Jeremiah 13:13-23

13 then tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem.
14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’ ”

Threat of Captivity

15 Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.
17 If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns will fall from your heads.”
19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up, and there will be no one to open them. All Judah will be carried into exile, carried completely away.
20 Look up and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was entrusted to you, the sheep of which you boasted?
21 What will you say when the LORD sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor?
22 And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?”— it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated.
23 Can an Ethiopian[a] change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

Jeremiah 13:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 13

In this chapter, under the similes of a girdle and bottles of wine, the destruction of the Jews is set forth. Some exhortations are given them to repent and humble themselves, even men of all ranks and degrees among them; and their sins, the source of their calamities, are pointed out to them. An order is given to the prophet to get him a linen girdle, with instructions what to do with it, and which he observed, Jer 13:1,2, a fresh order to take it and hide it in the hole of a rock by the river Euphrates, which he accordingly did, Jer 13:3-5 and he is bid a third time to go and take it from thence, which he did; when he found it spoiled, and good for nothing, Jer 13:6,7, then follows the application of this simile, or the signification of this sign; that in like manner the pride of Judah and Jerusalem should be marred, and for their wickedness and idolatry should become good for nothing, like that girdle; whereas they ought to have cleaved to the Lord, as a girdle does to a man's loins, and to have been an honourable people to him, Jer 13:8-11. By the simile of bottles filled with wine is signified that all the inhabitants of the land, king, priests, prophets, and common people, should be like drunken men, that should dash one against another, and destroy each other, which the mercy of God would not prevent, Jer 13:12-14, some exhortations are made to the people in general, to be humble, and confess their sins, and give glory to God, before it was too late; which are enforced by the prophet's affectionate concern for them, Jer 13:15-17 and to the king and queen in particular, since their crown and kingdom were about to be taken from them; the cities, in the southern parts, going to be shut up, and not opened; and even the whole land of Judea, and all its inhabitants, in a little time would be carried captive, Jer 13:18,19, and, to certify them of the truth of these things, they are bid to look to the north, from whence the enemy was coming to carry them captive, even the beautiful flock committed to their care, Jer 13:20, and to consider what they could say for themselves, when their punishment should come upon them suddenly, as the sorrows of a woman in travail, Jer 13:21 and should they ask the reason of this, it was owing to the multitude of their iniquities, and to their habit and custom of sinning, which made their case desperate, Jer 13:22,23, wherefore a resolution is taken to disperse them among the nations, and that this should be their lot and portion, because of their many abominations, and yet not without some concern that they might be purged from their iniquities, Jer 13:24-27.

Cross References 25

  • 1. Psalms 60:3; Psalms 75:8; S Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 63:6; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 51:57
  • 2. Ezekiel 7:4; Ezekiel 8:18; Ezekiel 9:5,10; Ezekiel 24:14; Zechariah 11:6
  • 3. S Isaiah 9:17; Jeremiah 16:5
  • 4. Deuteronomy 29:20; Isaiah 9:19-21; S Jeremiah 7:20; Jeremiah 49:32,36; Lamentations 2:21; Ezekiel 5:10
  • 5. S Exodus 23:21; Psalms 95:7-8
  • 6. S Joshua 7:19
  • 7. S Leviticus 26:37; S Job 3:23; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 23:12
  • 8. S 1 Samuel 2:9; S Job 3:5; S Psalms 82:5; Isaiah 59:9
  • 9. Malachi 2:2
  • 10. S Jeremiah 9:1
  • 11. Psalms 80:1; Jeremiah 23:1
  • 12. Jeremiah 14:18; Jeremiah 29:1
  • 13. Jeremiah 21:11; Jeremiah 22:1
  • 14. S 1 Kings 2:19; S 2 Kings 24:8; S Isaiah 22:17
  • 15. S 2 Samuel 12:30; Lamentations 5:16; Ezekiel 16:12; Ezekiel 21:26
  • 16. Jeremiah 20:4; Jeremiah 52:30; Lamentations 1:3
  • 17. Jeremiah 6:22; Habakkuk 1:6
  • 18. Jeremiah 23:2
  • 19. S Psalms 41:9; Jeremiah 4:30; Jeremiah 20:10; Jeremiah 38:22; Obadiah 1:7
  • 20. S Jeremiah 4:31
  • 21. S 1 Kings 9:9
  • 22. Jeremiah 9:2-6; Jeremiah 16:10-12
  • 23. S Isaiah 20:4
  • 24. Lamentations 1:8; Ezekiel 16:37; Ezekiel 23:26; Nahum 3:5-6
  • 25. S 2 Chronicles 6:36

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew "Cushite" (probably a person from the upper Nile region)
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.