Jeremiah 13:16 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 13:16 nkjv
Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.
Jeremiah 13:16 niv
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.
Jeremiah 13:16 esv
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.
Jeremiah 13:16 nlt
Give glory to the LORD your God
before it is too late.
Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you,
causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains.
For then, when you look for light,
you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.
Jeremiah 13 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 13:16 | Give glory to the LORD your God before it is too late. Before your gods fail. | His commands for obedience |
| Jeremiah 5:23 | but this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have all turned aside. | Rebellion against God |
| Jeremiah 8:11 | "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ | False peace and security |
| Jeremiah 9:13 | the LORD says, “Because of their rebellion against my instruction, | Consequences of rebellion |
| Isaiah 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light | Deception and spiritual blindness |
| Isaiah 5:30 | they will roar over them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the | Doom and despair |
| Isaiah 53:5 | But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; | Messiah's suffering for sins |
| Lamentations 4:14 | They wander blindly in the streets; they are defiled with blood; | Desolation and affliction |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; | Consequences of ignorance of God |
| John 8:12 | I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, | Jesus as the Light of the world |
| John 12:35 | The traveler must work with the works of him who sent me, while it is day. | Urgency to do God's work |
| Acts 13:41 | “Look, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish! For I am doing a work in your days | Divine work and judgment |
| Romans 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! | God's inscrutable ways |
| 2 Peter 3:16 | as he does in all his letters. Some of them are hard to understand, which the | Understanding and misinterpretation |
| Revelation 18:8 | Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine; | Judgment on Babylon |
| Psalm 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | God's word as guidance |
| Proverbs 4:18 | But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines ever | Righteousness leads to light |
| Deuteronomy 28:29 | And you shall grope at noon as a blind man gropes in the dark, and you shall | Consequences of disobedience |
| Jeremiah 15:9 | Her widowhood is far more bitter than her widowhood in her youth. | Bitter sorrow and desolation |
| Jeremiah 17:1 | "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is | Engraved sinfulness |
Jeremiah 13 verses
Jeremiah 13 16 Meaning
This verse is a strong admonition to Judah, declaring that they have rejected the Lord, their guiding light, and will therefore experience darkness and stumble, finding no refuge. It emphasizes the consequence of forsaking God.
Jeremiah 13 16 Context
Jeremiah 13 is part of Jeremiah's prophecies directed at Judah during a time of impending judgment. This chapter begins with a symbolic act of hiding a linen sash by the Euphrates, signifying Judah's pride and spiritual defilement, which will be ruined and become useless. The Lord then declares His wrath upon Judah for their stubborn rebellion and idolatry, which have estranged them from Him. This verse specifically follows the prophecy of the sash's ruin and precedes further pronouncements of divine judgment, portraying Judah as having rejected the Lord, their true guide, and as a result, they will face severe consequences. The historical context is the final decades before the Babylonian exile, a period of deep spiritual apostasy for Judah.
Jeremiah 13 16 Word Analysis
- "Give": The Hebrew word here, commonly translated as "give," can also imply "render" or "ascribe." It's a call to acknowledge and give to God what is due to Him.
- "glory": This refers to honor, praise, magnificence, and the recognition of God's attributes and works. Giving glory is an act of worship and acknowledgment.
- "to the LORD": "LORD" is transliterated as "Yahweh" (YHWH), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel and His faithfulness.
- "your God": This highlights God's claim on them as His people, reinforcing the responsibility that comes with this relationship.
- "before": Indicates a temporal sequence, a warning that time is running out.
- "it is dark": Metaphorically means before their spiritual blindness and confusion set in completely, before they are given over to the darkness of judgment and exile.
- "before": Again, marking a point in time.
- "your feet": Refers to their course of action, their journey through life and history.
- "stumble": Implies falling, erring, and being unable to find their way, reflecting a loss of divine guidance.
- "on the mountains of gloom": This evocative imagery signifies the perilous, dark, and treacherous path ahead due to their disobedience. It’s a place where navigation is impossible and disaster is certain.
- "and while you look": This phrase emphasizes the ongoing search for help or light.
- "for light": Light is a common biblical symbol for truth, righteousness, God's presence, and guidance. They are looking for help but will not find it.
- "you will turn": They will revert or change course, not towards God, but into utter darkness and confusion.
- "to deep darkness": A reinforcement of the severe and complete nature of their spiritual and national downfall.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Give glory to the LORD your God": This is a comprehensive call for a decisive, urgent act of true worship and submission to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and His rightful place as their divine leader and source of salvation.
- "before it is dark, before your feet stumble": This phrase functions as a strong conditional warning. It signifies the impending judgment and the inability of Judah to navigate their future without God's light and guidance due to their self-imposed spiritual blindness and apostasy.
- "while you look for light, you turn into deep darkness": This highlights the paradox of their situation. In their state of rebellion, any attempt to find a way out or any perceived 'light' will only lead them further into a more profound state of despair and confusion because they have rejected the true Source of light.
Jeremiah 13 16 Bonus Section
The imagery of "darkness" and "stumbling" in this verse echoes the consequences described for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28, particularly verses like 28:29 where the people are said to "grope at noon as a blind man gropes in the dark." This connection reinforces the covenantal consequences that were consistently warned against by the prophets. Furthermore, the concept of God's presence as "light" and His absence as "darkness" is a pervasive theme throughout Scripture, seen in verses like Psalm 119:105 and John 8:12, where Jesus declares Himself to be the "light of the world." The ultimate failure to find light when looking for it can be seen as a foreshadowing of the spiritual state of those who reject the true light offered by Christ.
Jeremiah 13 16 Commentary
Jeremiah 13:16 is a poignant exhortation to repentance before judgment becomes inescapable. The prophet urges Judah to honor God and acknowledge His divine authority while there is still time, before their spiritual senses are completely dulled and they lose their way. The imagery of stumbling on mountains in darkness underscores the utter desolation that awaits those who reject God’s guidance. Their futile search for 'light' only emphasizes the severity of their delusion and the totality of the darkness they will face. This verse speaks to the universal human condition of needing divine direction and the catastrophic consequences of choosing self-sufficiency and sin over God's presence and truth.