Jeremiah 13:26

KJV

Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore will I discover {H2834} thy skirts {H7757} upon thy face {H6440}, that thy shame {H7036} may appear {H7200}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I myself will lift your skirts above your face, and your privates will be exposed.

Berean Standard Bible

So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.

American Standard Version

Therefore will I also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 13:26 delivers a stark prophetic declaration of divine judgment against Judah, portraying the nation's utter humiliation and public disgrace as a direct consequence of its profound spiritual unfaithfulness and persistent idolatry. This verse employs vivid, graphic imagery to convey the complete exposure of Judah's hidden sins, emphasizing that God's justice will bring their secret rebellion into the light for all to see, culminating in an inescapable and profound sense of shame.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 13 is a chapter steeped in symbolic actions and pronouncements of impending judgment. It begins with the memorable parable of the [linen girdle](/jeremiah/13-1 "Jeremiah 13:1-11 - The Parable of the Linen Girdle"), which illustrates how Judah, once intimately bound to God, had become ruined and useless due to their pride and refusal to obey. This is followed by the equally potent [parable of the wine jars](/jeremiah/13-12 "Jeremiah 13:12-14 - The Parable of the Wine Jars"), signifying that God would fill the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem with drunkenness and shatter them beyond repair. The verses immediately preceding Jeremiah 13:26 describe Judah's stubborn heart, their pursuit of other gods, and their inevitable scattering, likening them to chaff driven by the wind in the wilderness, as seen in [Jeremiah 13:24](/jeremiah/13-24 "Jeremiah 13:24 - Judah's Scattering"). Jeremiah 13:26 serves as a climactic statement of the public humiliation that awaits them as a direct result of their spiritual adultery, reinforcing the pervasive theme of inevitable judgment that characterizes the entire chapter and, indeed, much of the [Book of Jeremiah](/jeremiah/1 "The Book of Jeremiah").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophecy in Jeremiah 13:26 is set against the ominous backdrop of Judah's declining monarchy, facing the looming threat of Babylonian invasion. The people of Judah, despite repeated warnings from prophets like Jeremiah, continued to engage in rampant idolatry, syncretism, and social injustice, thereby flagrantly breaking their covenant with Yahweh. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, public exposure and stripping were common, deeply humiliating forms of punishment for captives, particularly women, and were a profound symbol of utter disgrace, loss of dignity, and subjugation. This imagery was frequently employed in prophetic literature to depict the judgment of nations, as vividly seen in the treatment of Nineveh in [Nahum 3:5](/nahum/3-5 "Nahum 3:5 - God's Judgment on Nineveh") or Babylon in [Isaiah 47:2-3](/isaiah/47-2-3 "Isaiah 47:2-3 - The Humiliation of Babylon"). The "skirts" (Hebrew: *shûwl*) referred to the lower part of a garment, and their exposure was a deeply shameful act, often associated with prostitutes or those subjected to extreme public ridicule, underscoring the severity of Judah's spiritual harlotry.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it highlights **Divine Judgment and Retribution**, demonstrating God's unwavering justice against persistent disobedience and rebellion. Secondly, the vivid imagery portrays **Shame and Humiliation** as an inevitable consequence of sin, particularly spiritual unfaithfulness. This is not merely a physical act but a profound moral and social degradation. Thirdly, it underscores the **Exposure of Hidden Sin**, revealing that what was done in secret—Judah's idolatry and spiritual promiscuity—would be brought into the light for all to see. God's omniscience ensures no sin remains hidden, and there will be a day when hidden deeds are made manifest. Finally, it reinforces the theme of **Consequences of Spiritual Adultery**, a recurring motif where Israel's and Judah's idolatry is depicted as harlotry against their covenant with God, leading to bitter and shameful ends, as seen in [Jeremiah 3:8](/jeremiah/3-8 "Jeremiah 3:8 - Judah's Spiritual Harlotry").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **discover (Hebrew, _châsaph'_):** This primitive root means "to strip off," "to make naked (for exertion or in disgrace)," "to uncover," or "to reveal." In this context, it carries the strong connotation of forceful, public exposure, specifically for the purpose of disgrace and humiliation. It implies an intentional act of God to lay bare Judah's hidden depravity.
* **skirts (Hebrew, _shûwl'_):** From an unused root meaning "to hang down," this word refers to the hem, train, or lower edge of a garment. Its exposure, especially "upon thy face," signifies a complete and utter stripping away of modesty, dignity, and honor, reducing the subject to a state of extreme vulnerability and public shame.
* **shame (Hebrew, _qâlôwn'_):** This noun, derived from a root meaning "to be light" or "to be despised," signifies "disgrace," "dishonor," "ignominy," or "reproach." By implication, it can also refer to the pudenda, further emphasizing the sexual and deeply humiliating nature of the judgment. The appearance of this shame is the ultimate goal of the divine action described.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face":** This clause declares God's active and decisive role in bringing about Judah's humiliation. The action of "discovering" (uncovering, exposing) the "skirts" (the lower, private parts of the garment) and casting them "upon thy face" (making them visible to all, including the disgraced party themselves) is a graphic metaphor for public stripping and shaming. It signifies the complete removal of any pretense of dignity or righteousness, exposing the nation's moral nakedness and spiritual prostitution.
* **"that thy shame may appear":** This final clause states the explicit purpose and inevitable outcome of the preceding divine action. The act of exposure is designed to make Judah's "shame" (disgrace, ignominy, moral degradation) fully manifest and undeniable. It is a judgment where the consequence perfectly fits the crime: their hidden spiritual adultery and idolatry, committed in defiance of their covenant, will be met with a public unveiling that brings ultimate dishonor and profound moral degradation.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 13:26 is exceptionally rich in **Imagery** and **Metaphor**, employing a vivid and shocking picture of public stripping and humiliation. The act of "discovering thy skirts upon thy face" is a powerful **Metonymy** or **Synecdoche**, where the exposure of the garment's lower part stands for the complete and utter disgrace of the entire person or nation. This imagery is also a strong example of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human actions (stripping, exposing) to God to convey the directness and severity of His judgment. The verse also utilizes **Parallelism** in its cause-and-effect structure, where God's action of exposure directly leads to the appearance of shame, reinforcing the inescapable consequence of Judah's sin. Furthermore, the graphic nature of the imagery serves as a **Hyperbole** to emphasize the extreme degree of degradation Judah will experience, ensuring the message's impact.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 13:26 powerfully articulates the theological principle that God is a righteous judge who will not tolerate persistent unfaithfulness. The imagery of public exposure directly connects to the biblical theme of God's omniscience and justice, where hidden sins are ultimately brought to light. This divine act of judgment is not arbitrary but is a direct consequence of Judah's spiritual harlotry and covenant breaking. It underscores the severity of idolatry, portraying it as an act of profound betrayal against the covenant Lord, leading to an inevitable and humiliating reckoning. This judgment serves as a stark warning that while God is merciful, His holiness demands that sin be addressed, and unchecked rebellion will result in severe consequences, including public disgrace and the loss of divine favor.

* [Isaiah 47:2-3](/isaiah/47-2-3 "Isaiah 47:2-3 - The Humiliation of Babylon")
* [Ezekiel 16:37](/zekiel/16-37 "Ezekiel 16:37 - Jerusalem's Shame Exposed")
* [Hosea 2:10](/hosea/2-10 "Hosea 2:10 - God's Exposure of Israel's Shame")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 13:26 serves as a profound and challenging mirror for believers today, urging us to examine the authenticity of our devotion and the integrity of our lives before God. The graphic imagery of exposed shame reminds us that while we may hide our sins from others, or even from ourselves, nothing is hidden from the all-seeing eyes of God. Our spiritual "skirts"—the hidden areas of our hearts, our secret idols, our unconfessed sins—will ultimately be "discovered" in the light of God's truth. This should not primarily evoke fear, but rather a deep conviction and a call to genuine repentance. It compels us to cultivate a life of transparent obedience and wholehearted devotion, recognizing that true freedom and honor come from walking in humility and faithfulness before our Creator. It challenges us to confront any areas where we might be living a double life or allowing lesser loves to usurp God's rightful place, knowing that ultimately, all will be revealed and judged according to His perfect standard.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "skirts" or hidden areas in my life might God desire to "discover" and bring into the light for healing and purification?**
* **How does the concept of God seeing all my actions and intentions (even the hidden ones) impact my daily choices and motivations?**
* **In what ways might I be engaging in "spiritual adultery" by prioritizing things or relationships over my covenant with God?**
* **What steps can I take to live a life of greater integrity and authenticity, aligning my private devotion with my public profession of faith?**

### FAQ
**Why does God use such graphic imagery to describe judgment?**

Answer: God uses graphic imagery in prophetic texts like Jeremiah 13:26 to convey the severity and inescapability of His judgment, as well as the profound shame and disgrace that result from persistent sin and rebellion. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, public stripping and exposure were common forms of punishment and humiliation, particularly for captives or those deemed morally corrupt (e.g., prostitutes). By employing such vivid metaphors, God communicates the depth of Judah's spiritual harlotry and the complete loss of dignity that would accompany His righteous retribution. This imagery is meant to shock, convict, and underscore the gravity of breaking covenant with a holy God, aiming to drive the people to repentance before the judgment is fully realized. Similar imagery can be found in [Ezekiel 23:29](/zekiel/23-29 "Ezekiel 23:29 - Oholibah's Disgrace") and [Nahum 3:5](/nahum/3-5 "Nahum 3:5 - Nineveh's Exposure").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 13:26 speaks of the public shame and exposure of Judah's sin, the New Testament reveals how Christ radically transforms the concept of shame and its ultimate removal. Humanity, represented by Judah's unfaithfulness, stood naked and exposed in its sin before a holy God, deserving of ultimate disgrace. However, Jesus Christ, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), willingly bore our shame and nakedness on the cross. He was stripped, publicly humiliated, and made a spectacle, as described in [Hebrews 12:2](/hebrews/12-2 "Hebrews 12:2 - Jesus Endures the Cross"), so that we might be clothed in His righteousness and never experience the eternal shame of our own sin. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ "discovered" our sin upon Himself, allowing its full ugliness to be seen and judged in His body, thereby covering our shame and offering us forgiveness and reconciliation with God. Instead of our shame appearing, through faith in Christ, we are given a new garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness, as beautifully prophesied in [Isaiah 61:10](/isaiah/61-10 "Isaiah 61:10 - Garments of Salvation"). He became sin for us, "who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Our Righteousness")), transforming our deserved disgrace into glorious adoption and eternal honor.

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

Lamentations 1:8

Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Hosea 2:10

And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

Ezekiel 23:29

And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

Ezekiel 16:37

Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all [them] that thou hast loved, with all [them] that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

Jeremiah 13:22

¶ And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, [and] thy heels made bare.