (Jer 13:14): I will dash a man against his brother. Not only their drunken follies, but their drunken frays, shall help to ruin them. Drunken men are often quarrelsome, and upon that account they have woe and sorrow (Pr 23:29,30); so their sin is their punishment; it was so here. God sent an evil spirit into families and neighbourhoods (as Jdg 9:23), which made them jealous of, and spiteful towards, one another; so that the fathers and sons went together by the ears, and were ready to pull one another to pieces, which made them all an easy prey to the common enemy. This decree against them having gone forth, God says, I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them; for they will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy one another; see Hab 2:15,16.
II. Here is good counsel given, which, if taken, would prevent this desolation. It is, in short, to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. If they will hearken and give ear, this is that which God has to say to them, Be not proud, Jer 13:15. This was one of the sins for which God had a controversy with them (Jer 13:9); let them mortify and forsake this sin, and God will let fall his controversy. "Be not proud.; when God speaks to you by his prophets do not think yourselves too good to be taught; be not scornful, be not wilful, let not your hearts rise against the word, nor slight the messengers that bring it to you. When God is coming forth against you in his providence (and by them he speaks) be not secure when he threatens, be not impatient when he strikes, for pride is at the bottom of both." It is the great God that has spoken, whose authority is incontestable, whose power is irresistible; therefore bow to what he says, and be not proud, as you have been. They must not be proud, for,
1. They must advance God, and study how to do him honour: "Give glory to the Lord your God, and not to your idols, not to other gods. Give him glory by confessing your sins, owning yourselves guilty before him, and accepting the punishment of your iniquity, Jer 13:16. Give him glory by a sincere repentance and reformation." Then and not till then, we begin to live as we should, and to some good purpose, when we begin to give glory to the Lord our God, to make his honour our chief end and to seek it accordingly. "Do this quickly, while your space to repent is continued to you; before he cause darkness, before you will see no way of escaping." Note, Darkness will be the portion of those that will not repent to give glory to God. When those that by the fourth vial were scorched with heat repented not, to give glory to God, the next vial filled them with darkness, Re 16:9,10. The aggravation of the darkness here threatened is, (1.) That their attempts to escape shall hasten their ruin: Their feet shall stumble when they are making all the haste they can over the dark mountains, and they shall fall, and be unable to get up again. Note, Those that think to out-run the judgments of God will find their road impassable; let them make the best of their way, they can make nothing of it, the judgments that pursue them will overtake them; their way is dark and slippery, Ps 35:6. And therefore, before it comes to that extremity, it is our wisdom to give glory to him, and so make our peace with him, to fly to his mercy, and then there will be no occasion to fly from his justice. (2.) That their hopes of a better state of things will be disappointed: While you look for light, for comfort and relief, he will turn it into the shadow of death, which is very dismal and terrible, and make it gross darkness, like that of Egypt, when Pharaoh continued to harden his heart, which was darkness that might be felt. The expectation of impenitent sinners perishes when they die and think to have it satisfied.
2. They must abase themselves, and take shame to themselves; the prerogative of the king and queen will not exempt them from this (Jer 13:18): "Say to the king and queen, that, great as they are, they must humble themselves by true repentance, and so give both glory to God and a good example to their subjects." Note, Those that are exalted above others in the world must humble themselves before God, who is higher than the highest, and to whom kings and queens are accountable. They must humble themselves, and sit down—sit down, and consider what is coming—sit down in the dust, and lament themselves. Let them humble themselves, for God will otherwise take an effectual course to humble them: "Your principalities shall come down, the honour and power on which you value yourselves and in which you confide, even the crown of your glory, your goodly or glorious crown: when you are led away captives, where will your principality and all the badges of it be then?" Blessed be God there is a crown of glory, which those shall inherit who do humble themselves, that shall never come down.
III. This counsel is enforced by some arguments if they continue proud and unhumbled.
1. It will be the prophet's unspeakable grief (Jer 13:17): "If you will not hear it, will not submit to the word, but continue refractory, not only my eye, but my soul shall weep in secret places." Note, The obstinacy of people, in refusing to hear the word of God, will be heart-breaking to the poor ministers, who know something of the terrors of the Lord and the worth of souls, and are so far from desiring that they tremble at the thoughts of the death of sinners. His grief for it was undissembled (his soul wept) and void of affectation, for he chose to weep in secret places, where no eye saw him but his who is all eye. He would mingle his tears not only with his public preaching, but with his private devotions. Nay, thoughts of their case would make him melancholy, and he would become a perfect recluse. It would grieve him, (1.) To see their sins unrepented of: "My soul shall weep for your pride, your haughtiness, and stubbornness, and vain confidence." Note, The sins of others should be matter of sorrow to us. We must mourn for that which we cannot mend, and mourn the more for it because we cannot mend it. (2.) To see their calamity past redress and remedy: "My eyes shall weep sorely, not so much because my relations, friends, and neighbours are in distress, but because the Lord's flock, his people and the sheep of his pasture, are carried away captive." That should always grieve us most by which God's honour suffers and the interest of his kingdom is weakened.
2. It will be their own inevitable ruin, Jer 13:19-21. (1.) The land shall be laid waste: The cities of the south shall be shut up. The cities of Judah lay in the southern part of the land of Canaan; these shall be straitly besieged by the enemy, so that there shall be no going in or out, or they shall be deserted by the inhabitants, that there shall be none to go in and out. Some understand it of the cities of Egypt, which was south from Judah; the places there whence they expected succours shall fail them, and they shall find no access to them. (2.) The inhabitants shall be hurried away into a foreign country, there to live in slavery: Judah shall be carried away captive. Some were already carried off, which they hoped might serve to answer the prediction, and that the residue should still be left; but no: It shall be carried away all of it. God will make a full end with them: It shall be wholly carried away. So it was in the last captivity under Zedekiah, because they repented not. (3.) The enemy was now at hand that should do this (Jer 13:20): "Lift up your eyes. I see upon their march, and you may if you will behold, those that come from the north, from the land of the Chaldeans; see how fast they advance, how fierce they appear." Upon this he addresses himself to the king, or rather (because the pronouns are feminine) to the city or state. [1.] "What will you do now with the people who are committed to your charge, and whom you ought to protect? Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? Whither canst thou take them now for shelter? How can they escape these ravening wolves?" Magistrates must look upon themselves as shepherds, and those that are under their charge as their flock, which they are entrusted with the care of and must give an account of; they must take delight in them as their beautiful flock, and consider what to do for their safety in times of public danger. Masters of families, who neglect their children and suffer them to perish for want of a good education, and ministers who neglect their people, should think they hear God putting this question to them: Where is the flock that was given thee to feed, that beauteous flock? It is starved; it is left exposed to the beasts of prey. What account wilt thou give of them when the chief shepherd shall appear? [2.] "What have you to object against the equity of God's proceedings? What will thou say when he shall visit upon thee the former days? Jer 13:21. Thou canst say nothing, but that God is just in all that is brought upon thee." Those that flatter themselves with hopes of impunity, what will they say? What confusion will cover their faces when they shall find themselves deceived and that God punishes them! [3.] "What thoughts will you now have of your own folly, in giving the Chaldeans such power over you, by seeking to them for assistance, and joining in league with them? Thus thou hast taught them against thyself to be captains and to become the head." Hezekiah began when he showed his treasures to the ambassadors of the king of Babylon, tempting him thereby to come and plunder him. Those who, having a God to trust to, court foreign alliances and confide in them, do but make rods for themselves and teach their neighbours how to become their masters. [4.] "How will you bear the trouble that is at the door? Shall not sorrows take thee as a woman in travail? Sorrows which thou canst not escape nor put off, extremity of sorrows; and in these respects more grievous than those of a woman in travail that they were not expected before, and that there is no manchild to be born, the joy of which shall make them afterwards to be forgotten."
22-27
Punishment Predicted; Causes of Jerusalem's Ruin (606 BC)
刑罰的預言；耶路撒冷敗亡的原因（主前606年）
²² 你若心裡說：這些事為何臨到我呢？因你的罪孽甚大，你的衣襟被掀起，你的腳跟被裸露。
²³ 古實人豈能改變皮膚呢？豹豈能改變斑點呢？若能，你們這些慣行惡事的，也能行善了。
²⁴ 所以我必使他們像曠野的風吹散的碎稓一樣。
²⁵ 耶和華說：這是你當得的分，是你所量給你的分；因為你忘記我，倚靠虛假。
²⁶ 所以我必揭起你的衣襟蒙在你臉上，使你的羞恥顯露。
²⁷ 你那些可憎惡的事，就是在田野的山上行姦淫、發嘶聲、作淫亂下流的醜事，我都看見了。耶路撒冷啊，你有禍了！你不受潔淨嗎？要到幾時呢？
這裡，一. 如先前一樣宣告了毀滅——猶大人要被擄去，落在乞討和奴役的一切痛苦中，衣服要被剝去，衣襟被掀起，因缺少遮蓋的上衣，腳跟被裸露，因缺少鞋子（耶13:22）。這正是他們對待戰俘的慣常作法——他們被趕去被擄之地時，赤身露腳（賽20:4）。他們既被如此帶到異鄉，就在那裡被吹散，如同曠野的風吹散的碎稓，無人設法將之再聚攏（耶13:24）。碎稓若逃過火，必被風吹去。若一個審判不能成就其工，另一個審判必隨之而來，對付那些因罪使自己成為碎稓的人。他們一切的裝飾要被剝去，羞恥要被顯露，如同被遊街的妓女（耶13:26）。他們使自己驕傲顯露，但神要使他們的羞恥顯露；如此那些曾迷戀他們的，必以他們為恥。
二. 百姓對這敗亡之原因的探究（耶13:22）。你必心裡說——而神知道如何給人心中所說的以恰當的回答，雖然他們並未說出來；耶穌知道他們的意思，就對他們說（太9:4）——這些事為何臨到我呢？ 這問題被設想為進入心中：（1）來自一個與神爭辯、不肯受責的罪人。他們看不出自己作了什麼，以致理當惹動神如此發怒。他們不敢說出來；但在心裡他們如此控告神不義，若祂加在他們身上的超過所當受的。他們尋找災難的原因，其實若非他們故意瞎眼，他們本可以輕易看見。或者：（2）來自一個歸向神的罪人。任何時候若有一個悔罪的意念進入心中（說：我作了什麼呢？ 耶8:6；我為何受苦？神為何與我爭論？），神都注意到，並準備藉著祂的靈加強這定罪之感，使罪既被發現，便可被悔改。
三. 對這探究的回答。神說話時必被稱義，並要我們也稱義祂，因此祂要將罪人的罪擺在他們眼前。他們問：這些事為何臨到我們呢？ 讓他們知道這一切都是他們自取的。
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是因他們罪孽的重大（耶13:22）。神並非因小過而伺機攻擊他們；不，祂如今所懲罰的罪是頭等的，在其本性上極為可憎，並且大大加重——因你罪孽眾多（也可如此讀），各樣的罪，常常重犯又重新陷入。有人以為，我們眾多小罪所帶來的危險，比少數大罪的兇惡更甚；兩者我們都可以說：誰能知道自己的錯失呢？
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是因他們在罪中的頑梗——他們如此長久地習慣於罪，以致幾乎沒有希望將他們從其中挽回（耶13:23）：古實人豈能改變皮膚——那本性是黑的——或豹豈能改變斑點——那些斑點甚至織入皮膚之中？沾染的污垢可以洗去，但我們不能改變一根頭髮的天然顏色（太5:36），更何況是皮膚的顏色；挽回和改革這百姓也是如此不可能——道德上不可能。（1）他們慣行惡事已久。他們被教導行惡；他們在罪中被教育長大；他們在罪中作過學徒，一生以之為業。這是他們如此恆常的習慣，以致已成為他們的第二本性。（2）他們的先知因此絕望於使他們行善。這正是他們所追求的目標；他們勸他們離惡行善，卻不能如願。他們慣行惡事如此之久，以致悔改、改正、開始行善幾乎是不可能的。請注意，犯罪的習慣是從罪中歸正的極大阻礙。根深蒂固的病通常被認為是不治之症。那些長久慣於犯罪的人已經擺脫了懼怕和羞恥的約束；他們的良心被烙鐵烙慣了；罪的習慣已經堅定；它訴諸於慣例；而神將那些長久不肯將自己交給祂恩典的人交給他們自己心中的私慾，這是公義的。罪是靈魂的黑，是它的畸形；它是它的斑點，是它的變色；它是我們本性中固有的，我們在其中被塑造，因此我們不能靠自己的力量擺脫它。但有一種全能的恩典能改變古實人的皮膚，這恩典不會缺少——只要那些深感自己需要的人在誠懇尋求並忠實使用它。
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是因他們背棄真實的神，倚靠虛謊的虛無（耶13:25）：這是你當得的分——被吹散被驅逐；是你所量給你的分——如按繩和量度所量給你的刑罰；這是你在世上苦難中所當得的分；你要預料到它，不要以為能逃脫：這是因為你忘記我——忘記我所賜給你的恩惠、你所當盡的本分；你對這些毫無知覺，毫無記念。忘記神是一切罪的根源，正如趁早記念造我們的主乃是聖潔生活那有福而有盼望的起頭。你忘記我之後，就倚靠虛假——倚靠偶像，倚靠埃及和亞述的血肉之臂，倚靠欺騙之心的自我恭維。那些離棄神的人所倚靠的一切，他們必發現不過是折斷的蘆葦、破裂的池子。
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是因他們拜偶像——他們屬靈的淫亂，那在一切罪中最惹動忌邪之神的罪。他們被暴露在羞恥的災難中（耶13:26），因為他們犯了羞恥的罪卻在其中不知羞恥（耶13:27）：你那些可憎惡的事，就是在田野的山上行姦淫、發嘶聲、作淫亂下流的醜事，我都看見了——你對別神不正常的好慕，你迫不及待地要滿足它，甚至為之發嘶聲；你那些淫亂下流的醜事——你在其中的無恥和不知饜足；你在田野的山上、在邱壇上熱切地敬拜偶像。這就是那使禍臨到你的原因——耶路撒冷啊！ 不，是許多禍。
四. 在末了，就全盤事與他們有一番懇切的辯論。雖然要使他們行善被判定為幾乎不可能（耶13:23），然而只要有生命就有盼望，因此他仍然與他們辯論，要領他們悔改（耶13:27）。1. 關於事情本身：你不受潔淨嗎？ 請注意，那些被罪玷污的人，當以悔改、信心和全體的改革得著潔淨，這是他們當盡的大本分。罪人之所以不得潔淨，是因為他們不肯得潔淨；他們在其中行事極不合理：你不受潔淨嗎？ 你終必被勸服洗滌你、使你潔淨，如此為自己有智慧吧。2. 關於這事的時候：要到幾時呢？ 請注意，神願意罪人悔改歸正、以他們未肯回轉之前的時間為長，這是神奇妙恩典的明證；而罪人將這絕對必需的事從時候推延到時候——若不在某個時候作成，他們便永遠滅亡——這是罪人奇妙愚妄的明證。他們並非說他們永不會得潔淨，而是說尚未；他們要推延到更方便的時候，卻不能告訴我們那究竟何時才來到。
英文原文
Punishment Predicted; Causes of Jerusalem's Ruin (606 BC)
²² And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.
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 discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
²⁷ I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
Here is, I. Ruin threatened as before, that the Jews shall go into captivity, and fall under all the miseries of beggary and bondage, shall be stripped of their clothes, their skirts discovered for want of upper garments to cover them, and their heels made bare for want of shoes, Jer 13:22. Thus they used to deal with prisoners taken in war, when they drove them into captivity, naked and barefoot, Isa 20:4. Being thus carried off into a strange country, they shall be scattered there, as the stubble that is blown away by the wind of the wilderness, and nobody is concerned to bring it together again, Jer 13:24. If the stubble escape the fire, it shall be carried away by the wind. If one judgment do not do the work, another shall, with those that by sin have made themselves as stubble. They shall be stripped of all their ornaments and exposed to shame, as harlots that are carted, Jer 13:26. They made their pride appear, but God will make their shame appear; so that those who have doted on them shall be ashamed of them.
II. An enquiry made by the people into the cause of this ruin, Jer 13:22. Thou wilt say in thy heart (and God knows how to give a proper answer to what men say in their hearts, though they do not speak it out; Jesus, knowing their thoughts, replied to them, Mt 9:4), Wherefore came these things upon me? The question is supposed to come into the heart, 1. Of a sinner quarrelling with God and refusing to receive correction. They could not see that they had done any thing which might justly provoke God to be thus angry with them. They durst not speak it out; but in their hearts they thus charged God with unrighteousness, if he had laid upon them more than was meet. They seek for the cause of their calamities, when, if they had not been willfully blind, they might easily have seen it. Or, 2. Of a sinner returning to God. If there come but a penitent thought into the heart at any time (saying, What have I done? Jer 8:6, wherefore am I in affliction? why doth God contend with me?) God takes notice of it, and is ready by his Spirit to impress the conviction, that, sin being discovered, it may be repented of.
III. An answer to this enquiry. God will be justified when he speaks and will oblige us to justify him, and therefore will set the sin of sinners in order before them. Do they ask, Wherefore come these things upon us? Let them know it is all owing to themselves.
1. It is for the greatness of their iniquities, Jer 13:22. God does not take advantage against them for small faults; no, the sins for which he now punishes them are of the first rate, very heinous in their own nature and highly aggravated—for the multitude of thy iniquity (so it may be read), sins of every kind and often repeated and relapsed into. Some think we are more in danger from the multitude of our smaller sins than from the heinousness of our greater sins; of both we may say, Who can understand his errors?
2. It is for their obstinacy in sin, their being so long accustomed to it that there was little hope left of their being reclaimed from it (Jer 13:23): Can the Ethiopian change his skin, that is by nature black, or the leopard his spots, that are even woven into the skin? Dirt contracted may be washed off, but we cannot alter the natural colour of a hair (Mt 5:36), much less of the skin; and so impossible is it, morally impossible, to reclaim and reform these people. (1.) They had been long accustomed to do evil. They were taught to do evil; they had been educated and brought up in sin; they had served an apprenticeship to it, and had all their days made a trade of it. It was so much their constant practice that it had become a second nature to them. (2.) Their prophets therefore despaired of ever bring them to do good. This was what they aimed at; they persuaded them to cease to do evil and learn to do well, but could not prevail. They had so long been used to do evil that it was next to impossible for them to repent, and amend, and begin to do good. Note, Custom in sin is a very great hindrance to conversion from sin. The disease that is inveterate is generally thought incurable. Those that have been long accustomed to sin have shaken off the restraint of fear and shame; their consciences are seared; the habits of sin are confirmed; it pleads prescription; and it is just with God to give those up to their own hearts' lusts that have long refused to give themselves up to his grace. Sin is the blackness of the soul, the deformity of it; it is its spot, the discolouring of it; it is natural to us, we were shapen in it, so that we cannot get clear of it by any power of our own. But there is an almighty grace that is able to change the Ethiopian's skin, and that grace shall not be wanting to those who in a sense of their need of it seek it earnestly and improve it faithfully.
3. It is for their treacherous departures from the God of truth and dependence on lying vanities (Jer 13:25): "This is thy lot, to be scattered and driven away; this is the portion of thy measures from me, the punishment assigned thee as by line and measure; this shall be thy share of the miseries of this world; expect it, and think not to escape it: it is because thou hast forgotten me, the favours I have bestowed upon thee and the obligations thou art under to me; thou hast no sense, no remembrance, of these." Forgetfulness of God is at the bottom of all sin, as the remembrance of our Creator betimes is the happy and hopeful beginning of a holy life. "Having forgotten me, thou hast trusted in falsehood, in idols, in an arm of flesh in Egypt and Assyria, in the self-flatteries of a deceitful heart." Whatever those trust to that forsake God, they will find it a broken reed, a broken cistern.
4. It is for their idolatry, their spiritual whoredom, that sin which is of all sins most provoking to the jealous God. They are exposed to a shameful calamity (Jer 13:26) because they have been guilty of a shameful iniquity and yet are shameless in it (Jer 13:27): "I have seen thy adulteries (thy inordinate fancy for strange gods, which thou hast been impatient for the gratification of, and hast even neighed after it), even the lewdness of thy whoredoms, thy impudence and insatiableness in them, thy eager worshipping of idols on the hills in the fields, upon the high places. This is that for which a woe is denounced against thee, O Jerusalem! nay, and many woes."
IV. Here is an affectionate expostulation with them, in the close, upon the whole matter. Though it was adjudged next to impossible for them to be brought to do good (Jer 13:23), yet while there is life there is hope, and therefore still he reasons with them to bring them to repentance, Jer 13:27. 1. He reasons with them concerning the thing itself: Wilt thou not be made clean? Note, It is the great concern of those who are polluted by sin to be made clean by repentance, and faith, and a universal reformation. The reason why sinners are not made clean is because they will not be made clean; and herein they act most unreasonably: "Wilt thou not be made clean? Surely thou will at length be persuaded to wash thee, and make thee clean, and so be wise for thyself." 2. Concerning the time of it: When shall it once be? Note, It is an instance of the wonderful grace of God that he desires the repentance and conversion of sinners, and thinks the time long till they are brought to relent; but it is an instance of the wonderful folly of sinners that they put that off from time to time which is of such absolute necessity that, if it be not done some time, they are certainly undone for ever. They do not say that they will never be cleansed, but not yet; they will defer it to a more convenient season, but cannot tell us when it shall once be.
先知仍在設法喚醒這安逸頑梗的百姓悔改，其方法是讓他們思想即將臨到他們的神的審判。他要告訴他們：一、藉着一條變壞的腰帶為記號，說明他們的驕傲必被除掉（耶 13:1-11）。二、藉着盛滿酒的瓶子為記號，說明他們的謀略必被擊碎（耶 13:12-14）。三、基於這些，他要呼召他們悔改、謙卑自己（耶 13:15-21）。四、他要使他們確信，正是因為他們的頑梗與不可救藥，神的審判才如此延長並推向極處（耶 13:22-27）。