Thussaysthe LORD,"Goand buya potter'searthenwarejar,and [take] someof the eldersof the peopleand someof the seniorpriests.
Then he sentEliakimwhowas overthe householdwith Shebnathe scribeand the eldersof the priests,coveredwith sackcloth,to Isaiahthe prophetthe sonof Amoz.
Whose collapseis like the smashingof a potter'sjar,So ruthlesslyshatteredThat a sherdwill not be foundamong its piecesTo takefirefrom a hearthOr to scoopwaterfrom a cistern."
Thusthe LORDsaidto me, "Goand buyyourself a linenwaistbandand putit aroundyour waist,but do not putit in water."
Then someof the eldersof the landroseup and spoketo allthe assemblyof the people,saying,
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"Takethesedeeds,thissealeddeedof purchaseand thisopendeed,and putthem in an earthenwarejar,that they may lasta longtime."
The precioussonsof Zion,Weighedagainst finegold,Howthey are regardedas earthenjars,The workof a potter'shands!
"Now you sonof man,getyourself a brick,placeit beforeyou and inscribea cityon it, Jerusalem.
"As for you, sonof man,takea sharpsword;takeand useit [as] a barber'srazoron your headand beard.Then takescalesfor weighingand dividethe hair.
"Utterlyslayoldmen,youngmen,maidens,littlechildren,and women,but do not touchanymanon whomis the mark;and you shall startfrom My sanctuary."So they startedwith the elderswho[were] beforethe temple.
The LORDtherefore saidto Moses,"Gatherfor Me seventymenfrom the eldersof Israel,whomyou knowto be the eldersof the peopleand their officersand bringthem to the tentof meeting,and let them taketheir standtherewith you.
Thenthe chiefpriestsand the eldersof the peoplewere gathered togetherin the courtof the high priest,namedCaiaphas;
Nowwhen morningcame,allthe chief priestsand the eldersof the peopleconferredtogether againstJesusto put Him to death;
And comingto us, he tookPaul'sbeltand boundhis ownfeetand hands,and said,"This is whatthe HolySpiritsays:'In this waythe Jewsat Jerusalemwill bindthe manwhoownsthisbeltand deliverhim into the handsof the Gentiles.'"
But we havethistreasurein earthenvessels,sothat the surpassing greatnessof the powerwill be of Godand not from ourselves;