Jeremiah 13:27 Meaning and Explanation
“I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God witnesses Judah's idolatry and calls out Jerusalem to repent before it is too late.
The Context of Jeremiah 13:27
Final indictment of Judah's idolatry with an urgent call to repentance.
What Does Jeremiah 13:27 Mean?
God declares His complete awareness of Judah's infidelities. The use of sexual imagery—adulteries, neighings (like animals in mating season), lewdness, whoredom—conveys both the literal sexual immorality present in Canaanite religious practices and the deeper spiritual unfaithfulness to God. The abominations on hills and in fields refer to shrine worship and idolatrous rituals conducted throughout the countryside, hidden from no one who cares to see.
The final question—'wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?'—carries both judgment and a last appeal. It acknowledges that Jerusalem could be made clean through repentance, yet asks when that will finally happen. The tone is one of exasperation: How long will you persist in this? Why continue to delay the repentance that could restore you? The question closes the chapter with a door left open, but with the implication that time is running out.
Jeremiah 13:27 in the Original Language
abominations (שִׁקְצִים) — detestable things, often referring to idolatrous practices.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah 13:27
What does Jeremiah 13:27 mean?
God witnesses Judah's idolatry and calls out Jerusalem to repent before it is too late.
What is the context of Jeremiah 13:27?
Final indictment of Judah's idolatry with an urgent call to repentance.