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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Give {H5414} glory {H3519} to the LORD {H3068} your God {H430}, before he cause darkness {H2821}, and before your feet {H7272} stumble {H5062} upon the dark {H5399} mountains {H2022}, and, while ye look {H6960} for light {H216}, he turn {H7760} it into the shadow of death {H6757}, and make {H7896}{H7896} it gross darkness {H6205}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Give glory to ADONAI your God before the darkness falls, before your feet stumble on the mountains in the twilight, and, while you are seeking light, he turns it into deathlike shadows and makes it completely dark.

Berean Standard Bible

Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

American Standard Version

Give glory to Jehovah 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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 13:16 delivers an urgent and poignant prophetic appeal to the people of Judah, imploring them to render due honor and obedience to the LORD their God before the inevitable onset of divine judgment. The verse vividly portrays an impending era of profound spiritual and national calamity, where their very path will become treacherous, and their desperate longing for light will be tragically transmuted by God into the "shadow of death" and an overwhelming "gross darkness." This serves as a stark and sobering reminder of the dire consequences of persistent spiritual rebellion and underscores the critical necessity of immediate repentance and humble submission to God's sovereign will.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 13:16 is strategically placed within a series of escalating divine warnings and symbolic actions delivered by the prophet Jeremiah to the unrepentant kingdom of Judah. It immediately follows the powerful parable of the ruined linen belt in [Jeremiah 13:1-11](/jeremiah/13-1-11 "Jeremiah 13:1-11 - The Parable of the Ruined Belt"), which graphically illustrates Judah's utter defilement and spiritual uselessness to God due to their pervasive idolatry and pride. This imagery is further intensified by the subsequent parable of the wine jars in [Jeremiah 13:12-14](/jeremiah/13-12-14 "Jeremiah 13:12-14 - The Parable of the Wine Jars"), which foretells God's intention to fill Judah and Jerusalem with spiritual "drunkenness" and shatter them without pity. Verse 16, therefore, functions as a climactic, last-ditch appeal, a desperate prophetic cry to "give glory to the LORD" before the divinely orchestrated judgment, so vividly described in the preceding parables, fully materializes, plunging the nation into utter spiritual and national desolation. It powerfully underscores the conditional nature of God's patience, presenting a clear and urgent choice between repentance and ruin.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophetic warning in Jeremiah 13:16 is situated against the tumultuous backdrop of Judah's final decades leading up to the devastating Babylonian exile (605-586 BC). During the reigns of kings like Jehoiakim (609-598 BC) and Zedekiah (597-586 BC), Jeremiah's persistent warnings were largely ignored, as the nation plunged deeper into idolatry, social injustice, and misguided political alliances that directly defied God's counsel. The vivid imagery of "dark mountains" and "stumbling" would have resonated deeply with a people whose very existence and security were gravely threatened by the rising power of empires like Babylon. In ancient Near Eastern thought, mountains were often perceived as places of refuge, divine encounter, or perilous danger, and "darkness" symbolized not merely the absence of light but chaos, judgment, divine displeasure, and the absence of guidance. The cultural understanding of "glory" (Hebrew: *kâbôwd*) involved recognizing the inherent weight, honor, and authoritative presence of a person or deity. To "give glory to the LORD" thus meant to acknowledge His supreme sovereignty, faithfully obey His covenant commands, and decisively turn away from the rampant pagan practices, including child sacrifice and the worship of Baal and Asherah, that had corrupted Judah.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 13:16 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Justice**, asserting that God is the active agent who "causes darkness" and "turns it into the shadow of death" as a righteous and inevitable consequence for rebellion. This underscores His absolute control over human history and His commitment to executing just judgment, a principle seen throughout scripture (e.g., [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God Forms Light and Creates Darkness")). Secondly, the verse powerfully emphasizes the **Urgency of Repentance**. The repeated phrases "before he cause darkness" and "before your feet stumble" stress the critical, time-sensitive nature of turning back to God, a central message woven throughout Jeremiah's entire ministry (e.g., [Jeremiah 7:3-7](/jeremiah/7-3-7 "Jeremiah 7:3-7 - Call to Amend Ways")). Thirdly, it vividly portrays the **Consequences of Disobedience**, depicting them through escalating imagery of profound darkness, stumbling, and the "shadow of death," which symbolizes utter despair, overwhelming calamity, and spiritual death—a state far more devastating than mere physical hardship. This concept of spiritual blindness and stumbling due to rejecting God's truth is also echoed in the New Testament (e.g., [Romans 1:21-22](/romans/1-21-22 "Romans 1:21-22 - Consequences of Rejecting God's Glory")). Finally, the verse underscores the fundamental importance of **Giving God His Due Glory**, which is not merely a ritualistic act of worship but a comprehensive lifestyle of humble obedience and a profound recognition of His unique identity as [Yᵉhôvâh](/exodus/3-14 "Exodus 3:14 - I AM WHO I AM"), the self-existent, covenant-keeping God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **glory (Hebrew, _kâbôwd'_):** From H3519, this word properly signifies "weight," but figuratively, it denotes "splendor" or "copiousness." In the imperative "Give glory to the LORD," it refers to acknowledging God's inherent weightiness, His supreme honor, majesty, and unassailable authority. It implies recognizing His rightful place as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, and responding with profound reverence, unwavering obedience, and worship that truly reflects His magnificent and weighty character. To withhold this glory is to diminish His worth, deny His rightful dominion, and ultimately, to choose a path of self-exaltation.
* **darkness (Hebrew, _châshak'_):** From H2821, this primitive root means "to be dark (as withholding light)" or, transitively, "to darken." In Jeremiah 13:16, it describes God's active and deliberate role in bringing about a state of obscurity, confusion, and deep distress. This is not merely the absence of natural light, but a profound spiritual and national obscurity, signifying the withdrawal of divine favor, guidance, and blessing, which inevitably leads to moral and existential disorientation. It marks the onset of divine judgment where God's illuminating and life-giving presence is actively withheld.
* **shadow of death (Hebrew, _tsalmâveth'_):** From H6757, this powerful compound term literally means "shade of death." It is used figuratively in scripture to denote the grave or, more broadly, an extreme and terrifying calamity. In this context, it conveys an overwhelming sense of gloom, mortal peril, and utter hopelessness, a condition akin to being on the brink of destruction or swallowed by an inescapable abyss. It represents a state of profound despair where all life-giving light, hope, and divine intervention are utterly extinguished, leading to spiritual and national demise.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Give glory to the LORD your God,"**: This opening phrase is a direct, urgent imperative command, serving as a climactic call to repentance and a profound recognition of God's absolute sovereignty. To "give glory" here means to acknowledge God's inherent worth, honor His name, and live a life of humble obedience to His covenant. It demands a turning away from idolatry, self-reliance, and pride, and a willing submission to His divine authority. This act of glorifying God is presented as the essential condition for averting the impending, severe judgment.
* **"before he cause darkness,"**: This clause introduces the impending judgment as a direct, deliberate action of God. The "darkness" described is not a natural phenomenon but a divinely orchestrated consequence of the people's persistent disobedience. It signifies a period of spiritual blindness, moral confusion, and severe national calamity, during which God's guiding light, favor, and protective presence are decisively withdrawn. The urgency of the plea is underscored by the temporal adverb "before"—indicating a limited and rapidly closing window of opportunity for repentance.
* **"and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains,"**: This vivid and unsettling imagery depicts a perilous journey through a desolate, obscure, and treacherous landscape. "Stumbling" implies a catastrophic loss of direction, security, and stability, leading to falls, injuries, and inevitable ruin. The "dark mountains" (Hebrew: *har nesheph*, literally "mountains of twilight/dusk") symbolize treacherous obstacles, a path shrouded in the deepening gloom of impending night, representing the profound dangers, moral confusion, and national collapse that will engulf the nation without divine guidance and protection.
* **"and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death,"**: This clause highlights the tragic irony and ultimate despair of the people's situation. Despite their yearning or expectation for "light" (symbolizing hope, prosperity, deliverance, or salvation), God Himself will actively and decisively transform that very expectation into "the shadow of death." This signifies a profound and devastating reversal of fortune, where all hope is extinguished, and their anticipated deliverance becomes a state of extreme peril, overwhelming despair, and near-fatal calamity, demonstrating God's absolute control over their destiny.
* **"and make it gross darkness."**: This final phrase serves to intensify and amplify the preceding imagery, emphasizing the utter depth, impenetrability, and suffocating nature of the coming judgment. "Gross darkness" (Hebrew: *'ărâphel*) denotes a thick, dense, and oppressive gloom, often associated with the terrifying presence of God in judgment (as seen at Mount Sinai) or with overwhelming, inescapable calamity. It implies a complete and absolute obscuration, a state of utter desolation and hopelessness from which there is no escape, no illumination, and no possibility of finding a way out.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 13:16 is exceptionally rich in **Imagery**, painting a vivid and progressively intensifying picture of impending doom. The deliberate progression from general "darkness" to specific "dark mountains," then to the terrifying "shadow of death," and finally culminating in "gross darkness" creates a powerful, escalating sense of despair, calamity, and divine judgment. **Metaphor** is central to the verse's meaning, as "darkness" and "light" are not merely literal but serve as profound symbols representing spiritual understanding, divine favor, hope, and the severity of God's judgment. The phrase "stumble upon the dark mountains" functions as a potent **Metaphor** for the nation's confused, perilous, and ultimately destructive path when they reject God's guidance. There is a strong element of **Antithesis** between the people's desperate act of "look[ing] for light" and God's decisive action to "turn it into the shadow of death," powerfully highlighting the tragic and ironic reversal of their expectations due to their unfaithfulness and rebellion. The repetition of "before he cause darkness" and "before your feet stumble" creates a compelling sense of **Urgency** and serves as a dire **Warning**, emphasizing the narrow and rapidly closing window for repentance and the avoidance of catastrophic consequences.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 13:16 profoundly articulates a foundational Old Testament principle: God's unwavering covenant faithfulness demands a corresponding human obedience, and persistent, unrepentant rebellion inevitably invites severe divine judgment. This verse powerfully underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating that He is not a passive observer but an active, righteous agent in history, orchestrating both blessing and judgment according to His holy character and covenant stipulations. The pervasive biblical imagery of light and darkness is central here, where light consistently represents God's illuminating presence, His truth, His salvation, and His favor, while darkness symbolizes sin, chaos, ignorance, spiritual blindness, and the severity of divine judgment. This verse serves as a profound and timeless reminder that humanity's greatest act of "glory" to God is not merely external, ritualistic worship but a life lived in humble submission, faithful obedience to His revealed will, and a recognition of His unique identity. To reject His light and truth is to invite a descent into profound spiritual, moral, and existential darkness.

* [Psalm 23:4](/psalm/23-4 "Psalm 23:4 - The Valley of the Shadow of Death")
* [Isaiah 5:30](/isaiah/5-30 "Isaiah 5:30 - Darkness and Distress")
* [Romans 1:21](/romans/1-21 "Romans 1:21 - Failure to Glorify God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah's ancient and urgent warning to Judah in 13:16 resonates with profound and timeless relevance for individuals, communities, and nations today. The imperative to "give glory to the LORD your God" stands as a foundational command, urging us to cultivate lives that consistently acknowledge His supreme worth, faithfully obey His divine commands, and authentically reflect His holy character in every sphere of our existence. The vivid imagery of "darkness," "stumbling," and the "shadow of death" serves as powerful, enduring metaphors for the spiritual, moral, and societal consequences that inevitably arise when humanity collectively or individually turns away from God's revealed truth and divine guidance. This verse challenges us to confront the inherent urgency of our spiritual walk: procrastination, complacency, or outright rebellion in matters of faith and obedience can lead to profound, and at times irreversible, consequences, where our expectations for peace, prosperity, and well-being are tragically inverted into despair, confusion, and judgment. It compels us to recognize that true light, life, and enduring hope are found only in humble submission to God's sovereign will, and that ignoring His divine warnings invites a descent into a self-made, suffocating gloom, far removed from His illuminating presence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of my life might I be inadvertently withholding "glory" from God, perhaps by prioritizing self-interest, worldly success, or cultural values over His explicit will?**
* **What "dark mountains" or areas of spiritual confusion, moral compromise, or relational brokenness might I be stumbling upon because I have neglected God's illuminating light and guiding principles?**
* **Am I genuinely "looking for light" in God alone as the ultimate source of truth, hope, and deliverance, or am I primarily seeking solutions and comfort in my own strength or in the fleeting promises of the world?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater sense of urgency and intentionality in responding to God's ongoing call for repentance, humble obedience, and faithful discipleship in my daily life?**

### FAQ
**What does it mean to "give glory to the LORD your God"?**

Answer: To "give glory to the LORD your God" (Hebrew: *kâbôwd*) means far more than mere verbal praise; it signifies acknowledging His inherent weight, honor, and supreme authority. It encompasses living a life that consistently reflects His character, faithfully obeying His commands, and recognizing His rightful place as the sovereign God over all creation. It demands a turning away from idols, self-reliance, and pride, and a humble, active submission to His divine will. This act of glorifying God is foundational to a right relationship with Him and serves as the ultimate antidote to the "darkness" of disobedience. As the Apostle Paul exhorts in [1 Corinthians 10:31](/1_corinthians/10-31 "1 Corinthians 10:31 - Do All to the Glory of God"), "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

**Is God truly the one who "causes darkness" and "turns it into the shadow of death"?**

Answer: Yes, from a biblical perspective, God is absolutely sovereign over all things, including the administration of judgment. The phrase "before he cause darkness" explicitly indicates that the impending calamity is not random chance or mere misfortune, but a direct, divinely orchestrated consequence and a righteous response to the people's persistent rebellion and unfaithfulness. This is a recurring and consistent theme throughout the Old Testament, where God is depicted as actively bringing about judgment and discipline when His covenant people stray from His revealed path. For instance, [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God Forms Light and Creates Darkness") powerfully declares, "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things." This highlights God's unwavering justice, His commitment to upholding His covenant, and His ultimate control over history, even if it means bringing severe discipline to lead His people back to Himself.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 13:16, with its stark prophetic warning of descending into "darkness" and the "shadow of death" due to a failure to glorify God, finds its profound and ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Humanity's persistent failure to give God His rightful glory, exemplified by ancient Judah's rebellion, culminated in a world steeped in profound spiritual darkness and languishing under the pervasive "shadow of death" (cf. [Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned and Fall Short of the Glory of God")). However, Jesus Christ entered this fallen world as the true "Light of the World" (cf. [John 8:12](/john/8-12 "John 8:12 - Jesus, the Light of the World")), decisively shattering the "gross darkness" that enveloped humanity (cf. [Isaiah 9:2](/isaiah/9-2 "Isaiah 9:2 - People Walking in Darkness See a Great Light"), a prophecy quoted and fulfilled in [Matthew 4:16](/matthew/4-16 "Matthew 4:16 - Light for Those in Darkness")). In His perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus perfectly glorified the Father, demonstrating complete and unwavering obedience even unto the cross (cf. [John 17:4](/john/17-4 "John 17:4 - Jesus Glorifies the Father")). Through His redemptive work, we who believe are miraculously delivered from the "domain of darkness" and wondrously transferred into the "kingdom of his beloved Son" (cf. [Colossians 1:13](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13 - Delivered from Darkness")). He is the one who, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowers us to truly "give glory to the LORD our God" by enabling us to live lives of righteousness, obedience, and faithful witness, thereby walking in His marvelous light and avoiding the eternal stumble into the shadow of death (cf. [1 Peter 2:9](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - Called Out of Darkness into Light")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 59:9

¶ Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, [but] we walk in darkness.

Isaiah 8:22

And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and [they shall be] driven to darkness.

Isaiah 5:30

And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if [one] look unto the land, behold darkness [and] sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

Isaiah 60:2

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Joshua 7:19

And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide [it] not from me.

Proverbs 4:19

The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Amos 8:9

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: