Jeremiah 13:24 kjv
Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
Jeremiah 13:24 nkjv
"Therefore I will scatter them like stubble That passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
Jeremiah 13:24 niv
"I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.
Jeremiah 13:24 esv
I will scatter you like chaff driven by the wind from the desert.
Jeremiah 13:24 nlt
"I will scatter you like chaff
that is blown away by the desert winds.
Jeremiah 13 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:27 | And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations... | Prophecy of exile/scattering for disobedience |
| Deut 28:64 | And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other... | Covenant curses of scattering |
| Lev 26:33 | And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you... | Divine scattering as punishment |
| Psa 1:4 | The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. | Ungodly likened to worthless, dispersed chaff |
| Psa 35:5 | Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away. | Enemies driven away like chaff |
| Psa 83:13 | O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like chaff before the wind! | Plea for divine judgment on enemies |
| Job 21:18 | How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? | Wicked suffer swift judgment |
| Isa 17:13 | The nations rumble like the rumbling of mighty waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, driven like chaff on the mountains before the wind, and like whirling dust before the storm. | Nations scattered like chaff by God |
| Isa 41:16 | You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away; the whirlwind shall scatter them... | Israel empowered to scatter foes |
| Jer 9:16 | I will scatter them also among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known... | Another prophecy of Judah's scattering |
| Jer 23:25 | ...false prophets, who prophesy by their own heart, and have seen nothing! | Divine scattering of false prophets' messages |
| Ezek 5:10 | ...those of you who are left I will scatter to all the winds. | Scattering as a consequence of internal strife |
| Ezek 12:14 | And I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers, and all his troops... | Dispersal of Zedekiah's forces |
| Hos 8:7 | ...They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. | Futility of rebellion; judgment will come swiftly |
| Zeph 1:18 | ...he will make a terrible end of all the inhabitants of the earth. | Day of the Lord, destruction of inhabitants |
| Mal 4:1 | For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. | Wicked consumed like stubble on Judgment Day |
| Matt 3:12 | His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. | John the Baptist on Christ's judgment |
| Luke 3:17 | His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. | Parallel account of Christ's judgment |
| Zech 10:9 | Though I scatter them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me... | Prophecy of scattering and eventual remembrance/return |
| Acts 8:1 | ...And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. | Scattering leading to Gospel's spread |
| Heb 12:29 | for our God is a consuming fire. | God's nature in judgment |
Jeremiah 13 verses
Jeremiah 13 24 Meaning
Jeremiah 13:24 declares God's severe judgment upon the unfaithful people of Judah. Due to their persistent sin and refusal to repent, God himself will scatter them like dry stubble, utterly defenseless and easily swept away by the fierce wind of the wilderness. This signifies complete dispersal, helplessness, and the desolation of their nation and identity.
Jeremiah 13 24 Context
Jeremiah 13:24 comes after a series of warnings and prophetic actions illustrating Judah's spiritual depravity and impending doom. In chapter 13, Jeremiah is instructed to buy and wear a linen belt (v. 1-11), which becomes soiled and useless, symbolizing Judah's defilement and spiritual worthlessness. This is followed by the illustration of jars filled with wine (v. 12-14), signifying impending wrath that will shatter the nation. The prophet urges the people, including the king and queen (v. 15-18), to humble themselves before it's too late. He laments their arrogance and asks a rhetorical question about changing one's skin (v. 23) to highlight their ingrained sinfulness. Verse 24 is part of God's direct declaration of judgment against a people whose sin is described as permanent and whose spiritual adultery is an "abomination" (v. 27). The historical context is pre-exilic Judah, where the people are immersed in idolatry and breaking their covenant with God, despite Jeremiah's earnest calls for repentance.
Jeremiah 13 24 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן, lākēn): A consequential particle, linking this severe judgment directly to the unchangeable sinfulness of Judah just described in the preceding verses (especially v. 23). It marks the divine decree as a direct response to human actions.
- I will scatter (וְהֵפִיצוֹתִים, wəhêfīṣôtīm): The verb is pûṣ (פּוּץ), in the Hiphil imperfect form, which implies a causative action – "I myself will cause them to be scattered." This emphasizes God's direct, intentional, and powerful agency in the impending diaspora of Judah, not merely a natural consequence but an ordained divine judgment. It signifies a forceful, irreversible dispersion.
- them: Refers directly to "this people" (הָעָם הַזֶּה, hā'ām hazzeh) mentioned in Jer 13:17, 23—the people of Judah.
- like stubble (כְּקַשׁ, kəqaš): The preposition kə (כְּ) means "like" or "as." Qash (קַשׁ) refers to dry stalks, straw, or chaff, left over after threshing. It's universally understood as worthless, light, and easily dispersed material. This imagery underscores the complete lack of substance, power, or resistance in Judah against God's judgment. Their spiritual fruitlessness makes them equivalent to discarded farm waste.
- driven (מֻהֲלָךְ, muhalākh): From the verb hālak (הָלַךְ), to go or walk, here in a passive sense. In context, it conveys being carried away or made to go by an external force. It highlights the passivity and utter helplessness of Judah, who will be completely subjected to this driving force.
- by the wind (רוּחַ, rūaḥ): This word signifies not just air currents, but also spirit, breath, or even a violent storm. Here, combined with "wilderness," it evokes a powerful, relentless force that cannot be resisted or escaped. It personifies the overwhelming nature of God's judgment.
- of the wilderness (מִדְבָּר, midbār): The word midbār typically means a steppe, desert, or arid region. Wind in such an environment is particularly harsh, drying, and unyielding, offering no shelter or resistance. This further amplifies the desolation, exposure, and absence of hope for those scattered. It signifies not just dispersal, but dispersal into a place of emptiness and suffering, a stark reversal of the promised land.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Therefore I will scatter them": This phrase asserts God's sovereign and inevitable judgment as a direct consequence of Judah's unrepented sin. The use of "I" underscores divine intentionality.
- "like stubble driven by the wind": This simile powerfully conveys Judah's utter defenselessness and worthlessness in the face of God's judgment. Like light agricultural waste, they possess no strength or intrinsic value to withstand the coming force, emphasizing their complete powerlessness.
- "by the wind of the wilderness": This specific combination intensifies the imagery of judgment. "Wilderness wind" is fierce, unrestricted, and without compassion, suggesting a judgment that is not only unavoidable but also relentless and utterly desolating, leaving no remnants or hope for shelter. It represents exposure and the absence of any mitigating factor.
Jeremiah 13 24 Bonus section
The imagery of scattering "like stubble" (or chaff) by the "wind" is a common biblical metaphor for divine judgment, found extensively in both prophetic and wisdom literature. It vividly communicates worthlessness and utter helplessness. Spiritually, stubble represents unfruitfulness and superficiality; what remains after the true grain has been separated. God's judgment sifts out the righteous from the wicked, just as a farmer winnows grain from chaff. The "wilderness" often symbolizes a place of testing, purification, but also punishment and desolation in the Bible. Here, it accentuates the punitive aspect of Judah's forced removal from a land of blessing to a land of harsh reality, stripped of divine protection and exposed to the full force of their adversaries, empowered by God himself. This scattering wasn't just physical displacement but a profound assault on their identity as God's chosen people, forcing them to confront their broken covenant in a foreign land.
Jeremiah 13 24 Commentary
Jeremiah 13:24 provides a chilling image of divine judgment, summarizing God's resolve to utterly break and disperse the nation of Judah due to their profound and persistent unfaithfulness. The core message is God's sovereign power over a rebellious people, who, despite covenant relationship, have rendered themselves worthless through idolatry and spiritual impurity. The comparison to "stubble" signifies their utter insignificance, lack of resistance, and fruitlessness in God's sight. The "wind of the wilderness" portrays the harsh, unyielding, and inescapable nature of the judgment—a complete removal from their promised land, security, and identity, driven into desolate places where no refuge exists. It is a judgment without mercy, emphasizing that Judah's deep-seated sin had matured into a state beyond self-remedy or divine clemency, leading to their predestined exile. The verse succinctly encapsulates God's final, irreversible verdict upon their apostasy.