Jeremiah 13:14
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Jeremiah 13:14
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Chapter Context
Jeremiah 13 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of fellowship, judgment, obedience. Written during the final years of Judah and early exile (c. 627-580 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Prophesied during Judah's final years as Babylon became the dominant power.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-27: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Jeremiah and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Jeremiah 13:14
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Analysis
This verse intensifies judgment: 'And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD.' The Hebrew naphats (נָפַץ, dash, shatter) applies to pottery broken by smashing against surfaces or each other. Filled vessels dashed together produce mutual destruction. 'Fathers and sons together' (avoth ubanim yachdav) indicates generational destruction without mercy. 'I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.' Three negations (lo, lo, lo) emphasize no reprieve: no pity (chamal), no sparing (chus), no mercy (racham). Complete, pitiless destruction. The verse reveals judgment's comprehensive finality.
Historical Context
The siege of Jerusalem (588-586 BC) produced exactly this: fathers and sons dying together, families destroyed, comprehensive devastation without mercy. Lamentations describes the horrors: starvation, violence, death across all ages. The warning of pitiless destruction, given decades before fulfillment, emphasizes that judgment wasn't arbitrary but announced in advance.
Reflection
- What does the pottery imagery (dashing vessels together) add to the judgment description?
- How do the three negations (no pity, spare, or mercy) intensify the severity of announced judgment?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Jeremiah 6:21, Deuteronomy 29:20
- Grace: Jeremiah 21:7, Isaiah 27:11
- Parallel theme: Psalms 2:9