Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour.

JEREMIAH 16:13KJV
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Jeremiah 16:13 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 16:13 mean?

Jeremiah 16:13 says that God will drive the people of Judah out of their own land and send them to a foreign country they do not know, where they will be forced to serve other gods day and night, and God will not show them any favor there. This verse describes a coming exile as a consequence of their unfaithfulness.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking God’s message to the people of Judah, warning them about the result of their persistent idolatry and disobedience. The situation is one of judgment: the people will lose their homeland and be sent to a place unfamiliar to them and their ancestors. The mention of serving "other gods" highlights that, in exile, they will be surrounded by foreign religions and will not experience God’s kindness or protection as they did in their own land.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 16:13

  • "Cast" (יָדַח, yāḏaḥ) means to throw out or drive away. Here, it emphasizes the forceful removal of the people from their land, not a voluntary departure.
  • "Land" (אֶרֶץ, ʾereṣ) is used twice, stressing both the loss of their own homeland and the unfamiliarity of the place to which they will be sent.
  • "Serve" (עָבַד, ʿāḇaḏ) means to work for or worship. In this context, it suggests that in exile, the people will be compelled to participate in the worship of foreign gods, not just live among them.
  • "Favour" (חֵן, ḥēn) refers to grace or kindness. The verse makes clear that in exile, God’s special favor or mercy will not be shown to them as it was before.

Why Jeremiah 16:13 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the exile is not just a change of location but a total loss of the privileges and relationship the people had with God in their own land.
  • The warning about serving "other gods" underlines how exile would expose the people to spiritual dangers and pressures they had not faced at home.
  • Jeremiah 16:13 connects to the larger theme in Jeremiah of consequences for persistent disobedience, showing that God’s patience has limits and that judgment will come if the people do not turn back.

Where else these words appear

“cast” Hebrew H2904 · used in 14 verses

  • 1 Samuel 18:11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
  • Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 32:4 Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.

“day” Hebrew H3119 · used in 50 verses

  • Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
  • Nehemiah 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
  • Isaiah 4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.