Jeremiah 13 5

Jeremiah 13:5 kjv

So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

Jeremiah 13:5 nkjv

So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

Jeremiah 13:5 niv

So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD told me.

Jeremiah 13:5 esv

So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

Jeremiah 13:5 nlt

So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the LORD had instructed me.

Jeremiah 13 verses

Jeremiah 13 5 Meaning

The verse signifies the destruction and abandonment of Jerusalem. The "earthen flask" is a symbol of something common, fragile, and destined for ruin, mirroring Jerusalem's fate due to its sin. God instructs Jeremiah to take a simple, common object and break it to illustrate a prophetic message. This act is not symbolic for future generations, but a concrete demonstration of impending judgment. The broken flask represents an irreparable state, conveying the finality of the impending disaster.

Jeremiah 13 5 Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic oracle delivered by Jeremiah concerning the impending judgment of Jerusalem and Judah. Jeremiah has been instructed by God to go to the potter's house and observe the potter at work with clay. This observation becomes the basis for a symbolic act and message. The immediate preceding verses (Jeremiah 13:1-4) describe Jeremiah purchasing a loincloth and hiding it in the riverbed to represent the covenant relationship between God and His people. This verse marks a shift to the theme of corruption and imminent destruction as a consequence of their unfaithfulness. The chapter unfolds to show how the hidden loincloth becomes ruined and useless, mirroring the fate of Jerusalem which has become corrupted by sin and will be utterly destroyed and scattered.

Jeremiah 13 5 Word Analysis

• וְאַתָּה (Wə’attâ): "And you" or "But you." Connects this command to the previous narrative. Introduces a direct address to Jeremiah, initiating the next symbolic action.
• קוּם (Qûm): "Arise," "Get up," "Go." An imperative verb commanding Jeremiah to act. It signifies initiating movement and action from a state of rest or observation.
• לֵךְ (Lēḵ): "Go." Another imperative, reinforcing the instruction to proceed. This signifies moving from the present location to another.
• קַח (Qaḥ): "Take." The third imperative verb. Emphasizes the direct possession and handling of the object that follows.
• מֵעִיר (Mē‘îr): "From the city" or "from the place." Refers to Jerusalem, the location from which Jeremiah is to depart or to take something. The emphasis is on acting away from or in relation to the city's context.
• אֲשֶׁר־ (’Ǎšer-): "Which" or "that." A relative pronoun introducing a descriptive clause about the city.
• יָצָאתָ (Yāṣāṯâ): "You went out" or "you have gone forth." Past tense verb referring to Jeremiah's recent action.
• שָׁמָּה (Šāmmah): "Thither" or "to that place." Refers to the potter's house previously mentioned in Jeremiah 18:2.
• וְהָיָה (Wəhāyâ): "And it shall be." Connects the action to the subsequent consequence or symbolic meaning. Indicates the result of taking the object.
• שָׂם (Śām): "There." Denotes the location where the action is to occur, the potter's house.
• קִּנְקַן (Qinqan): "Flask," "jar," "earthen pot." This noun signifies a container made of baked clay. In the ancient Near East, these were common, often simple, utilitarian vessels. The choice of an "earthen flask" highlights commonality, fragility, and a potential for shattering. This aligns with the nature of pottery that, once broken, cannot be perfectly reformed.
• חֶרֶשׂ (Ḥereś): "Earthen," "clay," "pottery." An adjective describing the material of the flask. Reinforces the material's cheapness and breakability. The word itself relates to breaking.
• וְאִם־ (Wə’im-): "And if." Introduces a conditional clause, though here it functions more to specify the immediate next action.
• מָאַתְךָ (Mā’aṯḵâ): "He fails" or "he resists" (from the root meaning to refuse, be unwilling, hinder). Refers to the potter's ability or willingness to work with the clay. The English translation "faint" or "fail" can miss the nuance of potential resistance or the difficulty in the task. However, in this context, it implies a breakdown in the process, leading to the destruction.
• רֹחֶךָ (Roḥḵâ): "You are ruined" or "you are faint." Derived from the root רָחַה (raḥa), meaning to be weak, faint, or slackened. In this context, the flask is ruined due to the potter's difficulty, rendering it useless. It emphasizes the complete undoing of the object.

Group Analysis:

The sequence "Take in your hand... Arise, go, take... a potter's earthen flask" (v. 5, partially echoed from the narrative setup of Jer 18) commands Jeremiah to engage directly with a symbolic object. The subsequent phrase "and if he fail, you are ruined" describes a failure in the potter's process. The interpretation of "fail" is critical: it's not necessarily the potter failing his task, but perhaps the clay itself failing to yield or being intractable, thus necessitating breaking the flask rather than perfecting it. This directly leads to the idea of the flask being "ruined" beyond repair. This phrase links the human potter's inability to restore an intractable material to God's eventual treatment of His people who become similarly intractable and ruined by sin.

Jeremiah 13 5 Bonus Section

The imagery of breaking a flask has resonance in several ancient Near Eastern cultures, sometimes associated with curse rituals. However, Jeremiah's use here is distinctly tied to God's covenant relationship with Israel and their failure to uphold it. The prophet's participation in physically enacting the prophecy, rather than merely speaking it, underscores the divine imperative and the tangible reality of the impending judgment. The "ruin" of the flask (מָאַתְךָ – mā’aṯḵâ, from a root suggesting becoming weak or failing) carries a sense of complete uselessness, fitting for a nation destined to be scattered and its capital defiled. The parallel prophecy in Jeremiah chapter 19, where Jeremiah carries out this act and breaks the flask, further clarifies the message as a declaration of God's inescapable judgment and the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem and its people because of their pervasive idolatry and injustice. The choice of "earthen" emphasizes the disposable nature of the vessel once it has failed in its purpose.

Jeremiah 13 5 Commentary

The instruction for Jeremiah to get a potter's earthen flask is a crucial visual aid for God's message. The choice of an earthen flask is significant; it represents something common, humble, and fragile. Pottery was easily broken and difficult to mend completely. This fragility reflects Jerusalem's vulnerability and the consequences of its sin. When Jeremiah is told to take this flask to the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna, a place associated with pagan child sacrifice and later used as a refuse dump), it heightens the grimness of the prophecy. The verse culminates with a scenario where if the flask is rendered imperfect or broken by the potter, it signifies irreparable ruin. This mirrors the impending judgment on Jerusalem—its sin has made it spiritually broken and subject to complete destruction, beyond any earthly repair. The potter's difficulty with the clay becomes a metaphor for God's frustration with a stubborn and sinful people. Just as a broken clay vessel cannot be perfectly reformed, so Jerusalem, once destroyed, will not be restored to its former state as a kingdom but will face utter desolation. This illustrates God's unwavering justice and the finality of the consequences for persistent rebellion against Him.