Jeremiah 21:13

13 Jerusalem, I am against you," announces the Lord. "You live above this valley. You are on a high, rocky flatland. And you say, 'Who can come against us? Who can enter our place of safety?'

Jeremiah 21:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 21:13

Behold, I [am] against thee
Or, "behold, I unto thee" {s}; to be supplied either thus, "behold, I say unto thee" F20; what follows; and therefore take notice of it, attend unto it: or, "behold, I come unto thee" F21; who bid defiance to all their enemies to come near them, as in the latter part of the verse. The Targum is,

``lo, I send my fury against thee;''
and the phrase denotes the Lord's opposition to them; his setting himself against them, and coming out unto them in his great wrath: O inhabitant of the valley, [and] rock of the plain, saith the Lord;
a description of Jerusalem; between the lower and higher part of which lay a valley, called Tyropaeon, which divided the two hills, on which the city was built F23; yea, the whole city was on high, on a rock, and around it a valley or plain; and because it was built upon a rock, and fortified with hills and mountains, the inhabitants of it thought themselves safe and secure, and even impregnable; hence it follows: which say, who shall come down against us? who shall enter into our
habitations?
who of our neighbours dare to make a descent upon us? or are so weak and foolish as to attempt to break through our fortifications, natural and artificial, and enter into our houses, and take away our persons, and spoil us of our goods? we defy them.
FOOTNOTES:

F19 (Kyla ynnh) "ecce ego ad te", Munster, Montanus.
F20 "Ecce tibi dico", Strigelius; so Luther.
F21 "Ecce ad te venio", Pagninus; so Kimchi.
F23 Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 1.

Jeremiah 21:13 In-Context

11 "Also speak to Judah's royal family. Tell them, 'Listen to the LORD's message.
12 The LORD says to you who belong to David's royal house, " ' "Every morning do what is right and fair. Save those who have been robbed. Set them free from the people who have treated them badly. If you do not, my anger will blaze out against you. It will burn like fire because of the evil things you have done. No one will be able to put it out.
13 Jerusalem, I am against you," announces the Lord. "You live above this valley. You are on a high, rocky flatland. And you say, 'Who can come against us? Who can enter our place of safety?'
14 But I will punish you in keeping with what you have done," announces the Lord. "I will start a fire in your forests. It will burn up everything around you." ' "
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