Jeremiah 13:16

Authorized King James Version

PDF

Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

Original Language Analysis

תְּנוּ֩ Give H5414
תְּנוּ֩ Give
Strong's: H5414
Word #: 1 of 18
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
לַיהוָ֨ה to the LORD H3068
לַיהוָ֨ה to the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 2 of 18
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם your God H430
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם your God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 3 of 18
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
כָּבוֹד֙ glory H3519
כָּבוֹד֙ glory
Strong's: H3519
Word #: 4 of 18
properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness
בְּטֶ֣רֶם H2962
בְּטֶ֣רֶם
Strong's: H2962
Word #: 5 of 18
properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before
יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ before he cause darkness H2821
יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ before he cause darkness
Strong's: H2821
Word #: 6 of 18
to be dark (as withholding light); transitively, to darken
וּבְטֶ֛רֶם H2962
וּבְטֶ֛רֶם
Strong's: H2962
Word #: 7 of 18
properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before
יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ stumble H5062
יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ stumble
Strong's: H5062
Word #: 8 of 18
to push, gore, defeat, stub (the toe), inflict (a disease)
רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם and before your feet H7272
רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם and before your feet
Strong's: H7272
Word #: 9 of 18
a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda
עַל H5921
עַל
Strong's: H5921
Word #: 10 of 18
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
הָ֣רֵי mountains H2022
הָ֣רֵי mountains
Strong's: H2022
Word #: 11 of 18
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
נָ֑שֶׁף upon the dark H5399
נָ֑שֶׁף upon the dark
Strong's: H5399
Word #: 12 of 18
properly, a breeze, i.e., (by implication) dusk (when the evening breeze prevails)
וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם and while ye look H6960
וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם and while ye look
Strong's: H6960
Word #: 13 of 18
to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e., collect; (figuratively) to expect
לְאוֹר֙ for light H216
לְאוֹר֙ for light
Strong's: H216
Word #: 14 of 18
illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
וְשָׂמָ֣הּ he turn H7760
וְשָׂמָ֣הּ he turn
Strong's: H7760
Word #: 15 of 18
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת it into the shadow of death H6757
לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת it into the shadow of death
Strong's: H6757
Word #: 16 of 18
shade of death, i.e., the grave (figuratively, calamity)
יְשִׁ֖ית and make H7896
יְשִׁ֖ית and make
Strong's: H7896
Word #: 17 of 18
to place (in a very wide application)
לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃ it gross darkness H6205
לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃ it gross darkness
Strong's: H6205
Word #: 18 of 18
gloom (as of a lowering sky)

Cross References

Isaiah 59:9Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.Isaiah 8:22And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.Isaiah 60:2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.Isaiah 5:30And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.Proverbs 4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.Joshua 7:19And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.Psalms 44:19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.Jeremiah 4:23I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.Jeremiah 23:12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.Exodus 10:21And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Analysis & Commentary

This verse urges repentance before darkness: 'Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains.' 'Give glory' (tenu kavod) means acknowledge God's authority, repent, worship properly. 'Before darkness' (beterem yachshikh) indicates approaching but not yet arrived judgment—window remains open. 'Dark mountains' (harei nesheph) picture travelers stumbling in twilight on mountain paths—dangerous, disorienting. 'And, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.' What they hope will be light (relief, rescue) becomes death-shadow (tsalmaveth). Hope will be disappointed; light will become darkness.

Historical Context

This urgent call pictures Judah on a mountain path with darkness falling. The smart response is to stop, find shelter, wait for light. But continued stubbornness means pressing on into darkness and stumbling to destruction. The 'shadow of death' (tsalmaveth) appears in Psalm 23:4, Job, and elsewhere—representing mortal danger. Continued expectation of light while walking into darkness describes false hope in false prophets' promises of peace.

Questions for Reflection

Related Resources

Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.

People