Jeremiah 13:15

Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

Hear {H8085} ye, and give ear {H238}; be not proud {H1361}: for the LORD {H3068} hath spoken {H1696}.

Listen and pay attention; don't be proud! For ADONAI has spoken.

Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.

Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for Jehovah hath spoken.

Commentary

Jeremiah 13:15 serves as a direct and urgent plea from God, delivered through the prophet Jeremiah, to the people of Judah. It encapsulates the core message of Jeremiah's ministry: a call to repentance and humble submission before impending judgment.

Historical and Cultural Context

The prophet Jeremiah ministered during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The nation, especially its leaders and priests, had largely abandoned the covenant with God, engaging in idolatry and social injustice. Despite repeated warnings, including vivid symbolic acts like the linen girdle in Jeremiah 13:1-11 and the wine jars in Jeremiah 13:12-14, the people remained stubborn and arrogant. This verse comes as a stark appeal for them to reconsider their path before it was too late, emphasizing that the message was not Jeremiah's, but God's own.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Urgency to Listen: The double command, "Hear ye, and give ear," underscores the critical importance of attentive and receptive listening to God's word. It's an appeal for more than just physical hearing, but for spiritual comprehension and obedience.
  • Warning Against Pride: The admonition "be not proud" targets the root cause of Judah's spiritual blindness and rebellion. Biblical pride (Hebrew: ga'ah, related to haughtiness and self-exaltation) is portrayed as a significant obstacle to repentance and submission to God's will. It prevents individuals and nations from acknowledging their need for divine guidance and grace. This echoes the timeless principle that pride goes before destruction.
  • Divine Authority: The concluding phrase, "for the LORD hath spoken," establishes the absolute authority and unchangeable nature of the message. It's not a suggestion or a human opinion, but a direct declaration from Yahweh (the KJV's "LORD"), the sovereign God of Israel. This truth should compel immediate and humble response.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "proud" (from the root ื’ึผึธืึธื”, ga'ah) carries the sense of being lifted up, exalted, or arrogant. It describes a heart attitude that rejects God's sovereignty and relies on self-sufficiency. The phrase "the LORD hath spoken" (ื™ึฐื”ื•ึธื” ื“ึผึดื‘ึผึถืจ, Yahweh dibber) emphasizes God's direct involvement and the divine origin of the prophetic message, making it a matter of ultimate consequence.

Practical Application

Jeremiah's plea to ancient Judah remains profoundly relevant today. In a world filled with distractions and competing voices, the call to "hear and give ear" to God's word is paramount. Our own pride can manifest in various ways: self-reliance, refusal to admit error, resistance to correction, or believing we know better than God. This verse reminds us that true wisdom and safety lie in humble submission to divine truth. As James 4:6 reminds us, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Cultivating a humble heart and an attentive spirit allows us to receive God's guidance and walk in His ways, avoiding the pitfalls of arrogance and disobedience.

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Cross-References

  • Isaiah 28:14 (6 votes)

    ยถ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which [is] in Jerusalem.

  • Isaiah 28:22 (6 votes)

    Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

  • Revelation 2:29 (4 votes)

    He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

  • Isaiah 42:23 (2 votes)

    Who among you will give ear to this? [who] will hearken and hear for the time to come?

  • Amos 7:15 (2 votes)

    And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

  • Acts 4:19 (2 votes)

    But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

  • Acts 4:20 (2 votes)

    For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.