The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open [them]: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
The cities {H5892} of the south {H5045} shall be shut up {H5462}, and none shall open {H6605} them: Judah {H3063} shall be carried away captive {H1540} all of it, it shall be wholly {H7965} carried away captive {H1540}.
The cities of the Negev are besieged, and no one can relieve them; all of Y'hudah is carried into exile, completely swept into exile.
The cities of the Negev have been shut tight, and no one can open them. All Judah has been carried into exile, wholly taken captive.
The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.
-
Jeremiah 52:27
And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land. -
Jeremiah 52:30
In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons [were] four thousand and six hundred. -
Deuteronomy 28:52
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. -
Jeremiah 39:9
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. -
2 Kings 25:21
And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land. -
Jeremiah 33:13
In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth [them], saith the LORD. -
Job 12:14
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Jeremiah 13:19 delivers a powerful and somber prophecy concerning the impending and comprehensive judgment upon the kingdom of Judah. It foretells a complete desolation and forced exile, leaving no doubt about the severity and certainty of God's impending wrath due to Judah's persistent sin.
Context
Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," served during a tumultuous period in Judah's history (late 7th and early 6th centuries BC), leading up to the Babylonian exile. His ministry was largely characterized by delivering messages of warning, judgment, and calls for repentance to a people who had largely abandoned their covenant with God. This verse falls within a series of prophecies detailing Judah's deep spiritual corruption, widespread idolatry, and moral decay, which had provoked divine wrath.
The phrase "cities of the south" refers to the Negeb region, the southern part of Judah, which was strategically important. Their being "shut up, and none shall open them" signifies total incapacitation, siege, and desolation, implying no escape or commerce. This prophecy highlights that the judgment would be widespread and unavoidable, leading to the full Babylonian captivity. This dire outcome was a direct fulfillment of earlier warnings about the consequences of disobedience found in the Law, such as those in Deuteronomy 28.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word translated "carried away captive" is גָּלָה (galah), which means to uncover, reveal, or, in this context, to go into exile or be deported. The doubling of the phrase "Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive" is a Hebrew literary device used for intense emphasis. It stresses the absolute, comprehensive, and unavoidable nature of the deportation, signifying that virtually no one would be left behind in the land of Judah.
Related Scriptures
The Babylonian captivity is a pivotal event in Old Testament history, prophesied by Jeremiah and others. The historical fulfillment of this prophecy is extensively detailed in 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52. Jeremiah also prophesied the duration of this exile, specifically seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem. The book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, provides a poignant and sorrowful eyewitness account of the aftermath of this very desolation, particularly Lamentations 1:3, which speaks of Judah going into captivity due to affliction.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 13:19 stands as a powerful reminder that God is just and that there are serious consequences for persistent, unrepentant rebellion against His will. It underscores the importance of heeding divine warnings and turning from sin, both individually and corporately. While this prophecy points to judgment, it also implicitly highlights God's ultimate desire for repentance and restoration. Even in judgment, God's purpose is often redemptive, aiming to bring His people back to Him, as seen in the eventual return from exile and the promise of a new covenant. This verse encourages us to reflect on our own spiritual state and respond to God's truth with humility and obedience.