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2013 August 28



The Prophet Jeremiah: Held by Some to be the Right Panel of the Aix Annunciation Triptych (1443-1445)
Barthelemy d'Eyck Called the Master of the Aix Annunciation (c. 1420 - after 1470)
Northern Renaissance Style; influenced by Flemish Painting, Particularly Early Netherlandish Art and the Italian Renaissance of Naples
Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art


     Explanation: In Jeremiah 13 the LORD teaches two symbolic lessons, through Jeremiah, to those who defy him - the lesson of the girdle and the lesson of the wine skin. In the first lesson the LORD tells Jeremiah to go and buy a girdle (a belt, loincloth, or sash like the one in the upper left of the picture above); he then wears it for a while; afterward the LORD sends him to the Euphrates to bury it; then the LORD sends him to dig up the now marred and useless girdle (1-7). The LORD then tells Jeremiah that he will, in a similar manner, mar the pride of Judah and Jerusalem because they have refused to hear the words of the LORD and have turned to idols; like the girdle, they are good for nothing though they used to cling to the LORD like the girdle clung to Jeremiah; but they lost his offer to make them his people and to have praise and glory (8-11). The second lesson is the lesson of the wine jar or wine skin. The LORD tells Jeremiah to tell the people that "every bottle will be filled with wine;" and they say they know this obvious truth (12). But the LORD says that all of them - prophet, priest, king, and people - will be drunken with judgment; and he will dash them one against another (13-14). So he tells them to listen and not be proud lest he causes darkness to come and they stumble on the dark mountains in the shadow of death (15-16). But if they don't listen he will weep in secret places for their pride because his flock is carried away captive (17). The LORD then tells Jeremiah to tell the king and queen to humble themselves because their chief cities,'the crown of their glory,' will fall, and Judah will go into captivity (18-19). He tells them to lift up their eyes and see the army coming form the north and see how their flock has disappeared; what will they say about this punishment - this anguish like a woman in travail? Will they ask why it has come upon them? It comes because of the greatness of their iniquity (20-22). He tells them that as the Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor the leopard his spots, so they that are accustomed to do evil cannot change their ways (23). Therefore, says the LORD, he will scatter them like stubble before the wind; that is their lot because they have forgotten the LORD and trusted in falsehood; therefore he will make them naked and ashamed because of their spiritual adultery, their lewdness, their whoredom, and their abominations; and when, he asks them, will they ever be made clean? (24-27).


Jeremiah 13

     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.
     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? 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?




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