Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 13:15
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
15. be not proud ] Do not refuse through self-sufficiency to listen.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
15 17. Let Judah beware while there is time
The prophet bids them acknowledge Jehovah, by submission and obedience, before they are overtaken by the blackness of national overthrow. Otherwise (says Jeremiah) I will in silent grief witness your ruin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Be not proud – Both the symbols were of a nature very humiliating to the national self-respect.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Jer 13:15-17
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.
Jehovah hath spoken: will ye not hear?
I. There is a revelation. For the Lord hath spoken.
1. The voice which we are bidden to hear is a Divine voice, it is the voice of Him that made the heavens and the earth, whose creatures we are.
2. It is a word most clear and plain, for Jehovah hath spoken. He might have taught us only by the works of His hands, in which the invisible things of God, even His eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen. What is all creation but a hieroglyphic scroll, in which the Lord has written out His character as Creator and Provider? But since He knew that we were dim of sight and dull of comprehension, the Lord has gone beyond the symbols and hieroglyphs, and used articulate speech such as a man useth with his fellow: Jehovah hath spoken!
3. Moreover, I gather from the expression in the text that the revelation made to us by the Lord is an unchangeable and abiding word. It is not today that Jehovah is speaking, but Jehovah hath spoken: His voice by the prophets and apostles is silent now, for He hath revealed all truth which is needful for salvation.
4. This revelation is preeminently a condescending and cheering word. The very fact that the great God speaks to us by His Son indicates that mercy, tenderness, love, hope, grace, are the burden of His utterance.
II. Since there is a revelation, it should be suitably received.
1. If Jehovah hath spoken, then all attention should be given; yea, double attention, even as the text hath it, Hear ye, and give ear. Hear, and hear again: incline your ear, hearken diligently, surrender your soul to the teaching of the Lord God; and be not satisfied till yea have heard His teaching, have heard it with your whole being, and have felt the force of its every truth. Hear ye, because the word comes with power, and give ear, because you willingly receive it.
2. Then it is added, as if by way of directing us how suitably to hear this revelation–Give glory to Jehovah your God.
(1) Glorify the Lord by accepting whatsoever He saith unto thee as being infallibly true. In all its length and breadth, whatsoever the Lord saith we believe; and we desire to know neither less nor more than He has spoken.
(2) We must receive the word, however, in a hearty and honest manner so as to act upon it. We must therefore repent of the sin which the Lord condemns, and turn from the way which He abhors; we must loathe the vice which He forbids us, and seek after the virtue which He commands.
(3) But we must go further than repentance and the acceptance of the truth as truth, we must further reverence the gracious voice of God when He bids us believe on Christ and live. He has couched that message of love in so blessed a form that he who does not accept it must be wantonly malicious against God and against his own soul.
III. Pride in the human heart prevents such a reception.
1. In some it is the pride of intellect. They do not wish to be treated like children. Things that are despised, hath God chosen, and things that are not, to bring to naught the things that are: that no flesh may glory in His presence. Oh, let none of us be so proud as to lift up ourselves in opposition to that which Jehovah hath spoken!
2. In some others it is the pride of self-esteem. It is a dreadful thing that men should think it better to go to hell in a dignified way than to go to heaven by the narrow road of a childlike faith in the Redeemer. Those who will not stoop even to receive Christ Himself and the blessings of eternal life deserve to perish. God save us from such folly!
3. Some have a pride of self-righteousness. They say we see, and therefore their eyes are not opened: they cry we are clean, and therefore they are not washed from their iniquity.
4. In some, too, it is the pride of self-love. They cannot deny their lusts.
5. The pride of self-will also works its share of ruin among men. The unrenewed heart virtually says–I shall not mind these commands. Why should I be tied hand and foot, and ruled, and governed? I intend to be a free thinker and a free liver, and I will not submit myself.
IV. Hence there comes an earnest warning. Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. Listen, thou who hast rejected God and His Christ till now. Thou art already out of the way, among the dark mountains. There is a Kings highway of faith, and thou hast refused it; thou hast turned aside to the right hand or to the left, according to thine own imagination. Being out of the way of safety, thou art in the path of danger even now. Though the sunlight shines about thee, and the flowers spring up profusely under thy feet, yet thou art in danger, for there is no safety out of the Kings road. If thou wilt still pursue thy headlong career, and choose a path for thyself, I pray thee remember that darkness is lowering around thee. The day is far spent! Around thy soul there are hanging mists and glooms already, and these will thicken into the night-damps of bewilderment. Thinking but not believing, thou wilt soon think thyself into a horror of great darkness. Refusing to hear what Jehovah has spoken, thou wilt follow other voices, which shall allure thee into an Egyptian night of confusion. Upon whom wilt thou call in the day of thy calamity, and who will succour thee? Then thy thoughts will dissolve into vanity, and thy spirit shall melt into dismay. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends. Thou shalt grope after comfort as blind men grope for the wall, and because thou hast rejected the Lord and His truth, He also will reject thee and leave thee to thine own devices. Meanwhile, there shall overcloud thee a darkness bred of thine own sin and wilfulness. Thou shalt lose the brightness of thine intellect, the sharp clearness of thy thought shall depart from thee, professing thyself to be wise thou shalt become a fool. Thou shalt be in an all-surrounding, penetrating blackness. Hence comes the solemnity of this warning, Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause darkness. For after that darkness there comes a stumbling, as saith the text, before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. There must be difficulties in every mans way, even if it be a way of his own devising; but to the man that will not accept the light of God, these difficulties must necessarily be dark mountains with sheer abysses, pathless crags, and impenetrable ravines. He has refused the path which wisdom has cast up, and he is justly doomed to stumble where there is no way. Beware of encountering mysteries without guidance and faith, for you will stumble either into folly or superstition, and only rise to stumble again. Those who stumble at Christs Cross are like to stumble into hell. There are also dark mountains of another kind which will block the way of the wanderer mountains of dismay, of remorse, of despair.
V. there remains for the friends of the impenitent but one resort. Like our Lord in later times, the prophet beheld the city and wept over it: he could do no less, he could do no more. Alas, his sorrow would be unavailing, his grief was hopeless. Observe that the prophet did not expect to obtain sympathy in this sorrow of his. He says, My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride. He would get quite alone, hide himself away, and become a recluse. Alas, that so few even now care for the souls of men! This also puts a pungent salt into the tears of the godly, that the weeping can do no good, since the people refuse the one and only remedy. Jehovah has spoken, and if they will not hear Him they must die in their sins. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Attention to Gods Word
I. How should we attend to it?
1. With reverence.
2. In faith.
3. Diligently, earnestly.
4. Intelligently.
5. Intending to be governed by it.
6. Prayerfully.
II. There is here an implied neglect.
1. Men are filled with other things.
2. They do not know its worth.
3. They do not apprehend the bearing it may have on their well-being.
4. They are not willing to submit to its teachings.
III. Why should we attend?
1. The dignity and glory of the Lord.
2. His wisdom and knowledge.
3. His beneficence, interest, and love.
4. He speaks to us of matters in which we have the deepest interest.
Learn–
1. To read the Bible regularly.
2. To treasure it in the heart.
3. To honour it in your life. (E. Jerman.)
Be not proud.—
Pride
I. Different kinds of pride.
1. Race pride–pride in ancestors.
2. Face pride–pride in outward appearance.
3. Place pride–pride in social position.
4. Grace pride–pride in godliness.
II. The warning. Be not proud–
1. Because we have nothing to be proud of.
2. Because it is abhorrent to God.
3. Because it is unlike Christ.
4. Because it is ruinous.
Apply–
(1) Some are very proud.
(2) Some occasionally.
(3) Some are bravely struggling against pride. (J. Bolton.)
The warning against pride
Many of the inhabitants of the valleys that lie between the Alps in Switzerland have large swellings, called goitres, which hang down from the sides of their necks, like great bags. They are horrible things to look at. And yet, strange as it may seem, the Swiss get to be proud even of these dreadful deformities. They look down with contempt on their neighbours who do not have these terrible swellings, and call them the goose-necked people. And so we see that pride is a sin into which we are all in danger of falling. And here we have Gods warning against pride.
I. Pride brings with it unhappiness. The fable says, that there was a tortoise once, that was very unhappy because he could not fly. He used to look up and see the eagles and other birds spreading out their wings and floating through the air. He said to himself, Oh, if I only had wings, as those birds have, so that I could rise up into the air, and sail about there as they do, how happy I should be! One day, he called to an eagle, and offered him a great reward if he would only teach him how to fly. The eagle said–Well, Ill try what I can do. You get on my back, and Ill carry you up into the air, and well see what can be done. So the tortoise got on the back of the eagle. Then the eagle spread out his wings and began to soar aloft. He went up, and up, and up, till he had reached a great height. Then he said to the tortoise: Now, get ready. Im going to throw you off, and you must try your hand at flying. So the eagle threw him off; and he went down, down, down, till at last he fell upon a hard rock and was dashed to pieces. Now here you see, it was the pride of the tortoise which made him so unhappy, because he couldnt fly. And it was trying to gratify his pride which cost him his life.
II. Pride brings with it trouble. We never can set ourselves against any of Gods laws without getting into trouble. Two masons were engaged in building a brick wall in front of a high house. One of them was older and more experienced than his companion. The younger one, whose name was Ben, placed a brick in the wall which was thicker at one end than at the other. His companion noticed it, and said–Ben, if I were you I wouldnt leave that brick there. Its not straight, and will be likely to injure the wall by making it untrue. Pooh! said Ben, what difference will such a trifle as that make? You are too particular. My mother used to teach me, said his friend, that truth is truth; and that ever so little an untruth is a lie, and that a lie is no trifle. Now Bens pride was offended by what his friend had said to him. So he straightened himself up, and said in an angry tone–Well, I guess I understand my business as well as you do. I am sure that brick wont do any harm. His friend said nothing more to him. They both went quietly on with their work, laying one brick after another, and carrying the wall up higher, till the close of the day. Next morning they went back to go on with their work again. But when they got there they found the wall all in ruins. The explanation of it was this: that uneven brick had given it a little slant. As the wall got up higher, the slant increased, till at last, in the middle of the night, it tumbled over and fell down to the ground. And here we see the trouble which this young man brought on himself by his pride. If he had only learned to mind this Bible warning against it, that wall would not have fallen down, and he would have been saved the trouble of building it up again.
III. Pride brings with it loss. The apostle tells us that God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. So if we give way to pride, we are in a position in which God is resisting us, and then it is certain, that we can expect nothing but loss in everything that we do. When we begin to love and serve God, He says to each of us, from this day will I bless thee. And are told that the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow. The way in which Gods blessing makes His people rich is in the peace, joy, happiness He gives them; the sense of His favour and protection which they have in this world, and the hope of sharing His presence and glory forever in heaven. But if we give way to pride we cannot love and serve God; and then we must lose His blessing–the greatest loss we can ever meet with in this world. (R. Newton, D. D.)
God glorified in the fall of pride
I. What is it which stops people from hearing the voice of God?
1. One form of pride is shame. Many kept from Christ because ashamed to come and give themselves up to Him. For fear of the paltry scorn, the momentary ridicule, the soul will risk eternity!
2. There is the pride of respectability and social position. Hold apart from religion, because in the one way all must go without distinction. Yet what can justify in a lost sinner any high and vain thoughts of self?
3. There is the pride that conceals a wound. Gods Word has stricken the heart; healing and joy could be had if we humbly go to God, yet hide the grief and unrest within, from man and Heaven.
4. There is the pride of self-righteousness. What say when before the Throne–that you were too good to accept the Gospel?
II. Human pride must effectually be broken down.
1. When pride humbled and man crushed, God speaks. What say? Give glory to the Lord your God. Your God still, though turned back on Him and grieved Him.
2. The contrite soul cannot realise its inability to glorify God. Broken down, powerless, self-despairing, cast yourself on His salvation.
3. There is a desperate alternative: that you will not hear. By and by your feet will stumble on the dark mountains. The day of disease will come; life will grow dim; the thin grandeur of a fading world will begin to pass away; all around the gloom will thicken, and on a dying world gross darkness of unrelieved despair will cover you. Then the last moment arrives; one terrified look for light, but in vain; the soul is carried away into captivity. (W. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
God ordinarily subjoineth exhortation and counsel to his reproof, if peradventure people will change their hearts and ways. Having threatened them, therefore the prophet speaketh to them, that they would yet hear, and that not formally, but
give ear; not exalting themselves against God, and nourishing a vain confidence or presumptuous hopes, and going on in their rebellious courses, despising him and others, who were but the Lords prophets and his messengers unto them. The word which we bring is not ours, it is the Lord that hath spoken by us.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. be not proudPride was thecause of their contumacy, as humility is the first step to obedience(Jer 13:17; Psa 10:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Hear ye, and give ear,…. Both to what goes before, and what follows after. The words doubled denote the closest and strictest attention:
be not proud; haughty, scornful, as above all instruction, and needing no advice and counsel, self-conceited, despising the word of God, and his messages by his prophets; or, “do not lift up yourselves” x; above others, and against God:
for the Lord hath spoken; it is not I, but the Lord; and what he has said shall certainly come to pass; so the Targum,
“for in the word of the Lord it is so decreed;”
it is in vain to oppose him; his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure; none ever hardened themselves against him, and prospered.
x “ne elevetis vos”, Montanus, Pagninus; “exaltetis”, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With this threatening the prophet couples a solemn exhortation not to leave the word of the Lord unheeded in their pride, but to give God the glory, ere judgment fall on them. To give God the glory is, in this connection, to acknowledge His glory by confession of apostasy from Him and by returning to Him in sincere repentance; cf. Jos 7:19; Mal 2:2. “Your God,” who has attested Himself to you as God. The Hiph. is not used intransitively, either here or in Psa 139:12, but transitively: before He brings or makes darkness; cf. Amo 8:9. Mountains of dusk, i.e., mountains shrouded in dusk, are the emblem of unseen stumbling-blocks, on which one stumbles and falls. Light and darkness are well-known emblems of prosperity and adversity, welfare and misery. The suffix in goes with , which is construed feminine here as in Job 36:32. Shadow of death = deep darkness; , cloudy night, i.e., dark night. The Chet. is imperf., and to be read ; the Keri is uncalled for and incorrect.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 15-17: A WARNING AGAINST PRIDE AND ARROGANCE
1. Knowing the love and yearning of God’s heart for His people, Jeremiah pleads with Judah to listen, and to turn from her. proud rebellion, (vs. 15; Pro 16:5; Pro 3:34; Isa 28:14-22; 1Pe 5:5).
2. Let her, rather, give honor to the Lord her God (recognizing His majesty and obeying His word, (Psa 96:5-9) before He brings catastrophic darkness upon her (comp. Isa 5:30; Isa 59:9-10; Amo 5:1820; Psa 107:10-15) – and with it, stumbling (Jer 23:12; Pro 4:19) and the destruction of all hope of recovery, (vs. 16).
3. The tenderness of Jeremiah is manifested in his expression of deep sorrow, (vs. 17).
a. If they will not hear, his soul will weep because of their pride, (comp. Mal 2:2; Lev 26:14-18).
b. His eyes will overflow with tears when the Lord’s flock is taken captive, (Jer 14:17; comp. Mat 23:27-39).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
The Prophet shews here more fully what we have stated, — that so refractory was the temper of those with whom he had to do, that it was necessary to use various means to subdue them. And it was not in vain that he added this exhortation, which manifests indignation; nor was it without displeasure that he required a hearing, Hear ye, and give ear; be not lifted up, for the Lord is he who speaks Then we may hence gather, either that Jeremiah was derided, or that his words were disregarded by the Jews; for this is intimated by the words, For Jehovah has spoken; (81) for were they of themselves persuaded, that he announced what God had commanded him, these words would have been used to no purpose. But we shall elsewhere see, that he was deemed an impostor, and that he was assailed by many reproofs and curses.
He therefore defends here his calling from their calumnies and reproaches, when he says, that God had spoken; for by these words he affirms that he brought nothing of his own, but spoke as it were from the mouth of God, or, which is the same thing, that he was the instrument of the Holy Spirit; and he said this, in order that they might know that they in vain contended with him, as the contest was between them and God. And on this account he says, Hear ye, and give ear; for he saw that they were deaf and torpid, and had need of many stimulants. He at the same time points out the cause and the source of evil by saying, Be ye not lifted up (82) The cause then of their contumacy was pride, for they dared to quarrel with God. So also the main principle of obedience is humility, that is, when men acknowledge that they are nothing and ascribe to God what is due to him.
(81) This may be rendered more consistently with the context, “For Jehovah speaks,” or is speaking: for the reference evidently is to what was now addressed to them. — Ed.
(82) So all the versions and the Targum. Gataker renders it, “Be ye not haughty,” which is no doubt the meaning. The verb means to be high, lofty, or elevated, and so to be elevated as to be haughty, proud. See Isa 3:16. Men, creatures of the dust, too high and elevated to hear what God said to them! This is the case still. What a monstrous thing! — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
C. WARNING: Pride Brings On Darkness Jer. 13:15-17
TRANSLATION
(15) Hear and give ear! Do not be so high and mighty; for the LORD has spoken. (16) Give to the LORD your God glory before He causes it to grow dark and before your feet stumble upon the dusky mountains when you hope for light but He turns it to deep darkness, and makes it pitch dark. (17) But if you do not hear it, in secret places my soul will weep because of pride; yea it will weep bitterly and my eye will flow with tears because the LORDs flock has been taken captive.
COMMENTS
After predicting the eventual outpouring of the wine of Gods wrath, Jeremiah earnestly appeals to his audience to hear i.e., obey, the word of the Lord. He points out that it is stubborn and inexcusable pride that prevents these leaders from really hearing Gods word (Jer. 13:15). If a man will only humble himself God will speak to him. Every Christian who opens a Bible should be uttering the prayer of Samuel: Speak for thy servant heareth. Jeremiah urges his hearers to give glory to God. Men give glory to God when they acknowledge His claims and submit to His will. Life at best is a rocky, cregy mountain route over which a man must walk. Even when the sun is brightly shining the way is tricky and dangerous unless the Lord is leading the way. But when the day of grace ends and the sunshine of Gods benevolent protection sinks over the horizon then those dangerous mountain paths become even more difficult to find and follow. The traveler hopes, wishes, longs for more light; but the sky grows darker and darker. Finally impenetrable darkness envelops the traveler and he is caught in the Stygian darkness with no Guide. While the day of grace remains, pleads Jeremiah, give God glory. Before the midnight hour of divine judgment, humble yourselves, listen to His word (Jer. 13:16).
If the men of Judah refuse to humble themselves and heed the admonition to hear the word of God Jeremiah will be broken hearted. He is not ashamed to admit it. Well has he been called the weeping prophet. Behind his stern and uncompromising messages was a broken heart. My soul will weep i.e., I will weep because of the pride which prevents these men from hearing the word of God. He will weep because he knows that stubborn pride will lead inevitably to captivity. So certain is he of this truth that he can speak of the captivity as though it had already taken place (Jer. 13:17).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) Be not proud.With special reference to the besetting sin of Judah, as described in Jer. 13:9; perhaps also to the character of the symbols appliedthe marred girdle and the broken jaras being in themselves humiliating, and therefore a trial to their pride.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Hear ye, etc. The earnest words of the prophet entreating attention.
Be not proud Because pride would keep them from profiting by the humbling lessons he had given.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A Final Appeal For Repentance Before It Is Too Late, For if They Do Fail To Respond Their Final Judgment Will Come Upon Them ( Jer 13:15-27 ).
The people are called on to look to YHWH while there is still a glimmer of light, because if they do not gross darkness will descend upon them, something which causes Jeremiah to weep at what is coming. The assumption then being made that they will refuse to respond, it results in advice being given to the monarchy to divest themselves of their signs of authority, an indication of subjugation, and the warning being given that the whole land even down to the Negeb will shortly be deserted. This is because those to whom they have cosied up (both their neighbours and especially Babylon) will take possession of them, with the result that they will be embarrassed and shamed, something pictured in graphic terms on the basis of their lascivious behaviour in the hills.
Jer 13:15
“Hear you, and give ear. Do not be proud. For YHWH has spoken.”
Jer 13:16
“Give glory to YHWH your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the mountains of gathering gloom (twilight), and, while you look for light, he turn it into the deep darkness, and make it gross darkness.”
If only they will turn and give glory to YHWH whilst there is still a glimmer of light all could be well. But if they refuse to turn then He will cause darkness to surround them, and the mountains on which they live and move will become dark mountains in the same way as day becomes night, and while they are looking for some glimmer of light He will turn it into deep darkness, and make it gross darkness.
‘Give glory to YHWH your God.’ This may have been a regular way of calling on men to recognise and admit their sin. Compare its use in Jos 7:19; Mal 2:2; Joh 9:24.
Jer 13:17
“But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; and my eye will weep sore, and run down with tears, because YHWH’s flock is taken captive.”
But what if they do not hear and repent? Then Jeremiah will weep for them in secret because of their proud obstinacy. His eyes will weep until they are sore, and will run down with tears. He is trying to bring home to them the seriousness of the situation. And why will he weep like this? Because they, YHWH’s flock, have been taken captive. They have been carried off into exile. The idea was almost incomprehensible. YHWH’s flock taken captive by others! But they had observed its happening to Israel. Now it would happen to them. YHWH’s favour was dependent on their response.
Paradoxically the people may still have prided themselves on the fact that they were ‘YHWH’s flock’. People are very good at assuming that they are special and that God looks down on them benevolently no matter what they do. But they are to recognise that far from that being so they will soon be a captive flock in the hands of strangers. It is not, however, something that Jeremiah is complacent about. It grieves him to his heart. This should not be happening to the flock of YHWH and is only doing so because of their intransigence and obstinacy.
Jer 13:18
“Say you to the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves, get down, for your head ornaments are come down, even the crown of your glory.”
Jeremiah now seeks to bring home the implications of his message. The king and queen mother will have to step down from their thrones in acts of humiliation. Their crowns and head ornaments will come down from their heads as they are divested of their glorious crowns which indicate their status. They will become subjects and humble suppliants. If they will not humble themselves before YHWH, they will be humbled before another who has less good intentions towards them.
Note the reference to the queen mother. The constant reference to the queen mother in Kings brings out the special status that she enjoyed in Judah. She may even have acted as regent when the king was absent. Many associate this passage with Jehoiachin who with his mother was carried off to Babylon (2Ki 24:12). But it could relate to any Judean royal house.
Jer 13:19
“The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them. Judah is carried away captive, all of it, it is wholly carried away captive.”
A further consequence is indicated. The ‘cities of the south’ are the cities of the far south, the Negeb (compare Gen 12:9), the semi-desert pastureland which was the southern border of Judah. Even those remote cities on the farthest borders away from the north will be affected. They will be closed up because there will be no one available to open their gates. They will be cities of the dead. (Compare Isa 24:10). In other words they will be desolate, and all of Judah will have gone into captivity. The rape of Judah is in mind. Few will be left in the land.
Jer 13:20
“Lift up your eyes, and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful flock?”
And who will do this to them? Let them lift up their eyes and look to the north. It is the invaders who come from there who will do it. Where then will be the flock that YHWH gave to the leaders of Judah to watch over, their beautiful flock? Compare Jer 23:1; Jer 50:6; Jer 50:17; Isa 53:6; Eze 34:6. The feminine singular verbs and pronouns indicate that ‘the daughter of Jerusalem’ (i.e. as responsible for its inhabitants, and those who lived around it) is in mind.
Jer 13:21
“What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be your friends? Will not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?”
The greatest ignominy will be found in that their conqueror will set over them rulers from among those with whom they have at one time or another been in alliance. They had ‘taught them to be their friends’ and now they would have been set over them. It would cause them grief of heart and anguish like that of a woman bearing a child, used as an illustration because it was the worst kind of experience that men came across in their daily lives. Certainly when Nehemiah came back Jerusalem would be subject to Sanballat the governor of Aram (Syria) in association with Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arabian, together with the Ammonites, the Arabians and the Ashdodites (Neh 4:1; Neh 4:17; Neh 6:1).
Jer 13:22
“And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things come on me?’”
At some stage they will begin to question in their why all this has happened to them. It will be the first stage in possible repentance. Jer 13:24 reveals that this was to be seen as YHWH speaking.
Jer 13:22
“Because of the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts uncovered, and your heels suffer violence.”
And the answer is already provided for them. It is because of the greatness of their iniquity. This is a reminder, as so much of Jeremiah is a reminder, of the seriousness with which God views sin and disobedience to His commandments. We must never think that because forgiveness is so freely offered by God that it means that our sins are not really important. We have only to look at the blood-stained and awful history of the world to see what devastation sin has wrought. And it is our sin. Some ask why God allows these things? The answer is clear. It is because if He once interfered ALL of us to the very last man and woman would perish.
And it was because of their indwelling sin that they would be humiliated before the nations. The uncovering of the skirts was, outside the privacy of marriage, an act of contempt and shame. No one bothered about the uncovering of a prostitute. The ‘heels suffering violence’ may be a euphemism for being violently sexually assaulted or even raped. Prostitutes were regularly treated harshly by their clients. Thus Judah were being revealed as spiritual prostitutes. Alternately the clothes that indicated the rank of the great ladies may be in mind. The ‘heels suffering violence’ probably then refers to men and women who were used to being properly shod being forced to march barefoot (compare Isa 20:2-4). They were used to allowing their heels to hit the ground first, and being unused to walking barefoot, would, once they were led away as captives, soon experience the consequences.
Jer 13:23
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.”
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” was a well known proverb. In the Ancient Near East the North African (strictly speaking not Ethiopian, rather northern Sudanese) was noted for his darker than normal skin. Rather than being olive skinned he was black. No racism was intended. It was simply a matter of fact. As was also the case with the leopard. It could not disguise itself by removing its spots. It was stuck with them. Both were facts of life. So was it also a fact of life that those who were hardened in sin did not ‘do good’. They might appear to do so, but it would be from a wrong motive. They were hardened sinners. Judah’s judgment was coming on them because they were so hardened in sin that there was no hope of repentance. (Compare Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees that they were in danger of becoming the same – Mar 3:29).
Jer 13:24
“Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble which passes away by the wind of the wilderness.”
And it was because they were so hardened in sin that YHWH would scatter them in the same way as the stubble left in the fields is picked up by the wind and scattered (compare Psa 1:4; Job 21:18). The wind from the wilderness was the fierce east wind which was so often used as a picture of judgment.
Jer 13:25
“This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” the word of YHWH, “Because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”
YHWH makes it clear that while they have brought it on themselves it is His hand that is at work in what is happening. It is the lot that He has chosen for them, the portion that He is measuring out to them, because they have forgotten Him and put their trust in lies. And this is the prophetic word of YHWH, guaranteed and certain.
Notice the twofold emphasis. On the one hand YHWH is carrying out His will in accordance with His own determination. On the other it is man in his extreme sinfulness who must bear the responsibility. He brings his judgments on himself.
We are reminded here, as so often, of two parallel strands in history. God does not cause men to be vile, and to behave vilely, but He utilises their vileness as they freely exercise it (and are therefore to blame for it) in bringing about His purposes. men may think that they are in control, but overall it is God Who is in control. The same idea lies behind the words, ‘shall evil come on a city and YHWH has not done it?’ (Amo 3:6).
Jer 13:26
“Therefore will I also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will appear.”
And it is because of their evil behaviour in forgetting God and listening to palatable lies that they are to be exposed to shame. They will be treated with the contempt with which a common prostitute was treated in those days, as a thing of nought, to be exposed and humiliated without a thought. They will be laid bare before the nations.
Jer 13:27
“I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries, and your neighings, the lewdness of your whoredom, on the hills in the open country (fields). Woe to you, O Jerusalem! you will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”
But it will be very much a case of reaping what they have sowed. They have revealed themselves as no better than common prostitutes by their lewd behaviour on the open hills. Their neighings (cries of lust and passion) and their willingness to engage in free sex at their hilltop sanctuaries will rebound upon them.
And because they have now gone too far there is no opportunity of cleansing for the present generation. Their behaviour and attitudes have negated all their ritual activity in the Temple, which is no longer acceptable. All that they can expect to face is ‘WOE’. And this will be so for a long time to come. How long it will be is left an open question (elsewhere it is fixed at seventy years (Jer 25:11-12; Jer 29:10) dated from the initial exile, and then at seventy ‘sevens’ (Daniel 9) indicating a long while to come).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
DISCOURSE: 1048
A CALL TO REPENTANCE [Note: Preached February, 1801.]
Jer 13:15-17. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give 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. 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 tears, because the Lords flock is carried away captive.
REPENTANCE is at all times a proper subject to be enforced; but more especially on a day professedly set apart for national humiliation. The words before us were addressed to the Jews when God was about to send them into captivity in Babylon: and they may well be considered as addressed to us, now that his hand is lifted up for the punishment, and, for aught we know, for the destruction of our land.
They manifestly contain the prophets exhortation; his arguments to enforce it; and his determination in case he should not be able to prevail on the people to repent.
But the occasion, and the text itself, call rather for exhortation than discussion. We shall therefore, though not without a due attention to the order of the words, proceed to urge upon you the great, the seasonable, the indispensable duty of repentance
[Know then, that it is God who speaketh. The words delivered to you in his name, as far as they accord with his mind and will, are his words, and are to be received as though you heard them uttered by a voice from heaven [Note: 2Co 5:20. 1Th 2:13.].
Hear ye, and give ear, and let not the pride of your hearts obstruct your attention. Often has God spoken to you by the dispensations of his providence, and the declarations of his grace; yea, moreover, by the still small voice of conscience: but ye, the generality of you at least, have turned a deaf ear, and refused to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely [Note: Job 33:14.]. But be not proud, Ye must hear at last, whether ye will or not. Let then your stout hearts be humbled; and receive with meekness the engrafted word [Note: Jam 1:21.].
In the name of God we say to you, Repent. Give glory to the Lord your God. It is by repentance only that you can do this [Note: Jos 7:19. Rev 16:9.]. Repentance glorifies all his perfections; his omniscience that sees your transgressions, his justice that punishes them, his mercy that pardons them, and his wisdom and goodness that have provided such a marvellous salvation for ruined man.
O glorify his omniscience: say, Lord, thou art privy to all the secrets of my heart; thou knowest that I am inexpressibly vile [Note: Jer 17:9. Job 40:4; Job 42:2; Job 42:6.].
Glorify his justice; and acknowledge, that if he cut you off, and consign you to the lowest hell, you have no more than your just desert [Note: Mat 22:12-13. Rom 3:4. Psa 143:2.].
Glorify his mercy; and plead it with him as the only, the all-sufficient ground of your hope and confidence [Note: Psa 51:1.].
Glorify his wisdom and goodness, that have opened a way for your return to him through the incarnation and death of his only dear Son. Declare that you have no trust whatever but in the blood and righteousness of that almighty Saviour [Note: Php 3:8-9.].
To persist in impenitence is the certain way to bring down the heaviest judgments upon your souls. The darkness that hangs over the nation [Note: Joe 2:2-3. perhaps a true picture of our present state.], cannot be dispelled in any other way; much less can that with which God menaces your souls. O consider the darkness, the gross darkness, in which they are involved, who are shut up under judicial blindness and final obduracy [Note: Isa 6:9-10.]; or who, under the terrors of a guilty conscience, stumble on the dark mountains of unbelief, and, like the Jews (who thought they had clean escaped from their pursuers) are overtaken by the sword of vengeance [Note: This is the literal meaning of the text.], so that while they look for light, it is turned into the shadow of death, and they are plunged into the blackness of darkness for evermore [Note: 2Th 2:11-12. Jude, ver. 13.].
But repentance may yet avert the storm, both from the nation, and from our own souls. Numberless are the declarations of God to this effect [Note: To nations, 2Ch 7:14; and to individuals, Isa 55:7.] and numberless the instances wherein it has been verified [Note: Nineveh, the dying thief, &c.]. But let us remember what kind of repentance it is which will thus prevail: it is not a mere formal confession of sin with a partial reformation of the life, but such a repentance as glorifies all the perfections of the Deity; such a repentance as has an especial respect to Christ, who alone can procure our pardon, and in whom alone we can ever find acceptance with God.
Would to God that we might prevail with you, and that you were all, in good earnest, turning unto God! Could we once behold this, O how should we rejoice: and how would the very angels in heaven rejoice on your account! But, if ye will not repent, (as it is to be feared too many of you will not,) my soul, and the souls of all who are aware of your condition, shall weep in secret places for your pride; yea, our eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears, on account of your present and approaching bondage. The godly in all ages have wept over those who felt no concern for their own souls [Note: Psa 119:136. Ezr 9:3; Ezr 10:6. 2Pe 2:8. Rom 9:1-2; above all, Luk 19:41.]: and we trust that there are many, who will lay to heart the evils which ye are too proud to acknowledge, too obdurate to deplore. But we entreat you to consider, Is there one amongst us all, that is not a sinner before God [Note: 1Ki 8:46. Jam 3:2.]? and does not the broken law denounce a curse against us [Note: Gal 3:10.]? and if God be true, will not that curse be inflicted on the impenitent? Why then will ye not humble yourselves before an offended God, a merciful Redeemer? Alas! for your pride, and stoutness of heart! How lamentable is it, that you, who have been baptized into the name of Christ, and are therefore properly the Lords flock, should be so carried captive by your lusts, and by your great adversary, the devil [Note: 2Ti 2:26.]! O think, it is but a little time and your captivity will be complete; and, lost beyond a possibility of redemption, you will be bound in chains of everlasting darkness [Note: Jude, ver. 6.]. And is not here a cause for sorrow on your account? O that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for your unhappy state [Note: Jer 9:1.]!
We will not, however, conclude, without once more entreating you to give glory to the Lord your God; that so your light may rise in obscurity, and your darkness may be as the noon-day [Note: Isa 67:8; Isa 67:10.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Who can read this account of the mournful prophet, but must revere his memory? Oh! how delightful is it to behold a faithful pastor, taking interest in all that concerns his people! But while the memory of Jeremiah on this account is blessed, and that of all faithful ministers in the Church; with what glory doth Christ appear in his unequalled affection, whose tears for Jerusalem were so, many, and whose sweat, great drops of blood?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 13:15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
Ver. 15. Hear, and give ear. ] Or, Hear and hearken, be not naughty. Here the prophet calleth upon them again to repent, and to that end to listen diligently, and to lay aside the highness of their hearts and the stoutness of their stomachs, since it is the Lord that speaketh. “The lion roareth; who can but fear?” Amo 3:8 Repentance is the Removens prohibens, as being founded in humility, and wrought by the word preached. Jon 3:4-10 Act 2:37-41
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 13:15-19
15Listen and give heed, do not be haughty,
For the LORD has spoken.
16Give glory to the LORD your God,
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the dusky mountains,
And while you are hoping for light
He makes it into deep darkness,
And turns it into gloom.
17But if you will not listen to it,
My soul will sob in secret for such pride;
And my eyes will bitterly weep
And flow down with tears,
Because the flock of the LORD has been taken captive.
18Say to the king and the queen mother,
Take a lowly seat,
For your beautiful crown
Has come down from your head.
19The cities of the Negev have been locked up,
And there is no one to open them;
All Judah has been carried into exile,
Wholly carried into exile.
Jer 13:15-27 Jer 13:1-14 are prose but Jer 13:15-27 forms two or three poetic strophes. The first strophe is the hopeless call of the prophet for repentance on the part of God’s people and Jer 13:20-27 is a warning of what will happen if they do not repent. There is a real paradox between the hear and do (cf. Jer 13:15) and the inability to change of Jer 13:23. It is the tension between
1. God’s sovereignty and human free will
2. the unconditional and conditional nature of OT covenants
Jer 13:15 Listen and give heed These are two Hebrew words for hear. They are synonymous and both plead for Judah’s positive repentant response (cf. Jer 10:1).
1. BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE (see note at Jer 2:4)
2. BDB 24, KB 27, Hiphil IMPERATIVE , cf. Deu 32:1; Isa 1:2
do not be haughty The VERB (BDB 146, KB 170) is a Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (negated). The concept of haughtiness and pride are the theme of this particular section (cf. Jer 13:17). Israel had become so haughty and proud that she would not respond in the appropriate way to God. This word is used of
1. kings
a. Uzziah – 2Ch 26:15-16
b. Hezekiah – 2Ch 32:25
c. king of Tyre – Eze 28:2; Eze 28:5; Eze 28:17
2. God’s people
a. Isa 3:16
b. Eze 16:50
c. Zep 3:11
Haughtiness, pride, and self-directed living are the results of the Fall (cf. Genesis 3; Gen 6:5; Gen 6:11-12). Apparently even the covenant people could not escape its influence. Therefore, a new creation, a new covenant is mandatory (cf. Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:22-38; Rom 3:21-31; Romans 4-5; Galatians 3; the book of Hebrews).
Jer 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God Because of the use of this phrase in Jos 7:19, many believe this is a call for confession of sin or at least an oath of truthfulness (cf. Joh 9:24). The grammatical form is a Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 670, KB 733). See Special Topic: Glory .
deep darkness This is the Hebrew word salmawet (BDB 853), which is translated in the KJV in Psa 23:4 as the valley of the shadow of death. It really means a valley of deep darkness which may describe any and all of life’s crises.
The NET Bible has a good note about this word at Jer 2:6 (p. 1290, #6). It is used in poetic texts of
1. the darkness of prison, Psa 107:10; Psa 107:14
2. the darkness of invasion, Isa 9:1
3. the darkness of a mine, Job 28:3
4. the darkness of a ravine, Psa 23:4
5. the darkness of a wasteland and ravines of the Sinai desert, Jer 2:6
6. life’s tragedies or confusions, Job 3:5; Job 12:22; Job 24:17; Job 28:3; Job 34:22; Psa 44:19
7. the darkness of death, Job 10:21-22; Job 38:17
Notice the contrast between YHWH’s word/truth as light, but sin as darkness (BDB 364, KB 361, Hiphil IMPERFECT, cf. Isa 8:22 to Isa 9:2), deep darkness (BDB 853), and gloom (BDB 791). This darkness metaphor is characterized by stumbling (BDB 619, KB 669, Hithpael IMPERATIVE). A life of faith is pictured as a person walking on a clearly marked path in light. If one
1. deviates from the path
2. stumbles on the path
3. rejects God’s ways (path)
4. walks in darkness in difficult terrain
judgment is the result.
Jer 13:17 if you will not listen to it Jeremiah was commanded by God to preach this message of repentance, but he knew the people (i.e., YHWH’s flock) would not respond (cf. Isa 6:9-10). Humans have a choice but their choice has consequences (cf. line 5).
Jeremiah (the weeping prophet) describes his feelings (which mimic YHWH’s feelings) about Judah’s stubborn, unrepentant, sinful idolatry and its consequences.
1. my soul will sob in secret
2. my eyes will bitterly weep (Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Qal IMPERFECT from the same root)
3. my eyes will flow down with tears
Jer 13:18 Say to the king and the queen mother Jer 13:18-19 are either a historical allusion to
1. what happened in the second of Nebuchadnezzar’s attacks on Jerusalem in 597 B.C. (cf. Jer 22:24-26; Jer 29:2), where Jehoiachin and his mother (see similar phrase used of the king of Babylon in Isa 47:1), Neshushta, are taken into captivity (cf. 2Ki 24:8-17)
2. a prophecy about the terrible fall of Jerusalem and burning of the temple in 586 B.C. by Babylon.
Remember, Nebuchadnezzar’s army had several deportations, 605, 597, 586, 582 B.C. Whatever the allusion, the king, representing God (cf. 1 Samuel 8), is now humiliated and taken away into captivity and the southern cities (i.e., the Negev) are under siege (cf. Jer 13:19).
NASB, NJBFor your beautiful crown
Has come down from your heads
NKJVFor your rule shall collapse the crown of your glory
NRSVSince your glorious crown has fallen from your head
JPSOAFor your diadems are abased,
Your glorious crowns
The LXX reads, because your crown of glory has been removed from your head. The MT reads, for your crown has come down, the crown of your splendor.
Most modern translations follow the LXX and other ancient versions.
Jer 13:19 have been locked up This VERB (BDB 688, KB 742, Pual PERFECT) refers to a siege of a walled city (or fortress in the Negev). The result of these sieges was exile (BDB 162, KB 191, Hophal PERFECT, used twice in this verse).
there is no one to open them The foreign alliances, in this case Egypt, cannot stop the Babylonian invasion of Palestine. It was YHWH’s will!
Wholly carried into exile This is hyperbolic; some of Judah’s citizens escaped exile.
The problem with much modern interpretation of Wisdom Literature and Prophetic Literature is western literalism! Prophecy is a hyperbolic genre! See D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
ye. Now addressing all.
hath spoken. Jehovah’s words, not Jeremiah’s.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 13:15-17
Jer 13:15-17
WARNING AGAINST THE PRIDE OF ISRAEL
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for Jehovah hath spoken. Give glory to Jehovah 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. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for [your] pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah’s flock is taken captive.
Be not proud. my soul shall weep for your pride …..
(Jer 13:15; Jer 13:17). These are the key words in the passage and show that the warning is directed primarily against the pride of Israel. Jeremiah is the one who promises to weep over Israel’s condition, as indicated by his reference to Jehovah’s flock in Jer 13:17.
What is symbolized here is the gathering darkness of the wrath of God. “Only a sincere response to Jehovah’s word could hold back the calamity and allow the light to shine over the land.”
The approaching gloom of darkness was a dual symbol of the invasion and of the captivity.
Pride Brings On Darkness Jer 13:15-17
After predicting the eventual outpouring of the wine of Gods wrath, Jeremiah earnestly appeals to his audience to hear i.e., obey, the word of the Lord. He points out that it is stubborn and inexcusable pride that prevents these leaders from really hearing Gods word (Jer 13:15). If a man will only humble himself God will speak to him. Every Christian who opens a Bible should be uttering the prayer of Samuel: Speak for thy servant heareth. Jeremiah urges his hearers to give glory to God. Men give glory to God when they acknowledge His claims and submit to His will. Life at best is a rocky, cregy mountain route over which a man must walk. Even when the sun is brightly shining the way is tricky and dangerous unless the Lord is leading the way. But when the day of grace ends and the sunshine of Gods benevolent protection sinks over the horizon then those dangerous mountain paths become even more difficult to find and follow. The traveler hopes, wishes, longs for more light; but the sky grows darker and darker. Finally impenetrable darkness envelops the traveler and he is caught in the Stygian darkness with no Guide. While the day of grace remains, pleads Jeremiah, give God glory. Before the midnight hour of divine judgment, humble yourselves, listen to His word (Jer 13:16).
If the men of Judah refuse to humble themselves and heed the admonition to hear the word of God Jeremiah will be broken hearted. He is not ashamed to admit it. Well has he been called the weeping prophet. Behind his stern and uncompromising messages was a broken heart. My soul will weep i.e., I will weep because of the pride which prevents these men from hearing the word of God. He will weep because he knows that stubborn pride will lead inevitably to captivity. So certain is he of this truth that he can speak of the captivity as though it had already taken place (Jer 13:17).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
and: Isa 42:23, Joe 1:2, Rev 2:29
be: Isa 28:14-22, Jam 4:10
for: Jer 26:15, Amo 7:15, Act 4:19, Act 4:20
Reciprocal: 2Ch 12:6 – humbled Neh 9:29 – yet they Psa 107:40 – causeth Pro 29:10 – but Isa 1:2 – for the Lord Isa 24:3 – the Lord Jer 2:4 – Hear ye Jer 10:1 – General Jer 13:9 – the pride Jer 13:17 – for Jer 36:25 – made Jer 43:2 – all the Mic 2:3 – go Mic 3:1 – Hear Mic 6:1 – ye Luk 8:8 – He that 2Co 2:4 – out 1Th 2:8 – affectionately 2Ti 2:25 – instructing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 13:15. The simple declaration that the Lord hath spoken is the only reason given here for paying attention to what is being spoken. Be not prmtd is equivalent to saying “be not stubborn. Pride is manifested in many ways by human beings and one of them is to be too self-willed to obey the commands of another even though the one.giving the commands is supremely above all others.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 13:15-17. Hear ye, &c. The prophet proceeds to give them good counsel, which, if it had been taken, the desolation and destruction threatened would have been prevented. Be not proud Pride was one of the sins for which God had a controversy with them, Jer 13:9. Let them mortify and forsake this and their other sins, and God will let fall his controversy with them. Give glory to the Lord your God Glorify God by an humble confession of your sins, by submitting yourselves to him, humbling yourselves under his word, and under his mighty hand; before he cause darkness Before he bring upon you the night of affliction, even his great and heavy judgments. Light is the emblem of joy, and happy times are expressed by bright and pleasant days. On the contrary, calamities and troubles are represented by night and darkness, when every thing looks melancholy and dismal. And before your feet stumble, &c. Before the time come when ye shall be forced to flee by night unto the mountains for fear of your enemies. Or, more generally, before you find yourselves overtaken by the pursuing judgments of God, notwithstanding all your endeavours to outrun and escape from them. And while ye look for light That is, for relief and comfort; he turn it into the shadow of death Involve you in most dismal and terrible calamities, out of which you shall be utterly unable to extricate yourselves. But if ye will not hear Will not submit to and obey the word, but continue to be refractory; my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Your haughtiness, stubbornness, and vain confidence; and mine eye shall weep sore, &c. Not chiefly, nor so much, because my relations, friends, and neighbours are involved in trouble and distress, but because the Lords flock His people, and the sheep of his pasture; are carried away captive Observe, reader, that should always grieve us most by which Gods honour suffers, and the interest of his kingdom is weakened.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 13:15-17. Israels Pride.The prophet warns against the arrogancy that persistently refuses to obey (i.e. give glory to; cf. 1Sa 6:5) Yahweh, and compares the disobedient with travellers on mountain paths, who wait vainly in the twilight for light, until the night falls (Jer 13:16 mgg). He is filled with grief at their coming captivity.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
A final plea and warning 13:15-17
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Jeremiah called the people to pay attention, and not to disregard what he would tell them because they thought it was unimportant. Yahweh had a message for them.