Jeremiah 27:13

Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Why will ye die {H4191}, thou and thy people {H5971}, by the sword {H2719}, by the famine {H7458}, and by the pestilence {H1698}, as the LORD {H3068} hath spoken {H1696} against the nation {H1471} that will not serve {H5647} the king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}?

Why would you want to die, you and your people, by sword, famine and plague - which is what ADONAI has decreed for the nation that will not serve the king of Bavel?

Why should you and your people die by sword and famine and plague, as the LORD has decreed against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?

Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Jehovah hath spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Jeremiah 27:13 delivers a stark and urgent warning from the Prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah, specifically to King Zedekiah and his advisors. It confronts them with the grave consequences of defying God's command to submit to the emerging power of Babylon. The verse highlights that continued resistance would inevitably lead to death by "sword, famine, and pestilence," consequences directly ordained by the LORD Himself for those who refused to serve King Nebuchadnezzar.

Historical and Cultural Context

This verse is set during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, around the early 6th century BC, as the Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar was asserting its dominance over the Near East. God, through Jeremiah, declared that Babylon was His chosen instrument of judgment against Judah for their persistent idolatry, injustice, and spiritual rebellion. Despite this clear divine decree, many false prophets and political leaders in Jerusalem urged resistance against Babylon, promising divine protection if they stood firm. Jeremiah, however, consistently preached submission, even famously wearing a yoke to symbolize the servitude God commanded (Jeremiah 27:2). This particular warning in verse 13 is a direct challenge to the king and his people to abandon their suicidal path of defiance.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: The verse powerfully underscores God's absolute control over nations and empires. He raises up and brings down kingdoms according to His divine purpose, even using pagan rulers like Nebuchadnezzar as His agents. The impending doom was not merely a political outcome but a direct judgment from the LORD.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: Jeremiah clearly articulates the severe penalties for defying God's revealed will. The "sword" (war), "famine" (siege and lack of food), and "pestilence" (disease) were common biblical curses for national disobedience, often found in covenant warnings like those in Deuteronomy 28:15 and onward.
  • The Unpopular Truth: Jeremiah's message was deeply unpopular and seen as treasonous by many. Yet, it was the divine truth, offering the only path to survival, albeit under foreign rule. This highlights the prophet's role in speaking God's word regardless of public opinion.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "sword, famine, and pestilence" (Hebrew: חֶרֶב, רָעָב, וְדֶבֶר - ḥerev, ra'av, v'dever) is a recurring triad in prophetic literature, symbolizing the comprehensive nature of God's judgment. These were not just random calamities but specific instruments of divine wrath, designed to bring about the consequences of national sin and rebellion against God's explicit commands. The question "Why will ye die...?" emphasizes the avoidable nature of their fate if they would only submit.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 27:13 serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of discerning and submitting to God's will, even when it is difficult, counter-intuitive, or unpopular. For believers today, this can mean:

  • Trusting God's Sovereignty: Recognizing that God is at work even in challenging circumstances, and His plans, though sometimes painful, are ultimately for our good and His glory.
  • Heeding Warnings: Paying attention to the warnings in God's Word regarding sin and its consequences, and avoiding the path of spiritual rebellion.
  • Seeking Divine Wisdom: Discerning true spiritual counsel from false or self-serving advice, always aligning with biblical truth.
Ultimately, the verse calls for a humble submission to God's established order, even when it means enduring hardship, to avoid far greater destruction.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 18:31

    Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

  • Jeremiah 27:8

    And it shall come to pass, [that] the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

  • Proverbs 8:36

    But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

  • Ezekiel 33:11

    Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

  • Jeremiah 38:20

    But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver [thee]. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

  • Ezekiel 18:24

    But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

  • Ezekiel 14:21

    For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

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