The Broken Flask
1
Thus says the LORD, "Go, buy 1a potter's earthenware 2flask, and take some of 3the elders of the people and some of 4the elders of the priests,
2
and go out 5to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you.
3
You shall say, 6'Hear the word of the LORD, 7O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that 8the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.
4
9Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; 10and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents,
5
11and have built the high places of Baal 12to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, 13which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind--
6
therefore, 14behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or 15the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.
7
And in this place 16I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, 17and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. 18I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth.
8
And I will make this city 19a horror, 20a thing to be hissed at. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its wounds.
9
21And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his neighbor 22in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.'
11
and shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, 25as one breaks a potter's vessel, 26so that it can never be mended. 27Men shall bury in Topheth because there will be no place else to bury.
12
Thus will I do to this place, declares the LORD, and to its inhabitants, making this city 28like Topheth.
13
The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah--29all the houses on whose 30roofs offerings have been offered 31to all the host of heaven, and 32drink offerings have been poured out to other gods--shall be defiled 33like the place of Topheth.'"
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)