Jeremiah 1:13 kjv

And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.

Jeremiah 1:13 nkjv

And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north."

Jeremiah 1:13 niv

The word of the LORD came to me again: "What do you see?" "I see a pot that is boiling," I answered. "It is tilting toward us from the north."

Jeremiah 1:13 esv

The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north."

Jeremiah 1:13 nlt

Then the LORD spoke to me again and asked, "What do you see now?" And I replied, "I see a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north."

Jeremiah 1 verses

Jeremiah 1 13 Meaning

Jeremiah 1:13 details the prophet's second visual message from the Lord. It portrays a "boiling pot" (or "seething cauldron"), which is depicted as "facing away from the north" (meaning its contents are being poured out, or spilling, from the north). This vivid imagery is a divine communication revealing the nature and origin of the imminent judgment upon Judah. The pot symbolizes a rapidly escalating, destructive force, while its direction from the north signifies the geographical source of the invaders God will use—the Babylonians or other northern powers—who will spill their wrath upon the land of Judah.

Jeremiah 1 13 Context

Jeremiah chapter 1 introduces the prophet Jeremiah and his divine calling, setting the stage for his decades-long, often painful, ministry to Judah. Verse 13 presents the second of two inaugural visions, immediately following the vision of the almond branch (v. 11-12). While the almond branch assures Jeremiah that God will swiftly carry out His word, this second vision specifies the nature of that divine word: impending judgment and disaster. Historically, Judah in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE was caught between declining regional powers (Assyria, Egypt) and the rising Babylonian Empire. The vision of the "boiling pot" from the "north" clearly pointed to Babylon as the divinely appointed instrument of judgment that would soon sweep over Judah. This context prepares both Jeremiah and his audience for the harsh reality of foreign invasion and exile due to their persistent sin.

Jeremiah 1 13 Word analysis

• And the word of the Lord came to me the second time:
  • "And the word of the Lord came": Hebrew: וַיְהִי דְבַר יְהוָה אֵלַי (wa·yi·hi devar YHWH elai). דְבַר (devar) refers to a divine communication or decree. This emphasizes that the message originates directly and authoritatively from YHWH, the covenant God. Its repetition underscores the certainty and significance of the divine revelation.
  • "second time": Hebrew: שֵׁנִית (shenit). This directly connects this vision to the preceding one (the almond branch in Jer 1:11), indicating a continuation of God's instruction and clarification of His immediate purpose.
• "saying, “What do you see?”": Hebrew: מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה (mah attah ro'eh?). This is a common divine inquiry in prophetic calls, designed to engage the prophet actively in the revelation and ensure personal comprehension (cf. Amos 7:8, 8:2; Zech 4:2, 5:2). It prepares Jeremiah for direct engagement with the symbolic meaning.
• "And I said, “I see a boiling pot,":
  • "a boiling pot": Hebrew: סִיר נָפוּחַ (sir napuach).
  • "pot": סִיר (sir) denotes a large cooking pot, a common household item, making the imagery relatable. It symbolizes a container for preparation, often associated with a nation under divine judgment, brewing with turmoil or affliction.
  • "boiling": נָפוּחַ (napuach), derived from נפח (napach), means "to blow," "to puff," "to be inflamed." Here, it vividly describes a pot actively heating, bubbling furiously, and spewing forth its contents, symbolizing an active and intensifying threat about to overflow.
• "facing away from the north.”": Hebrew: וּפָנָיו מִפְּנֵי צָפֽוֹנָה (uphanayv mipp'nei tsafonah).
  • "facing": פָּנָיו (panayv), "its face" or "its front/opening." Refers to the mouth or opening of the pot.
  • "away from the north": מִפְּנֵי צָפֽוֹנָה (mipp'nei tsafonah), "from the face of the north" or "from the north direction." This specifies that the opening of the pot, from which the contents are overflowing or being poured, is oriented from the northern source towards Judah. For Judah, "the north" (צָפוֹן - tsafon) was consistently the geopolitical direction from which major invaders (Assyria, then Babylon) attacked, regardless of their precise geographical origin, as they typically followed routes through Syria and entered Canaan from the north.

Words-group analysis:

• "a boiling pot, facing away from the north": This potent image immediately conveys an impending and severe judgment. The "boiling pot" signifies intense heat, violent upheaval, and inevitable overflow – representing the ferocity and destructive nature of the coming calamity. Its contents are actively preparing to spill. The specific orientation "from the north" unambiguously pinpoints the origin of this destructive force. It is not just a general threat but a distinct invasion originating from the geopolitical powers situated north of Judah. The phrase underscores the direct, specific, and severe nature of the coming divine wrath.

Jeremiah 1 13 Bonus section

• The dual introductory visions in Jeremiah 1—the almond branch followed by the boiling pot—establish two core themes of Jeremiah's ministry: God's unfailing commitment to execute His word (the almond branch signifies "watching" over His word to perform it) and the devastating nature of that impending judgment (the boiling pot). This strategic pairing sets a powerful prophetic foundation.
• The "north" was often seen by Israel not only as a point on a compass but also as a traditional source of invasion and chaos in their region due to geopolitical routes and historical events. This reinforces the image's immediacy and terror for the original audience.
• The specific detail of the pot's spilling or facing away signifies active dispersion and harm directed outward. It’s not just a bubbling pot; it's actively disseminating its destructive contents.

Jeremiah 1 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 1:13 unveils God's chosen symbol to convey the imminent devastation awaiting Judah: a boiling pot. This imagery speaks volumes beyond mere words, communicating intensity, inevitability, and a clear direction. The "boiling" aspect signifies the immense pressure, anger, and chaotic energy building up, threatening to erupt violently. It is not a stagnant vessel but one actively heated to its breaking point. This seething cauldron is on the verge of spilling over, metaphorically representing an overwhelming military force ready to descend. Crucially, the pot is depicted as "facing away from the north," meaning its contents (disaster, invasion, judgment) will be poured out from the northern regions onto Judah. This leaves no ambiguity about the source of the coming judgment, specifically identifying the emerging threat of powerful empires like Babylon from the North. God thereby establishes from the outset that He is sovereign over these foreign powers and will use them as His instrument of discipline against His disobedient people. This vision served as a stark and unavoidable truth that Jeremiah was called to proclaim, signaling the profound severity and external nature of the suffering that lay ahead for Judah.