Jeremiah 21:13

13 Behold I come to thee that dwellest in a valley upon a rock above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us and who shall enter into our houses?

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.

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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 Juda: Hear ye the word of the Lord,

12 O house of David, thus saith the Lord: Judge ye judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is oppressed by violence out of the hand of the oppressor: lest my indignation go forth like a fire, and be kindled, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your ways.

13 Behold I come to thee that dwellest in a valley upon a rock above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us and who shall enter into our houses?

14 But I will visit upon you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof: and it shall devour all things round about it.