Focused Passage

Jeremiah 13:20-22

The Ruined Belt and the Shame of Judah’s Pride

The chapter moves from the symbolic ruined linen belt, to the wine jars filled with drunken judgment, to a call to humble oneself before darkness falls, to royal humiliation and exile, to the exposure of Judah's shame, and finally to the devastating question of whether those habituated to evil can change themselves.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?

21What will you say when He sets over you close allies whom you yourself trained? Will not pangs of anguish grip you, as they do a woman in labor?

22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

Lift upשְׂאִיH5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralyour eyesעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙H5869Noun - cdc | second person masculine pluraland seeוּרְאִיH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthose comingהַבָּאִ֖יםH935Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralfrom the northמִצָּפ֑וֹןH6828Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularWhereאַיֵּ֗הH346Interrogativeis the flockהָעֵ֙דֶר֙H5739Article | Noun - masculine singularentrustedנִתַּן־H5414Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto youלָ֔ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularthe sheepצֹ֖אןH6629Noun - common singular constructthat were your prideתִּפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ׃H8597Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 21

Original words

Whatמַה־H4100Interrogativewill you sayתֹּֽאמְרִי֙H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularwhenכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionHe setsיִפְקֹ֣דH6485Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularover youעָלַ֔יִךְH5921Preposition | second person feminine singularcloseאַלֻּפִ֖יםH441Noun - masculine pluralalliesלְרֹ֑אשׁH7218Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularwhom youוְ֠אַתְּH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person feminine singularyourself trainedלִמַּ֨דְתְּH3925Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine singular-אֹתָ֥םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine plural-עָלַ֛יִךְH5921Preposition | second person feminine singularWill notהֲל֤וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particlepangs of anguishחֲבָלִים֙H2256Noun - masculine pluralgrip youיֹאחֱז֔וּךְH270Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person feminine singularasכְּמ֖וֹH3644Prepositionthey do a womanאֵ֥שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructin laborלֵדָֽה׃H3205Noun - feminine singular
Verse 22

Original words

And ifוְכִ֤יH3588Conjunctionyou askתֹאמְרִי֙H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularyourselfבִּלְבָבֵ֔ךְH3824Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularWhyמַדּ֖וּעַH4069Interrogativehas thisאֵ֑לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralhappened to meקְרָאֻ֣נִיH7122Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singularIt is because of the magnitudeבְּרֹ֧בH7230Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof your iniquityעֲוֺנֵ֛ךְH5771Noun - common singular construct | second person feminine singularthat your skirtsשׁוּלַ֖יִךְH7757Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularhave been stripped offנִגְל֥וּH1540Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural[and] your bodyעֲקֵבָֽיִךְ׃H6119Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularhas been exposedנֶחְמְס֥וּH2554Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural

BSB notes

  • Literally and your heels have suffered violence

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.