Jeremiah 21:13

Translation
King James Version
Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant H3427 of the valley H6010, and rock H6697 of the plain H4334, saith H5002 the LORD H3068; which say H559, Who shall come down H5181 against us? or who shall enter H935 into our habitations H4585?
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
ADONAI says, "I am against you, [Yerushalayim,] situated in a valley like a rock on a plain. You who say, 'Who can come down against us? Who can enter our lairs?'
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
Behold, I am against you who dwell above the valley, atop the rocky plateau— declares the LORD— you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our dwellings?”
Ask
American Standard Version
Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain, saith Jehovah; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain, says the LORD; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
Beholde, I come against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rocke of the plaine, saith the Lord, which say, Who shall come downe against vs? or who shall enter into our habitations?
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
Lo, I am against thee--an affirmation of Jehovah, O inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, Who are saying, Who cometh down against us? And who cometh into our habitations?
Ask
See also
Obadiah 1:3Obadiah 1:4Lamentations 4:12Ezekiel 13:8Jeremiah 23:30Jeremiah 23:32Jeremiah 49:4
In the KJVVerse 19,454 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 21:13 delivers a stark divine declaration of judgment against Jerusalem, exposing the city's profound and misplaced confidence in its formidable geographical defenses rather than in the sovereign Lord. This verse, part of a direct prophecy to King Zedekiah during the Babylonian siege, underscores God's direct opposition to His rebellious people, highlighting their arrogant self-assurance that no enemy could penetrate their seemingly impregnable "valley" and "rock" strongholds. It reveals that the very source of their human pride would become the target of divine wrath, shattering their illusion of invincibility.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 21:13 is embedded within a specific prophetic oracle (Jeremiah 21:1-14) delivered by the prophet Jeremiah to King Zedekiah. The chapter opens with Zedekiah sending messengers to Jeremiah, desperately seeking a divine intervention to repel the besieging Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar, as detailed in Jeremiah 21:2. However, Jeremiah's response, beginning in Jeremiah 21:4, is not one of hope for deliverance but a devastating message of God's direct opposition to Judah. The Lord declares that He Himself will fight against Jerusalem, turning the Babylonians into instruments of His wrath. Verse 13 specifically addresses Jerusalem's arrogant defiance and misplaced trust in its physical defenses, which is a direct affront to God's declared intent to destroy the city. The subsequent verses (Jeremiah 21:14) promise the fulfillment of this judgment through fire, emphasizing the certainty and totality of the impending destruction.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This prophecy unfolds during the final, desperate days of the Kingdom of Judah, specifically around 588-586 BCE, as Jerusalem was under a prolonged and brutal siege by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian forces. Jerusalem was renowned for its strategic location and strong fortifications, built upon a series of hills and surrounded by deep valleys (like the Kidron and Hinnom valleys), giving its inhabitants a profound sense of impregnability. The city's natural topography, combined with its impressive walls, fostered a cultural mindset of invincibility, leading its people to believe that no army could "come down against" them or "enter into their habitations." This confidence was rooted in their physical defenses and perhaps a misinterpretation of God's past protection, rather than in genuine repentance and obedience to the Lord. Their boastful rhetoric reflects a common ancient Near Eastern practice of cities priding themselves on their perceived invulnerability.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 21:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it highlights Divine Judgment, emphasizing that the impending destruction of Jerusalem is not merely a geopolitical outcome but a direct, righteous act of God against His unfaithful people, as consistently warned throughout the book (e.g., Jeremiah 7:1-15). Secondly, it exposes False Security and Pride, revealing the profound arrogance and misplaced trust of Judah's inhabitants in their physical defenses rather than in the Lord. Their defiant rhetorical questions betray a spiritual blindness, a theme consistently warned against throughout Scripture, as seen in Proverbs 16:18. Thirdly, the verse underscores the Sovereignty of God, asserting His ultimate authority over nations and human endeavors; no human fortification or strategic advantage can withstand His determined will, a truth echoed in Psalm 33:10-11. Finally, it reinforces the theme of Consequences of Rebellion, demonstrating that Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience have led directly to this divine opposition and impending catastrophe, fulfilling earlier prophetic warnings.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • inhabitant (Hebrew, yâshab', H3427): From the primitive root H3427, meaning "to sit down," "to dwell," or "to remain." In this context, it refers to the settled residents of Jerusalem, emphasizing their perceived permanence and security within their fortified city. It highlights the people's complacency and their false sense of immovability, contrasting sharply with the impending divine upheaval that will dislodge them from their homes.
  • rock (Hebrew, tsûwr', H6697): Properly, a cliff or sharp rock, often used figuratively for a refuge or strength. Here, it vividly describes Jerusalem's natural defenses—its elevated, rocky terrain—which the inhabitants believed made their city impregnable. This word underscores their trust in physical fortifications, a trust that is about to be shattered by the Lord Himself, who is the true "rock" and refuge for His people.
  • habitations (Hebrew, mᵉʻôwnâh', H4585): An abode, dwelling place, or refuge. This term denotes the homes, secure places, and private sanctuaries within the city. The rhetorical question "who shall enter into our habitations?" expresses the citizens' defiant confidence that their personal spaces and the city as a whole are inviolable, protected by their formidable defenses and perceived divine favor. It speaks to their deep-seated sense of security in their physical dwellings.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Behold, I [am] against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, [and] rock of the plain, saith the LORD;": This opening declaration is a direct, confrontational statement from Yahweh (H3068, Yᵉhôvâh), the covenant God of Israel. The phrase "Behold, I am against thee" immediately establishes God as the primary antagonist, not merely the Babylonians, signifying that the impending destruction is a divine act of judgment. The descriptive phrases "O inhabitant of the valley, [and] rock of the plain" are ironic and condemnatory epithets for Jerusalem, highlighting the very geographical features in which the city placed its misplaced trust. The divine pronouncement "saith the LORD" (from H5002, nᵉʼum, an oracle) authenticates the message as an unalterable, sovereign decree, emphasizing its certainty and divine origin and underscoring that this is not a human prediction but a divine verdict.
  • "which say, Who shall come down against us?": This clause reveals the arrogant and defiant mindset of Jerusalem's inhabitants, stemming from their misplaced confidence. Their rhetorical question, using the verb "come down" (H5181, nâchath, to sink or descend), is not a genuine inquiry but a boastful challenge, expressing their absolute confidence in their city's impregnability due to its elevated and fortified position. It signifies their spiritual blindness and their refusal to acknowledge God's impending judgment, demonstrating a profound disconnect between their human assessment of security and divine reality.
  • "or who shall enter into our habitations?": This continues the defiant boast, further emphasizing their belief that their private dwellings (H4585, mᵉʻôwnâh) and the city as a whole are secure from any external threat. The verb "enter" (H935, bôwʼ, to go or come) highlights their conviction that no enemy could penetrate their secure spaces. It underscores their deep-seated pride and false sense of security, directly contrasting with the Lord's declaration of being "against" them. This question reveals a people who believed their physical defenses were impenetrable, making them impervious to divine wrath or human invasion.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 21:13 is rich in literary devices that amplify its message of impending judgment. The most prominent is Irony, as God declares Himself "against" the very city that boasts of its impregnability. The inhabitants' confidence in their "rock" and "habitations" is ironically met by the true Rock and Lord of all creation declaring war against them. The terms "inhabitant of the valley" and "rock of the plain" are a form of Metonymy or Synecdoche, where the geographical features stand in for the city of Jerusalem itself, highlighting its perceived defensive strengths and the people's identification with these strengths. The phrase "which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?" employs Rhetorical Questions. These are not questions seeking information but expressions of defiant confidence and spiritual blindness, showcasing the inhabitants' arrogant self-assurance and their underestimation of divine power. The entire verse also embodies Divine Anthropomorphism in God's declaration of being "against" them, portraying Him as a warrior directly opposing their rebellion and shattering their false security.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 21:13 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of true security and the devastating consequences of spiritual pride. It asserts unequivocally that no human fortification, strategic advantage, or self-assured boasting can withstand the sovereign will and righteous judgment of God. The inhabitants of Jerusalem had placed their ultimate trust in their physical defenses, forgetting that their true protection lay in their covenant relationship with Yahweh and their obedience to His commands. This verse powerfully demonstrates that when a people turn away from God, even their most formidable strengths become vulnerabilities in the face of His determined opposition. It underscores the biblical principle that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that genuine security is found only in Him, not in human constructs or self-reliance. It is a stark reminder that the Lord alone is the ultimate refuge.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 21:13 offers a timeless and sobering warning for believers today, prompting us to critically examine the foundations of our own security and confidence. In a world that often encourages self-reliance and trust in material or intellectual achievements, this verse reminds us that true safety and well-being are found solely in God. It challenges us to discern where our ultimate trust lies: in our financial stability, professional success, personal abilities, social standing, or in the unfailing provision and protection of the Almighty. When we become overly confident in our own strengths or circumstances, we risk developing a spiritual arrogance that blinds us to God's warnings and His righteous demands. This passage calls us to humility, recognizing that even difficulties or adversities in our lives can be God's loving, though painful, means of discipline, designed to call us back into a deeper, more dependent relationship with Him. It compels us to repent of any self-sufficiency and to anchor our hope firmly in the Lord, for He alone is our impregnable fortress.

Questions for Reflection

  • Where do I primarily place my trust for security and well-being in my life?
  • In what areas of my life might I be exhibiting spiritual arrogance or misplaced confidence, similar to Jerusalem's inhabitants?
  • How does this verse challenge my understanding of God's sovereignty over all human endeavors and defenses?
  • What might God be trying to teach me through difficult circumstances, and how can I respond with humility and repentance rather than defiance?

FAQ

What does the phrase "inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain" signify about Jerusalem?

Answer: This phrase, used by the Lord to address Jerusalem, is deeply significant and somewhat ironic. While Jerusalem is famously built on mountains, it also incorporates deep valleys (like the Kidron and Hinnom) and is situated on a high plateau or "plain" (the Hebrew mishor can refer to a level tableland or high ground overlooking a plain). The terms emphasize Jerusalem's perceived natural and man-made defensive strengths. The "rock" refers to its elevated, fortified position, making it seem unassailable. The "valley" might refer to the people living within the protective embrace of these natural defenses, or the low-lying areas within the city's overall defensive posture. The phrase collectively highlights the city's geographical advantages, which its inhabitants believed made them impervious to attack, leading to their defiant boast, "Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?" The divine use of these terms underscores that the very things they trusted in would be rendered useless by God's judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 21:4-7. It serves as a powerful indictment of their misplaced confidence.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 21:13, with its declaration of divine judgment against a city trusting in its physical defenses, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the destruction of a physical city, but in the establishment of a new, spiritual kingdom whose security rests solely on Christ. The Jerusalem of Jeremiah's day trusted in its "rock" and "habitations," but Jesus declared that He would build His church, and the "gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). This new "habitation" is not built with hands but is a spiritual dwelling, a community of believers whose security is found in the Lamb of God rather than in earthly walls or human might. Just as the old covenant Jerusalem's false security was shattered, so too was the temple, the center of its religious life, ultimately destroyed, signaling the end of an era reliant on physical structures and the dawn of a new covenant where God dwells among His people through the Spirit (John 4:21-24). Jesus Himself becomes the true "rock" (1 Corinthians 10:4) and refuge for His people, a "strong tower" (Proverbs 18:10) against whom no enemy can prevail, offering a security far greater and more enduring than any earthly fortification. In Christ, believers find their ultimate dwelling place and an unshakeable refuge from all spiritual and temporal threats, a security that transcends all human defenses.

Copy as

Commentary on Jeremiah 21 verses 8–14

By the civil message which the king sent to Jeremiah it appeared that both he and the people began to have a respect for him, which it would have been Jeremiah's policy to make some advantage of for himself; but the reply which God obliges him to make is enough to crush the little respect they begin to have for him, and to exasperate them against him more than ever. Not only the predictions in the foregoing verses, but the prescriptions in these, were provoking; for here,

I. He advises the people to surrender and ??desert to the Chaldeans, as the only means left them to save their lives, Jer 21:8-10. This counsel was very displeasing to those who were flattered by their false prophets into a desperate resolution to hold out to the last extremity, trusting to the strength of their walls and the courage of their soldiery to keep out the enemy, or to their foreign aids to raise the siege. The prophet assures them, "The city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall not only plunder it, but burn it with fire, for God himself hath set his face against this city for evil and not for good, to lay it waste and not to protect it, for evil which shall have no good mixed with it, no mitigation or merciful allay; and therefore, if you would make the best of bad, you must beg quarter of the Chaldeans, and surrender prisoners of war." In vain did Rabshakeh persuade the Jews to do this while they had God for them (Isa 36:16), but it was the best course they could take now that God was against them. Both the law and the prophets had often set before them life and death in another sense - life if they obey the voice of God, death if they persist in disobedience, Deu 30:19. But they had slighted that life which would have made them truly happy, to upbraid them with which the prophet here uses the same expression (Jer 21:8): Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death, which denotes not, as that, a fair proposal, but a melancholy dilemma, advising them of two evils to choose the less; and that less evil, a shameful and wretched captivity, is all the life now left for them to propose to themselves. He that abides in the city, and trusts to that to secure him, shall certainly die either by the sword without the walls or famine or pestilence within. But he that can so far bring down his spirit, and quit his vain hopes, as to go out, and fall to the Chaldeans, his life shall be given him for a prey; he shall save his life, but with much difficulty and hazard, as a prey is taken from the mighty. It is an expression like that, He shall be saved, yet so as by fire. He shall escape but very narrowly, or he shall have such surprising joy and satisfaction in escaping with his life from such a universal destruction as shall equal theirs that divide the spoil. They thought to make a prey of the camp of the Chaldeans, as their ancestors did that of the Assyrians (Isa 33:23), but they will be sadly disappointed; if by yielding at discretion they can but save their lives, that is all the prey they must promise themselves. Now one would think this advice from a prophet, in God's name, should have gained some credit with them and been universally followed; but, for aught that appears, there were few or none that took it; so wretchedly were their hearts hardened, to their destruction.

II. He advises the king and princes to reform, and make conscience of the duty of their place. Because it was the king that sent the message to him, in the reply there shall be a particular word for the house of the king, not to compliment or court them (that was no part of the prophet's business, no, not when they did him the honour to send to him), but to give them wholesome counsel (Jer 21:11, Jer 21:12): "Execute judgment in the morning; do it carefully and diligently. Those magistrates that would fill up their place with duty had need rise betimes. Do it quickly, and do not delay to do justice upon appeals made to you, and tire out poor petitioners as you have done. Do not lie in your beds in a morning to sleep away the debauch of the night before, nor spend the morning in pampering the body (as those princes, Ecc 10:16), but spend it in the despatch of business. You would be delivered out of the hand of those that distress you, and expect that therein God should do you justice; see then that you do justice to those that apply to you, and deliver them out of the hand of their oppressors, lest my fury go out like fire against you in a particular manner, and you fare worst who think to escape best, because of the evil of your doings." Now, 1. This intimates that it was their neglect to do their duty that brought all this desolation upon the people. It was the evil of their doings that kindled the fire of God's wrath. Thus plainly does he deal even with the house of the king; for those that would have the benefit of a prophet's prayers must thankfully take a prophet's reproofs. 2. This directs them to take the right method for a national reformation. The princes must begin, and set a good example, and then the people will be invited to reform. They must use their power for the punishment of wrong, and then the people will be obliged to reform. He reminds them that they are the house of David, and therefore should tread in his steps, who executed judgment and justice to his people. 3. This gives them some encouragement to hope that there may yet be a lengthening of their tranquillity, Dan 4:27. If any thing will recover their state from the brink of ruin, this will.

III. He shows them the vanity of all their hopes so long as they continued unreformed, Jer 21:13, Jer 21:14. Jerusalem is an inhabitant of the valley, guarded with mountains on all sides, which were their natural fortifications, making it difficult for an army to approach them. It is a rock of the plain, which made it difficult for an enemy to undermine them. These advantages of their situation they trusted to more than to the power and promise of God; and, thinking their city by these means to be impregnable, they set the judgments of God at defiance, saying, "Who shall come down against us? None of our neighbours dare make a descent upon us, or, if they do, who shall enter into our habitations?" They had some colour for this confidence; for it appears to have been the sense of all their neighbours that no enemy could force his way into Jerusalem, Lam 4:12. But those are least safe that are most secure. God soon shows the vanity of that challenge, Who shall come down against us? when he says (Jer 21:13), Behold, I am against thee. They had indeed by the wickedness driven God out of their city when he would have tarried with them as a friend; but they could not by their bulwarks keep them out of their city when he came against them as an enemy. If God be for us, who can be against us? But, if he be against us, who can be for us, to stand us in any stead? Nay, he comes against them not as an enemy that may lawfully and with some hope of success be resisted, but as a judge that cannot be resisted; for he says (Jer 21:14), I will punish you, by due course of law, according to the fruit of your doings, that is, according to the merit of them and the direct tendency of them. That shall be brought upon you which is the natural product of sin. Nay, he will not only come with the anger of an enemy and the justice of a judge, but with the force of a consuming fire, which has no compassion, as a judge sometimes has, nor spares any thing combustible that comes in its way. Jerusalem has become a forest, in which God will kindle a fire that shall consume all before it; for our God is himself a consuming fire; and who is able to stand in his sight when once he is angry?

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–14. Public domain.
Copy as
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 13, 14.) Behold, I am against you, O inhabitants of the solid and level valley, says the Lord, those who say, who will strike (or terrify) us? And who will enter our houses? And I will visit upon you; and what follows, according to the fruit of your endeavors, says the Lord, is not found in the Septuagint. And I will set fire to its forest, and it will consume all around it. For the inhabitants of the solid and level valley, the Septuagint translated, Behold, I am against you, who dwell in the valley of Sor () the level, for which Symmachus interpreted as a rock besieged, Theodotius as a fortified place; in the first edition of Aquila it is solid, in the second Tyre. For Tyre speaks its language, and the land of the Hebrews, and the area around it, and it sounds like a restricted place. However, it speaks against Jerusalem, which is surrounded by siege, or in the likeness of Tyre, like a vast sea, it is encircled by the Babylonian army and cannot escape. Or certainly, it sees itself as an impregnable and robust rock due to the strength of its walls and their size, and it says: Who can frighten us? And who will enter our house? When God speaks in the opposite way: I will visit you; you will not be able to escape my eye. But I will visit you for destruction, and I will repay you the fruit of your wickedness. And I will kindle a fire in your forest. Not the Babylonians, as you think, not the king of the Chaldeans; but my anger will accomplish all these things. But he calls the forest Jerusalem, and all the surrounding region, which does not have the fruitful trees of good works, because it is prepared for burning. He calls the valley beautiful because it is easily passable by enemies, and not a high mountain that can be difficult to climb, next to which it is also said in Isaiah: The vision of the Valley of Zion (Isa. 22:1). Let us refer whatever is prophesied about the royal house and the metropolis city to the ecclesiastical order and the leaders of the Churches, only those who have surrendered to pride, riches, and indulgence. Not immediately because it is the royal house, it will be saved from destruction, just as those who are of the Davidic lineage, very few have been found who pleased the Lord like David himself, Hezekiah and Josiah, and a great part of the leaders and the royal lineage as a whole provoked the wrath of the Lord against the people.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as

Continue studying Jeremiah 21:13 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.

Read & Compare

Commentaries

Original Language & Research

Sermons, Hymns & Audio

TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.