A belt is tied around a person’s waist. In the same way, I tied all the people of Israel to me. I also tied all the people of Judah to me like a belt. I wanted them to be my people. They should have brought me fame and praise and honor. But they have not listened to me,” announces the Lord.

耶和华说：“腰带怎样紧贴人腰，照样，我也使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴我，好叫他们属我为子民，使我得名声，得颂赞，得荣耀；他们却不肯听。”

腰带怎样紧贴人的腰，照样，我也曾使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴着我，归我为子民，使我得名声，得颂赞，得荣耀；他们却不肯听从。这是耶和华说的。”

腰带怎样紧贴人的腰，照样，我也曾使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴着我，归我为子民，使我得名声，得颂赞，得荣耀；他们却不肯听从。这是耶和华说的。”

我本想使以色列人和犹大人紧靠着我，就像腰带紧贴在人的腰间，让他们做我的子民，使我声名远扬、得到赞美和尊崇，他们却不肯听从。这是耶和华说的。’

因为腰带怎样紧贴着人的腰，我也曾怎样使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴着我，好使他们作我的子民，叫我得名声，得赞美，得荣耀；可是他们却不听从。’”这是耶和华的宣告。

耶和華說：「腰帶怎樣緊貼人腰，照樣，我也使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼我，好叫他們屬我為子民，使我得名聲，得頌讚，得榮耀；他們卻不肯聽。」

腰帶怎樣緊貼人的腰，照樣，我也曾使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼着我，歸我為子民，使我得名聲，得頌讚，得榮耀；他們卻不肯聽從。這是耶和華說的。」

腰帶怎樣緊貼人的腰，照樣，我也曾使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼着我，歸我為子民，使我得名聲，得頌讚，得榮耀；他們卻不肯聽從。這是耶和華說的。」

我本想使以色列人和猶大人緊靠著我，就像腰帶緊貼在人的腰間，讓他們做我的子民，使我聲名遠揚、得到讚美和尊崇，他們卻不肯聽從。這是耶和華說的。』

因為腰帶怎樣緊貼著人的腰，我也曾怎樣使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼著我，好使他們作我的子民，叫我得名聲，得讚美，得榮耀；可是他們卻不聽從。’”這是耶和華的宣告。

因為圍腰服怎樣緊貼着人的腰，永恆主發神諭說，我也怎樣使以色列全家和猶大全家緊貼着我，好叫他們屬於我為子民、使我得名聲、得頌讚、得榮美；而他們卻不聽。

耶和華曰、帶附人腰、如是、我使以色列與猶大全家附我、致為我民我名、我譽我榮、惟彼不聽、

耶和華曰、帶附人身、如此我使以色列族猶大家附我、為我民、聲名播揚、榮譽昭著、惟彼不聽。

主曰、帶附人身、如此、我使以色列全族與猶大全族附我、為我之民、得聲名、得稱譽、得榮耀、惟彼不聽、

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord,‘ to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’

For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

As a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the Lord. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory— an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.

Just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to me”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ so that they might be my people for my fame, praise, and glory, but they would not obey.

For as the undergarment clings to the waist of a man, so I made the entire household of Israel and the entire household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the Lord,‘ so that they might be My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they did not listen.’

For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord,‘ that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

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 Jehovah; that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

Just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to Me”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ so that they might be My people for My fame, praise, and glory, but they would not obey.

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.

For,’ I say,‘ just as shorts cling tightly to a person’s body, so I bound the whole nation of Israel and the whole nation of Judah tightly to me.’ I intended for them to be my special people and to bring me fame, honor, and praise. But they would not obey me.

For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says Yahweh;‘ that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

Now obey me completely. Keep my covenant. If you do, then out of all the nations you will be my special treasure. The whole earth is mine.But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”

Then this city will bring me fame, joy, praise and honor. All the nations on earth will hear about the good things I do for this city. They will see the great success and peace I give it. Then they will be filled with wonder. And they will tremble with fear.”

I do it for the people I made for myself. I want them to sing praise to me.

“ But my people wouldn’t listen to me. Israel wouldn’t obey me.

Today the Lord has announced that you are his people. He has said that you are his special treasure. He promised that you would be. He has told you to keep all his commands.

I appointed prophets to warn you. I said,‘ Listen to the sound of the trumpets!’ But you said,‘ We won’t listen.’

The Lord found Israel in a desert. He found them in an empty and windy land. He took care of them and kept them safe. He guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.He was like an eagle that stirs up its nest. It hovers over its little ones. It spreads out its wings to catch them. It carries them up in the air on its feathers.The Lord was the only one who led Israel. No other god was with them.The Lord made them ride on the highest places in the land. He fed them what grew in the fields. He gave them the sweetest honey. He fed them olive oil from a rocky hillside.He gave them butter and milk from the herds and flocks. He fed them the fattest lambs and goats. He gave them the best of Bashan’s rams. He fed them the finest wheat. They drank the bubbling red juice of grapes.When Israel grew fat, they became stubborn. When they were filled with food, they became fat and heavy. They left the God who made them. They turned away from the Rock who saved them.

The Lord has chosen the people of Jacob to be his own. He has chosen Israel to be his special treasure.

These people are evil. They refuse to listen to what I say. They do what their stubborn hearts want them to do. They chase after other gods. They serve them and worship them. So they will be like this belt. They will be completely useless.

They will be called the Holy People. They will be called the People the Lord Set Free. And Jerusalem will be named the City the Lord Cares About. It will be named the City No Longer Deserted.

The Lord our God is near us every time we pray to him. What other nation is great enough to have its gods that close to them?

The Father who sent me is himself a witness about me. You have never heard his voice. You have never seen what he really looks like.And his word does not live in you. That’s because you do not believe the one he sent.You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study are a witness about me.But you refuse to come to me and receive life.

But your people of long ago did not listen. They refused to pay any attention to me. They were stubborn. They did more evil things than their people who lived before them.

You performed signs and wonders in Egypt. And you have continued to do them to this day. You have done them in Israel and among all people. You are still known for doing them.

But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are God’s special treasure. You are all these things so that you can give him praise. God brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He hasn’t done that for any other nation. They don’t know his laws. Praise the Lord.