²⁷ As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,^(A) and it tore.^{(B) 28} Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn^(C) the kingdom^(D) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.^(E)

³⁰ and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore^(A) it into twelve pieces.

³ Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant^(A) Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years,^(B) as a sign^(C) and portent^(D) against Egypt^(E) and Cush,^[a](F)

A Linen Belt

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” ² So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

³ Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:^{(A) 4} “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath^[a](B) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” ⁵ So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.^(C)

⁶ Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” ⁷ So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride^(D) of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ These wicked people, who refuse to listen^(E) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts^(F) and go after other gods^(G) to serve and worship them,^(H) will be like this belt—completely useless!^{(I) 11} 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^(J) and praise and honor.^(K) But they have not listened.’^(L)

² This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(A) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.