Jeremiah 13 21

Jeremiah 13:21 kjv

What 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 13:21 nkjv

What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them To be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, Like a woman in labor?

Jeremiah 13:21 niv

What will you say when the LORD sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor?

Jeremiah 13:21 esv

What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Will not pangs take hold of you like those of a woman in labor?

Jeremiah 13:21 nlt

What will you say when the LORD takes the allies you have cultivated
and appoints them as your rulers?
Pangs of anguish will grip you,
like those of a woman in labor!

Jeremiah 13 verses

Jeremiah 13 21 Meaning

Jeremiah 13:21 poses a poignant and rhetorical question to Judah (personified as a daughter of Zion), asking what her response will be when the very nations she sought as allies and to whom she assimilated—specifically Babylonians—are appointed by God as her merciless rulers and destroyers. It highlights the divine sovereignty in judgment and the bitter irony of Judah's choices leading to her own downfall, where former "teachers" or trusted parties become instruments of divine punishment.

Jeremiah 13 21 Context

Jeremiah chapter 13 focuses on Judah's impending judgment due to its persistent pride and spiritual unfaithfulness. The prophet employs powerful symbolic actions and metaphors. The parable of the rotten linen belt (Jer 13:1-11) illustrates how Judah, once intimately bound to God, had become worthless due to its sin, separating itself from Him and pursuing idolatry. The metaphor of the shattered wine jars (Jer 13:12-14) foretells the utter destruction and merciless crushing of both kings and people.

Verse 21 immediately follows a vivid description of Jerusalem's desolate future (Jer 13:19-20) and serves as a rhetorical climax. Judah is addressed directly, asking how she will react when the foreign powers, which she either formed alliances with or assimilated to, are used by God as instruments of her subjugation and punishment. This directly alludes to Judah's political maneuvering between powerful empires (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon) and her adoption of their pagan customs, which ultimately provoked God's wrath and facilitated their invasion. The verse encapsulates the bitter irony: those whom Judah "taught" (by seeking their favor, emulating their ways, or inviting their influence) would become their oppressors.

Jeremiah 13 21 Word analysis

• What (מָה, mah): This is a strong interrogative, signifying a rhetorical question that conveys bewilderment, despair, and an utter lack of a valid answer or defense from Judah. It emphasizes the helplessness of their future position.

• will you say (תֹּאמְרִי, to'mri): The verb is 2nd person feminine singular, directly addressing Judah (personified as a "daughter" or a desolate woman, as seen in Jeremiah 13:20 and throughout the prophetic books regarding Jerusalem/Judah). It indicates that she will be speechless, having no argument or excuse when judgment comes.

• when He (כִּי-יִפְקֹד, ki-yifqôd): The "He" refers implicitly to God. The Hebrew verb פָקַד (paqad) means "to visit," "to appoint," "to attend to," or in a negative context, "to visit for punishment/inspection." Here, it clearly denotes God's active role in orchestrating judgment and appointing the enemies as instruments of His will.

• them over you (עֲלַיִךְ, alayik): "Them" refers to the foreign invaders (specifically the Babylonians). "Over you" emphasizes their position of authority and dominance over Judah. The feminine singular suffix 'ik again addresses Judah directly.

• as head (רֹאשׁ, rosh): Literally "head." In this context, it denotes a position of leadership, authority, master, or ruler. It implies the enemy will have complete control.

• and chief (וְקָצִין, veqatsin): This term reinforces the concept of leadership and command. A qatsin is typically an officer, commander, or general. It underlines the absolute dominion the invaders will wield.

• whom you yourselves (אֲשֶׁר אַתְּ, asher at): "Whom" refers back to the foreign nations. "You yourselves" uses the emphatic feminine singular pronoun, placing direct responsibility and culpability on Judah for their situation.

• have taught (לִמַּדְתְּ, limmadt): From the root לָמַד (lamad), meaning "to learn" or "to teach/train." Here, in the 2nd feminine singular, it implies Judah "taught" or "trained" these nations. This can be understood in several ways:

  1. Political alliances: Judah sought their aid, forming treaties that ultimately led to entanglement and eventual subjugation.
  2. Cultural/Spiritual assimilation: Judah adopted their pagan ways, effectively inviting their influence and provoking God to use these very nations as judgment.
  3. Moral instruction by negative example: Judah's sin and faithlessness indirectly "taught" its powerful neighbors that they were weak or ripe for conquest by turning God's protective hand away.

• to be captains (אֲלֻפִים, alufim): Plural of אַלּוּף (alluf), meaning "leader," "prince," or "chief." This term further reinforces the concept of appointed authority and high-ranking leadership. The irony is poignant: Judah implicitly "trained" these entities to become their sovereign lords.

• over you (עָלַיִךְ, alayik): Again, the repetition emphasizes the inescapable and complete dominion the foreign invaders will have.

• "What will you say when He appoints them over you as head and chief": This phrase captures the essence of divine judgment. God is the ultimate agent, raising foreign powers not merely as enemies, but as divinely appointed rulers with absolute authority over Judah. Judah's past arguments, appeals, or alliances will be utterly meaningless in the face of this ordained punishment.

• "whom you yourselves have taught to be captains over you": This segment introduces the profound irony and highlights Judah's culpability. The very powers that would devastate Judah were in some sense empowered or enabled by Judah's own actions—be it by relying on them, emulating their idolatry, or foolishly inviting their presence. Judah nurtured its own destroyers.

Jeremiah 13 21 Bonus section

The deep pathos in Jeremiah's prophecy is palpable in this verse. It is not just a pronouncement of doom but a lament born from a prophet's profound sorrow for his people. The rhetorical "What will you say?" carries the weight of a grieved shepherd watching his flock walk willingly to slaughter. There is an aspect of inevitability once Judah crosses a certain threshold of disobedience, but Jeremiah's persistent questioning also provides a final, albeit desperate, opportunity for introspection before total catastrophe. The idea of "teaching" these enemies to be "captains" can also be interpreted as Judah, by rejecting its covenant God and violating His laws, weakened itself to such an extent that it effectively 'invited' foreign domination, signaling an easy target for powers eager to expand their influence. The consequences were homegrown, paradoxically grown from their own spiritual soil.

Jeremiah 13 21 Commentary

Jeremiah 13:21 is a sharp, rhetorical question delivered to Judah, emphasizing her utter defenselessness and culpability in the face of impending divine judgment. The prophet vividly paints a picture of irreversible reversal: the nations Judah cultivated for political security or whose customs she adopted for cultural acceptance will, by God's decree, become her tyrannical rulers. This is not mere conquest but a divinely ordained elevation of enemies to "head and chief" roles over Judah. The chilling irony lies in the phrase "whom you yourselves have taught to be captains," indicating that Judah's choices—from faithless alliances with empires like Egypt and Babylon to the adoption of their idolatrous practices—were instrumental in forging the very chains that would bind them. It underscores that spiritual and political unfaithfulness have dire, often ironically fitting, consequences, orchestrated by a sovereign God who uses nations as instruments of justice. The verse serves as a powerful call to introspection and repentance, highlighting the futility of trusting in human strength or pagan ways rather than the Almighty God.