Jeremiah 13:17But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh's flock is taken captive.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah stands alone in his chamber, tears streaming down his face as he sees the spiritual blindness that will soon bring Babylonian armies. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine.
The emotion here: heartbroken isolation, carrying unbearable burden for his people
The original word
nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) — his very soul, the deepest part of his being
Why it matters
Jeremiah was called the 'weeping prophet' and served through five different kings' reigns
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 13:17
He weeps 'in secret' — even God's spokesman feels alone in his grief
Common misconceptionPeople think prophets were angry judgment-bringers, but Jeremiah's heart was breaking. He wept more than he thundered.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 13:17
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 13:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 13:17 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include grief, intercession, pastoral heart. Notable phrases: soul shall weep in secret; eye shall weep bitterly. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 13:17 mean to you, today?
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