Jeremiah 1:13-14
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The phrasing "face thereof is toward the north" is a bit tricky; it doesn't mean the opening of the pot faces north, but rather the pot itself is positioned or heated in a way that its "front" (where the fire is applied or the steam is directed) is from the northern direction, signifying that the impending judgment will come from the north. This imagery highlights that the boiling, destructive force is originating from that quarter and is about to spill over onto the land.
The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After receiving his commission, Jeremiah is given a second vision to clarify the nature of his prophecy. He sees a large pot, symbolizing nations or cities, furiously boiling with intense heat and agitation, its opening facing away from the north. This unsettling image directly precedes God's explanation that this boiling represents a devastating destruction coming from the north upon the land of Judah.
Jeremiah sees a pot, but not for cooking a nice meal. This vision is intense, and God uses it to convey something serious.
The image of a 'seething pot' is a powerful symbol in the Old Testament, often representing war and the devastating judgment of God.
A Pot of Trouble
The pot isn't just boiling; its 'face' is turned a specific direction. This detail is crucial for understanding where the trouble is coming from.
The phrase 'facing away from the north' (or more accurately, 'from the north') pinpoints the source of the impending disaster.
The Northern Threat
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Understand the original words
napuach · Hebrew Adjective/Participle
The state of being agitated, heated, or in a condition of intense preparation for release; symbolically used for divine judgment or upheaval.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Calamity, evil, or adversity, often resulting from God's judgment upon sin or the consequences of turning away from His covenant.
tzafon · Hebrew Noun
A cardinal direction frequently associated in the Old Testament with the origin of invading armies and divine judgment against Israel.
yashab · Hebrew Noun (Participle)
Those who dwell within a specific territory; in biblical contexts, it often refers to those responsible for covenant faithfulness to God.
This vision of the boiling pot, understood as a symbol of war and judgment, directly addresses the imminent threat from the Babylonian Empire to the north, setting the stage for Jeremiah's prophetic ministry which spanned decades of conflict and exile.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, Crown Prince of Babylon, defeats the Egyptians at Carchemish and then advances into Judah, taking Jerusalem and deporting many of its leading citizens, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
c. 605 BC
Jeremiah's Call to Prophecy
God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, giving him visions and commissioning him to proclaim judgment and restoration to Judah.
c. 605 BC— this verse
Vision of the Boiling Pot
The LORD gives Jeremiah a second vision: a boiling pot facing away from the north, symbolizing impending judgment and destruction about to pour out upon Judah from the northern Babylonian empire.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports another group of Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon following a revolt.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's forces conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, ending the kingdom of Judah.
This passage uses the very same symbol of a boiling pot to represent judgment, emphasizing its terrifying and inescapable nature.
Jeremiah 1:14This verse immediately follows the vision, explicitly stating that the calamity will indeed come from the north, directly explaining the meaning of the pot's orientation.
Isaiah 8:7This prophecy speaks of the 'waters of the great river' (referring to the Assyrian/Babylonian empire) coming up against Judah, mirroring the overflowing, destructive force depicted in Jeremiah's boiling pot vision.
Ezekiel 11:3Here, the people of Jerusalem mockingly interpret a similar 'boiling pot' vision as an excuse for their perceived safety, highlighting how such symbols were understood as representing impending doom.
pulpitJeremiah 1:13: "And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north."
Verse 13. - A seething pot. There is a variety of Hebrew words for "pot." The word here used suggests a vessel of large size, since pottage for a whole company of prophets could be cooked in such. a pot or caldron (2 Kings 4:38). From Ezekiel 24:11 we may infer that it was of metal. A "seething pot" in ancient Arabic poetry…
clarkeJeremiah 1:13: "And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north."
A seething pot - toward the north - We find, from Ezekiel 24:3 , etc., that a boiling pot was an emblem of war, and the desolations it produces. Some have thought that by the seething pot Judea is intended, agitated by the invasion of the Chaldeans, whose land lay north of Judea. But Dr. Blayney contends that מפני צפונה mip…
The phrasing "face thereof is toward the north" is a bit tricky; it doesn't mean the opening of the pot faces north, but rather the pot itself is positioned or heated in a way that its "front" (where the fire is applied or the steam is directed) is from the northern direction, signifying that the impending judgment will come from the north. This imagery highlights that the boiling, destructive force is originating from that quarter and is about to spill over onto the land.
After receiving his commission, Jeremiah is given a second vision to clarify the nature of his prophecy. He sees a large pot, symbolizing nations or cities, furiously boiling with intense heat and agitation, its opening facing away from the north. This unsettling image directly precedes God's explanation that this boiling represents a devastating destruction coming from the north upon the land of Judah.
After receiving his commission, Jeremiah is given a second vision to clarify the nature of his prophecy. He sees a large pot, symbolizing nations or cities, furiously boiling with intense heat and agitation, its opening facing away from the north. This unsettling image directly precedes God's explanation that this boiling represents a devastating destruction coming from the north upon the land of Judah.
"The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of th…" — The phrasing "face thereof is toward the north" is a bit tricky; it doesn't mean the opening of the pot faces north, but rather the pot itself is positioned or heated in a way that its "front" (whe…
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Last reviewed October 2026
