Jeremiah 13:16 · Bible study
Jeremiah 13:16 Commentary: Giving Glory Before Darkness
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the urgent call to repent in Jeremiah 13:16, giving glory to God before judgment falls like darkness on the mountains.
Research Summary
- Meaning: To give glory to God is to confess sin and submit to his word before impending judgment.
- Key words: Glory (kavod), ascribe worth; darkness (chashak), judgment; stumble (nagaph), fall; twilight (neshef), time of danger.
- Main debate: Whether the darkness is metaphorical for adversity or literal absence of light; also the identity of the mountains (real geographical obstacles or symbolic kingdoms).
- Theological theme: God's mercy in warning before judgment; human pride as the root of refusal; the active role of God in bringing both light and darkness.
- Best use: A call to urgent repentance during times of national or personal crisis, often used in penitential liturgies.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Give glory to Yahweh your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep darkness.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Give glory to Jehovah 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Give ye to Jehovah your God honour, Before He doth cause darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And ye have waited for light, And He hath made it for death-shade, And hath appointed it for thick darkness.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight; and ye shall look for light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death, and make [it] gross darkness.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Give ye glory to the Lord your God, before it be dark, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains: you shall look for light, and he will turn it into the shadow of death, and into darkness.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Dad gloria á Jehová Dios vuestro, antes que haga venir tinieblas, y antes que vuestros pies tropiecen en montes de oscuridad, y esperéis luz, y os la torne sombra de muerte y tinieblas.
Dai glória ao SENHOR vosso Deus, antes que ele faça escurecer, e antes que vossos pés tropecem nos montes no meio da escuridão, e espereis luz, e ele a torne em sombra de morte e cause trevas.
Rendez gloire à l’ Éternel, votre Dieu,
Gebet dem HERRN, eurem Gott, die Ehre, ehe denn es finster werde, und ehe eure Füße sich an den dunklen Bergen stoßen, daß ihr des Lichts wartet, so er's doch gar finster und dunkel machen wird.
Geeft eer den HEERE, uw God, eer dat Hij het duister maakt, en eer uw voeten zich stoten aan de schemerende bergen; dat gij naar licht wacht, en Hij datzelve tot een schaduw des doods stelle, en tot een donkerheid zette.
Date gloria all’Eterno, al vostro Dio, prima ch’ei faccia venir le tenebre, e prima che i vostri piedi inciampino sui monti avvolti nel crepuscolo, e voi aspettiate la luce ed egli ne faccia un’ombra di morte, e la muti in oscurità profonda.
Dajcie Panu, Bogu swemu, chwałę, pierwej niżby ciemności przywiódł,a pierwej niżby się obraziły nogi wasze o góry ciemne; i czekalibyście światłości, ale Bóg obróciłby je w cień śmierci i przemieniłby je w zaćmienie.
Воздайте славу Господу Богу вашему, доколе Он еще не навел темноты, и доколе еще ноги ваши не спотыкаются на горах мрака: тогда вы будете ожидать света, а Он обратит его в тень смерти и сделает тьмою.
耶和華─你們的 神 未使 黑暗來到，你們的腳 未在 昏暗 山 上絆跌 之先，當將榮耀 歸 給他；免得你們盼望 光明，他使光明變為 死蔭，成為 幽暗。
Give glory to the Lord your God, before he makes it dark, and before your feet are slipping on the dark mountains, and, while you are looking for a light, he makes it into deep dark, into black night.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 13:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that 'give glory to Yahweh' in Jeremiah 13:16 is not a call to praise but to repentance. Calvin explains that by 'glory' he means acknowledging God's authority and trembling at his word, something the proud Jews had withheld. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible note the parallel in Joshua 7:19, where Achan is urged to confess his sin. The hour is critical: before God 'causes darkness,' before your feet stumble on the 'mountains of twilight.' These mountains (Hebrew harei neshef) are not just any hills; they are those shrouded in dusk, making travel deadly. Keil and Delitzsch stress that the verb is active, God himself sends the dark. Light and darkness serve as emblems of prosperity and adversity (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). The grace behind the threat is that while light remains there is still time to turn.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The central call to repent and give glory to God before the judgment he sends is clear and undisputed across interpretive traditions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'give glory' | All traditions see it as a call to repentance and confession of sin, echoing Joshua 7:19. | Some traditions emphasize the element of praise and worship inherent in ascribing glory, while others focus almost exclusively on confession and submission to judgment. |
| Nature of the darkness | The darkness symbolizes God's judgment, whether historical (Babylonian exile) or spiritual. | The primary referent is debated: most see the imminent Babylonian catastrophe, while others read it as an eschatological warning of final judgment, applicable beyond the immediate context. |
| Identity of the dark mountains | The mountains represent obstacles that cause stumbling during judgment. | Some interpreters take them literally as the hills of Judah or the route to Babylon; others interpret them symbolically as the proud kingdoms of the world or the difficulties of apostasy. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The oracle in Jeremiah 13 belongs to a sequence of judgment speeches directed at Judah in the final decades before the Babylonian exile (c. 605, 586 BC). The preceding verses (12, 14) use the image of wine bottles being filled to depict a coming intoxication, a divine judgment that would leave leaders and people reeling. Into this scene of announced doom, verse 16 bursts as a last appeal.
To 'give glory to God' was a recognized act in Israelite culture. The phrase reappears in Joshua 7:19 (Achan's confession of sin) and 1 Samuel 6:5 (the Philistines returning the ark). It meant to honor God by admitting the truth about oneself, in this case, the truth of rebellion. The warning is urgent: 'before he causes darkness.' The Hebrew verb yachshikh is Hiphil, causal: God himself will bring the darkness of judgment, not simply allow it to fall.
The 'mountains of twilight' evoke the dangerous terrain of the Judean hill country, where a traveler caught at dusk would stumble over unseen rocks and ravines. But the image also points to the foreign kingdoms, Babylon and Media, that would become obstacles of exile (Gill). The people wait for light, but instead God turns it into tsalmavet, the 'shadow of death' (Psalm 44:19). This is not a passive change; it is divine action against pride. The call to give glory is thus both an invitation to mercy and a warning that mercy has a deadline.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary notes two minor textual issues. First, the Chetiv (written) reads yashit ('he will set') while the Keri (read) suggests veshit ('and set'), with Keil and Delitzsch regarding the Keri as uncalled for. Second, the verb 'he causes darkness' (Hiphil) is transitive, though some English versions render it intransitively ('it grows dark'). No other significant variants are mentioned.
Reception History
Jeremiah 13:16 has been received across traditions as a sobering call to repentance. In Jewish liturgy, it is associated with days of fasting and confession. The early church fathers, such as Jerome, cited the verse in exhortations to humility. During the Reformation, both Protestant and Catholic preachers used it to underscore the urgency of turning from sin before judgment. In hymnody, the image of 'shadow of death' (tsalmavet) ties to Psalm 23 and has been sung as a plea for God's guidance through darkness. Modern readers often turn to this verse in times of national crisis or personal conviction, finding in its poetry both warning and invitation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Give Glory While Light Remains. The call to confess and turn is urgent; delay is dangerous.
- The Danger of the Dark Mountains. Pride blinds us to the obstacles ahead; only humility can keep us from stumbling.
- Hope Turned to Grief. Waiting for deliverance without repentance ends in tragedy; but the warning itself is God's mercy.
Five-point outline
- The Call: Acknowledge God's glory by confessing our sin.
- The Time: Before the darkness falls, while there is still opportunity.
- The Terrain: The mountains of twilight, the challenges we cannot see in our pride.
- The Transition: Waiting for light that God instead turns to deep darkness.
- The Threat: The shadow of death and thick darkness as the consequence of refusal.
Illustration hooks
- Like a hiker who ignores the setting sun and finds himself stranded on a mountain trail in total darkness, unable to see the next step.
- Like a patient who delays treatment, expecting to feel better tomorrow, only to discover the disease has spread.
- Like a nation that believes its prosperity will last, ignoring warning signs of economic and moral collapse.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What does 'give glory to God' look like in everyday life, is it only about confessing sins, or more?
- How can we tell if we are waiting for 'light' in a situation where God actually intends to send darkness?
- Is there a point where God's judgment is inevitable and repentance no longer works? How does this verse address that fear?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 13:16 is a vivid call to repentance before judgment falls. It uses the imagery of a traveler overtaken by darkness on treacherous mountains, a warning that resonates across centuries. Use these questions to explore the passage together.
Discussion questions
- What do you think it means to 'give glory to Yahweh'? How does the parallel text in Joshua 7:19 inform your understanding?
- Why does Jeremiah emphasize that God 'causes darkness' rather than simply allowing it? What does that tell us about God's role in judgment?
- The Hebrew phrase 'mountains of twilight' is poetic. What picture does it create for you? What might 'stumbling' represent in your own spiritual journey?
- Verse 16 says the people 'wait for light' but God turns it into 'deep darkness.' How does this challenge our expectations of God's timing?
- What is the relationship between pride and judgment in this passage (see also v.15, 17)?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you delayed responding to God's conviction, only to find that the opportunity passed? What did you learn?
- How does this passage speak to our world's current sense of certainty and prosperity? Where might we be 'looking for light' but ignoring God's call?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 10:21 | Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” |
| Joshua 7:19 | Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!” |
| I Samuel 6:5 | Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. |
| Psalms 44:19 | though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death. |
| Psalms 96:7 | Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. |
| Psalms 96:8 | Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts. |
| Proverbs 4:19 | The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over. |
| Ecclesiastes 11:8 | Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets the call to give glory to God as a summons to confess sins and turn back, so that coming disasters may be avoided. The people expected light, but God sent the deepest kind of ruin instead. Their stumbling on dark mountains refers to obstacles they cannot overcome because they lack true understanding.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats the "mountains of twilight" as a warning: Judah is on dangerous ground, not the safe highway, and darkness is falling. The danger is that the very light the people wait for God turns into the shadow of death, a sudden and total darkness.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin explains that "giving glory to God" here means acknowledging His authority by submitting to His word. Refusing to believe the prophets is not a minor failing but a form of sacrilege that robs God of the honor due to Him. Even those who speak piously are in reality enemies of God's glory if they do not tremble at His word in faith.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible treats the passage as an urgent call for Judah to submit to God while there is still time. The image compares the nation to mountain travelers overtaken by darkness who hope for dawn but find only deeper gloom instead. Confessing sin and obeying God is the only way to avoid this irreversible ruin.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note warns that giving glory to God must happen now, before judgment falls like sudden darkness. Those who wait will find themselves stumbling in dark mountains, and the light they hoped for will be turned into the shadow of death, leaving them in despair.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the call to give glory to God as a last-minute warning before darkness arrives in three distinct forms: the coming Babylonian captivity, the even darker age of papal error and persecution, and finally the personal darkness of death. He urges immediate repentance and faith in Christ, because after these dark mountains there is no more opportunity.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB interprets "give glory to God" as a call to confess sin, just as Joshua urged Achan. The darkness images that follow -- stumbling at nightfall, "mountains of twilight" that hide a deadly rock, and the "shadow of death" -- paint a picture of coming judgment: those who refuse to repent will be overtaken by a ruin they never saw coming.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch reads "give God the glory" as a call to confess apostasy and return in repentance, not mere praise. They argue the Hebrew verb for "bring darkness" is transitive: God actively sends judgment. "Mountains of dusk" symbolize unseen stumbling blocks, while "shadow of death" means deep darkness and "arafel" a cloudy night.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry focuses on the striking figure of bottles filled with wine, which he reads as God's judgment intoxicating the people. The drunkenness renders them helpless, so they are dashed against one another in destruction. He then underscores the urgent call to humble themselves and give glory to God before the darkness comes.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that giving glory to God means humbling oneself through confession and submission to God's word and hand, rather than waiting for His heavy judgments to force that humility. He urges this voluntary humbling as the way to glorify God before judgment comes.