I will surely consume them saith the Lord : there shall be no grapes on the vine nor figs on the fig tree and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.Jeremiah 8:13 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: God warns that because of the nation's unfaithfulness, their blessings and productivity will be taken away — no grapes, no figs, the leaves will wither, and the gifts God had given them will disappear. - Big idea: God’s judgment comes when a people persist in sin and false security — the material signs of blessing can be removed as a consequence. - Key points: - The verse uses agricultural imagery (grapes, figs, leaves) to show total loss of sustenance and prosperity. - The loss is described as God “consuming” or removing what He had given — a judgment linked to covenant unfaithfulness. - This warning flows from a larger pattern in Jeremiah: false peace, ignored warnings, and the coming consequences of rebellion. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Jeremiah 8 is part of a longer prophetic section where Jeremiah speaks God’s charge against Judah for trusting false prophets, ignoring real danger, and practicing injustice. Verse 13 is a stark statement of the consequences that will follow. - Story timeline: Jeremiah prophesied in the late 7th to early 6th century BCE, leading up to and including the years before the Babylonian conquest and exile (roughly 627–586 BCE). The direct audience is Judah — its people and leaders who had turned from covenant faithfulness. The speaker is God, delivered through Jeremiah. - Surrounding passage: The verses before focus on leaders and prophets offering false “peace” when there is no peace and the people refusing to feel shame over their sins. Verse 13 then warns of severe loss — the crops and leaves will fail. The immediate verses after picture alarm, flight, and the breakdown of normal life as judgment arrives. ## Explanation - Quick take: Jeremiah 8:13 is a prophetic warning: because Judah has ignored God and clung to false security, the visible proofs of God’s blessing (crops, fruit, provision) will be withdrawn as judgment. - In Depth: - Image and impact: Grapes and figs were staple signs of fertility and prosperity in ancient Israel — vineyards and fig trees yielded food, income, and social stability. Saying “there shall be no grapes… nor figs… and the leaf shall fade” paints a picture of agricultural collapse and economic collapse. - “I will surely consume them, saith the Lord”: The verb is emphatic — God emphatically announces that He will act. It is not incidental; it is purposeful judgment. - “The things that I have given them shall pass away from them”: This highlights a covenant logic. Blessings were gifts from God within the covenant relationship; persistent disobedience can mean those blessings are revoked, at least temporarily and as a consequence. - Tone and intent: The verse is judicial rather than vindictive. It communicates both God’s righteous response to sin and the seriousness of rejecting the covenant. There is also a pastoral undertone through the book: these warnings intend to call people back to repentance. ## Key Words - אֲכַלֵּם (’akhalém) — “I will consume/devour” (strong verb indicating decisive action). - עָנָב (’anáv) — “grape(s)” (symbol of fruitfulness and economic wellbeing). - תְּאֵנָה (te’énah) — “fig” (another staple fruit, signifying sustenance). - עָלֶה (’aléh) — “leaf” (the healthy leaf signals life and growth; its fading signals decay). ## Background - Agricultural reality: In ancient Palestine, vineyards and fig trees were reliable markers of a household’s or region’s health. A blight on these crops meant hunger, economic collapse, and social upheaval. - Covenant framework: Israel’s relationship with God was expressed through promises of blessing for obedience and warnings of judgment for disobedience. Prophets used concrete images (crop failure, drought, exile) to describe covenant consequences. - Religious climate: Jeremiah’s time saw widespread reliance on ritual, political alliances, and the optimistic assurances of false prophets instead of heart-level obedience to God. The prophetic warnings were often ignored until it was too late. ## Theology - God is just and sovereign: God can remove blessings when a covenant people persistently reject Him. - Judgment aims to correct and to call: Prophetic warnings are both denunciations of sin and calls to repentance. - Blessing as gift: What people enjoy (prosperity, crops, safety) is ultimately a gift from God — and gifts can be withheld when the relationship is broken. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: Don’t build security on short-term gain or unethical advantage; long-term flourishing depends on integrity and wise stewardship. - For parents: Teach children that blessings are not entitlements but gifts that carry responsibility; model faithfulness that values relationship with God over temporary comforts. - For community leaders: Beware of offering false assurances to people; honest assessment and wise leadership matter in times of trouble. - For seekers: This verse shows that faithfulness has practical consequences — spiritual choices affect daily life. - Reflection questions: 1. What “vineyards” or “fig trees” in your life do you treat as guaranteed, and how might God be calling you to evaluate them? 2. Where have you ignored warnings or settled for “false peace” instead of facing hard truths? - Short prayer: Lord, help me to see where I take Your gifts for granted. Give me the courage to change, to steward what You’ve given well, and to turn back to You. ## Translation Comparison - KJV: “I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.” - NIV: “I will surely snuff out the survivors of this people, declares the LORD. Woe to them! For they will go hungry; woe to them! For they will be appalled and horrified because of the LORD’s great anger.” - Note: NIV renders the verse in a different way (the Hebrew can be read slightly differently; NIV opts for an interpretive translation emphasizing survivors and hunger). - ESV: “I will surely consume them, declares the LORD; there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and what I have given them will pass away from them.” - NLT: “I will destroy them, says the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vines, and no figs on the fig trees. The leaves will wither, and everything I have given them will disappear.” - NASB: “I will certainly consume them,’ declares the LORD; ‘there will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade; and the things which I have given them will pass away from them.’” - Why differences matter: Translators balance literal wording with readability and interpretive decisions. Words like “consume,” “destroy,” or “snuff out” all convey judgment but differ in tone. Some translations (like NIV here) interpret a broader sense — focusing on survivors and their hunger — while others stick closer to the agricultural, literal images. Noting these choices helps readers see both the concrete picture of crop failure and the broader social consequences. ## FAQs - Q: Does Jeremiah 8:13 mean God takes away everything from people without mercy? A: The verse is a strong statement of judgment, but it must be read in context. Jeremiah’s prophecies are warnings aimed at turning people back to God. In the covenant framework of the Bible, God’s withdrawing of blessings is a response to persistent unfaithfulness and serves both as just consequence and as a call to repentance. Elsewhere in Scripture God also promises mercy and restoration to those who repent (see Jeremiah 31; Hosea). The verse describes severity so people will wake up to the reality of their situation — it’s not a statement that God delights in cruelty. - Q: How should we read these harsh images today without losing compassion? A: We can take the agricultural images seriously while also holding to the full portrait of God across Scripture: a holy God who judges sin but also a merciful God who seeks the return of the lost. Practically, that means we interpret this verse as a pastoral warning for our times: consequences are real, but they can lead to change. When applying it, emphasize both the call to repent and the willingness of God to restore those who genuinely turn back. ## Cross References - Deuteronomy 28:38–40 — curses for disobedience include failed crops and agricultural loss (parallel theme of covenant consequences). - Jeremiah 14:4–6 — imagery of drought and hunger as signs of divine displeasure. - Hosea 9:16 — speaks of consequences and loss for the people because of sin (similar prophetic warning tone). - Amos 4:6–9 — God sends various calamities, calling people to repentance; agricultural judgments are used as correction. - Lamentations 1:5 — images of bereavement when God withdraws favor; shows consequences of Jerusalem’s fall. ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most interpreters see Jeremiah 8:13 as part of the prophet’s denunciation of Judah’s false confidence and moral failure. The agricultural metaphors make the judgment vivid and relatable: loss of crops equals loss of life and security. Scholars note that these prophetic images function both as immediate warnings and as part of the bigger storyline of exile and eventual restoration in Jeremiah. - Group study prompts: - Read Jeremiah 8. Identify what the people and prophets were saying versus what God said. How did false assurance contribute to disaster? - Discuss the agricultural metaphors: what do grapes, figs, and leaves represent in your cultural context? How do we translate that today? - Share practical ways your group can resist “false peace” — where are you tempted to say everything is fine when it isn’t? ## Related verses (to compare and contrast — and why) - Deuteronomy 28:38–40 — Compare for the direct link between covenant disobedience and agricultural curses; helps show continuity of covenant theology. - Jeremiah 14:4–6 — Compare for another prophetic picture of drought and famine; helps show repeated warnings before disaster. - Amos 8:11 — Contrast the agricultural famine image with the idea of a “famine of hearing the word” — both show different dimensions of crisis: physical need and spiritual dryness. ## Talk to the Bible Try using the ‘Talk To The Bible’ feature to dig deeper. Suggested prompts: - “Explain the agricultural imagery in Jeremiah 8:13 and how it would have sounded to an ancient Israelite.” - “How would you preach Jeremiah 8:13 to a modern congregation concerned about security and comfort?” - “Show connections between Jeremiah 8:13 and New Testament themes of judgment and repentance.”
