The big picture
Jeremiah 13 opens in verse 1 with “Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith…”, and closes in verse 27 with “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 27Jeremiah 13:1-7
1–7: Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it…
Jeremiah 13:1–7 opens with “Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put…” and reaches “Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins, with particular weight carried by girdle, LORD, Euphrates.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.” The line’s distinctive content terms include girdle, linen, loins. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD , and put it on my loins.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 13:1-7
King James Version1Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD , and put it on my loins.
3And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Jeremiah 13:8-14
8–14: The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Jeremiah 13:8–14 opens with “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” and reaches “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins, with particular weight carried by LORD, bottle, filled.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, word. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Thus saith the LORD , After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 13:8-14
King James Version8Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith the LORD , After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD ; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
12Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD , Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD : I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Jeremiah 13:15-21
15–21: Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
Jeremiah 13:15–21 opens with “Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.” and reaches “What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins, with particular weight carried by captive, carried, flock.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and…” Naming Give keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 13:15-21
King James Version15Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
16Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock is carried away captive.
18Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
19The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
20Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
21What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
Jeremiah 13:22-27
22–27: If thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the…
Jeremiah 13:22–27 opens with “And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine…” and reaches “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins, with particular weight carried by skirts, abominations, accustomed.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Jeremiah 13:22-27
King James Version22And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.
23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
24Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
25This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD ; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
27I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 13:1 begins with “Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 13:13 forms a natural hinge: “Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD , Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and…”
The final note
Jeremiah 13:27 leaves the reader with “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins, word help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Abram pursue peace?
He names their kinship and offers a practical separation without insisting on first choice.
What can Lot see that Abram cannot yet possess?
Lot sees fertile land; Abram receives a promise of land and descendants still to come.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.