Jeremiah 21:13
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Behold, I am against you who dwell above the valley, atop the rocky plateau— declares the LORD— you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our dwellings?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
It is plain that the prophecies of this book are not placed here in the same order in which they were preached; for there are chapters after this which concern Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jeconiah, who all reigned before Zedekiah, in whose reign the prophecy of this chapter bears date. Here is, I. The message which Zedekiah sent to the prophet, to desire him to enquire of the Lord for them (Jer 21:1, Jer 21:2). II. The answer which Jeremiah, in God's name, sent to that message, in which, 1. He foretels the certain and inevitable ruin of the city, and the fruitlessness of their attempts for its preservation (Jer 21:3-7). 2. He advises the people to make the best of bad, by going over to the king of Babylon (Jer 21:8-10). 3. He advises the king and his family to repent and reform (Jer 21:11, Jer 21:12), and not to trust to the strength of their city and grow secure (Jer 21:13, Jer 21:14).
Open source ↗21:13-14 The people in Jerusalem had put their complete faith in the mighty fortress of the city, believing it could not be conquered (see 2 Kgs 18:35-37; 2 Chr 32:20-23; Isa 37:36-38). The Lord had protected the city in the past, but now the Lord was fighting against it. • light a fire in your forests: See Isa 6:13.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have uttered vain words and seen false visions, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, both now and forevermore.
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.
And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.
This is the burden against the Valley of Vision: What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops,
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain.
And on that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’