Jer 13:1-14 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 13:1-14: 13:1-14 The Lord told Jeremiah to act out a parable (see also chs 18 , 19 , 27 ; see thematic note for Prophetic Sign Acts at end of chapter). The parable joined action with words to reinforce and illustrate special aspects of the Lord’s response to Judah’s rebellion. Jeremiah seemed unable to fully grasp the evil consequences of rejecting the Lord’s demand that the people worship him as the one true God. The direct relationship between Jeremiah and the Lord was the framework for this event. Summary for Jer 13:1-2: 13:1-2 God instructed Jeremiah to leave a linen loincloth unwashed to symbolize Judah’s unrighteousness (cp. Isa 64:5 ; Rev 19:8 ). This piece of clothing is comparable to modern-day underwear.

Summary for Jer 13:1-14: 13:1-14 ^a The Lord told Jeremiah to act out a parable (see also chs 18 ^b, 19 ^c, 27 ^d; see thematic note for Prophetic Sign Acts at end of chapter). The parable joined action with words to reinforce and illustrate special aspects of the Lord’s response to Judah’s rebellion. Jeremiah seemed unable to fully grasp the evil consequences of rejecting the Lord’s demand that the people worship him as the one true God. The direct relationship between Jeremiah and the Lord was the framework for this event.
Summary for Jer 13:1-2: 13:1-2 ^e God instructed Jeremiah to leave a linen loincloth unwashed to symbolize Judah’s unrighteousness (cp. Isa 64:5 ^f; Rev 19:8 ^g). This piece of clothing is comparable to modern-day underwear.
Summary for Jer 13:3-5: 13:3-5 ^h The Euphrates River is 300 miles north of Jerusalem. Jeremiah probably joined a merchant caravan for protection as he walked or rode a donkey for the 600-mile round trip. Jeremiah did not know the purpose of the trip, but he obeyed God’s instructions.
Summary for Jer 13:6-7: 13:6-7 ⁱ The safest time to travel was during the dry season, from June to September. The most likely time for cloth to rot was during the wet season, October to May.

• A long time afterward was probably between six and ten months.
Summary for Jer 13:8-9: 13:8-9 ^j The parable was the Lord’s way of expressing how disgusting the pride of Judah and Jerusalem had become and how he was allowing the consequences of sin to take their course.
Summary for Jer 13:10-11: 13:10-11 ^k The rotten loincloth represented the people of Judah and Israel, whose wicked rebellion had corrupted them and made them worthless.

• clings: The same Hebrew word can be translated “joins” and is used to describe marital faithfulness (Gen 2:24 ^l).

• my people ... an honor to my name: See also Exod 19:5 ^m, 6 ⁿ; Deut 32:10-12 ^o; Eph 2:7 ^p; 3:10 ^q.
Summary for Jer 13:12-14: 13:12-14 ^r Of course! The people assumed that the Lord would continue to bless them as he had in the past (Ps 104:15 ^s; Prov 9:2-5 ^t). However, the wine was not a symbol of blessing; in this case, drunkenness symbolized God’s wrath (cp. Rev 14:10 ^u).