Jeremiah 13

Jeremiah 13

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 · 27

Jeremiah 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.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and…” By verse 4, the text has turned to “Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and…” It lands on “Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse with a speech marker, 5 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as girdle, LORD, Euphrates, loins, arise, commanded tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Euphrates, Arise, Take. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 6: “And 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…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: girdle, LORD, Euphrates, loins, arise, commanded

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 13:1

    “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.

  2. Jeremiah 13:2

    “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.

  3. Jeremiah 13:3

    “And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, second, time. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

  4. Jeremiah 13:4

    “Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole…” Naming Euphrates and Take keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. Jeremiah 13:5

    “So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  6. Jeremiah 13:6

    “And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

  7. Jeremiah 13:7

    “Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle…” Naming Euphrates keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Jeremiah 13:1-7

King James Version

1Thus 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.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” By verse 11, the text has turned to “For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the…” It lands on “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 question, 2 stated contrasts, 6 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as LORD, bottle, filled, girdle, hear, house tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Israel, Jerusalem, Judah, David, Every, God. Its number language includes one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 12: “Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: LORD, bottle, filled, girdle, hear, house

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 13:8

    “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.

  2. Jeremiah 13:9

    “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.

  3. Jeremiah 13:10

    “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.

  4. Jeremiah 13:11

    “For 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…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  5. Jeremiah 13:12

    “Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with…” 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.

  6. Jeremiah 13:13

    “Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD , Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the…” Naming David and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  7. Jeremiah 13:14

    “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD : I will not pity…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

Jeremiah 13:8-14

King James Version

8Then 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.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.” By verse 18, the text has turned to “Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities…” It lands on “What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 questions, 1 stated contrast, 3 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as captive, carried, flock, darkness, glory, hear tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Give, God, Hear, Humble, Judah, Lift. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 17: “But 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…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: captive, carried, flock, darkness, glory, hear

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 13:15

    “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.

  2. Jeremiah 13:16

    “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.

  3. Jeremiah 13:17

    “But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Jeremiah 13:18

    “Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Jeremiah 13:19

    “The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Jeremiah 13:20

    “Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful…” 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.

  7. Jeremiah 13:21

    “What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall…” 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 13:15-21

King James Version

15Hear 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.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of…” By verse 24, the text has turned to “Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the…” It lands on “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 3 questions, 1 verse naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as skirts, abominations, accustomed, adulteries, appear, bare tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Can, Ethiopian, Jerusalem, Wherefore, Woe. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 24: “Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: skirts, abominations, accustomed, adulteries, appear, bare

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 13:22

    “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.

  2. Jeremiah 13:23

    “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” 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.

  3. Jeremiah 13:24

    “Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  4. Jeremiah 13:25

    “This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD ; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in…” The line’s distinctive content terms include falsehood, forgotten, LORD. Its relationship to verses 24 and 26 shows what work it does in this passage.

  5. Jeremiah 13:26

    “Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  6. Jeremiah 13:27

    “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in…” 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 Version

22And 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?

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Identify the historical crisis, covenant failure, warning, and promised hope.
  2. Distinguish the prophet’s immediate audience from later biblical connections.
  3. Do not turn present-day headlines into confident fulfillment claims without textual evidence.

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.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Jeremiah 13?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of Jeremiah 13 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Jeremiah 13 develops its own movement around LORD, girdle, Euphrates, hear, loins?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?