Jeremiah 21:13

13 "Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, says the LORD; you who say, 'Who shall come down against us, or who shall enter our habitations?'

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 "And to the house of the king of Judah say, 'Hear the word of the LORD,
12 O house of David! Thus says the LORD: "'Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil doings.'"
13 "Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, says the LORD; you who say, 'Who shall come down against us, or who shall enter our habitations?'
14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says the LORD; I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.