Jeremiah 15:13
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The chilling phrase "without price" suggests God's utter disdain for their treasures; they're not even worth a transaction, implying their material wealth held no true value in His eyes compared to their sin. This reveals a profound spiritual poverty that rendered their riches meaningless, leading to their complete abandonment to spoil.
“Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse bursts forth as a stark pronouncement of judgment, following God's assurances to Jeremiah in the preceding verses. It directly addresses Judah, revealing that their treasured possessions will be plundered and given away freely, not because the conquerors paid for them, but because God is divesting them of value due to their pervasive sins across the entire land. This declaration highlights the complete abandonment and worthlessness of their wealth in God's eyes when contrasted with their rampant iniquity, setting the stage for the ensuing pronouncements of exile and judgment.
Imagine all your hard-earned possessions suddenly taken, not because anyone paid for them, but because they were deemed worthless. This is the stark image God paints for Judah.
God declares He will give Judah's "wealth and treasures" to be spoiled "without price." This phrase carries immense weight. It signifies a total loss, a complete abandonment where what was held dear will be plundered without any value or negotiation.
What 'Without Price' Means:
Why would a loving God allow His people's most prized possessions to be plundered? The answer is direct and sobering: it's all because of their sins.
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The verse explicitly links the loss of wealth to "all your sins." This isn't a punishment for a few minor infractions, but a comprehensive consequence for a pervasive pattern of sin that has affected their entire nation.
The Scope of Sin and Punishment:
Understand the original words
chayil · Hebrew Noun
Material possessions, riches, or accumulated goods. Biblically, these are seen as gifts from God but can become an idol if one places trust in them rather than in the Creator.
chattath · Hebrew Noun
The intentional, often wrongful deviation from God’s moral law. It is an act of rebellion against the authority and character of God, which incurs divine judgment.
This verse speaks of God giving Judah's wealth and treasures to be plundered, emphasizing the utter devastation that resulted from the Babylonian conquest. The phrase 'without price' highlights the completeness of this abandonment, signifying that Judah's enemies would gain their spoils easily, a stark consequence of their pervasive sins throughout the land.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Fall of Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, marking a significant loss of territory and a precursor to future invasions of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and begins deporting some of its people and treasures to Babylon, including members of the royal family and the prophet Daniel.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Babylon again attacks Jerusalem, exiling more of the population, including the prophet Ezekiel, and looting the Temple.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar finally destroys Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event represents the culmination of God's judgment on Judah's persistent sin.
c. 586 BC
Exile in Babylon Begins
The Babylonian exile marks a period of profound national trauma and spiritual reflection for the Jewish people, living far from their homeland and their God.
This passage echoes the idea of being 'sold for nothing,' emphasizing the utter abandonment and worthlessness of God's people in the eyes of their captors due to their sins.
Jeremiah 17:3This verse presents a very similar declaration of God giving treasures to spoil, also connecting it directly to the people's sins throughout their land, highlighting the pervasive nature of their rebellion.
Ezekiel 36:36This passage speaks of nations witnessing God's restoration of Israel, a stark contrast to the spoliation described in Jeremiah 15:13, showing the consequences of sin and the potential for divine judgment.
Psalm 44:12This psalm laments the people being sold by God for next to nothing, mirroring the 'without price' aspect of Jeremiah 15:13 and expressing deep sorrow over divine abandonment due to sin.
barnesJeremiah 15:13: "Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders."
Jeremiah is personally addressed in the verse, because he stood before God as the intercessor, representing the people. (1) God would give Judah's treasures away for nothing; implying that He did not value them. (2) the cause of this contempt is Judah's sins. (3) this is justified by Judah having committed them throughout her whole land.
clarkeJeremiah 15:13: "Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders."
Thy substance - will I give to the spoil without price - Invaluable property shall be given up to thy adversaries. Or, without price - thou shalt have nothing for it in return.
The chilling phrase "without price" suggests God's utter disdain for their treasures; they're not even worth a transaction, implying their material wealth held no true value in His eyes compared to their sin. This reveals a profound spiritual poverty that rendered their riches meaningless, leading to their complete abandonment to spoil.
This verse bursts forth as a stark pronouncement of judgment, following God's assurances to Jeremiah in the preceding verses. It directly addresses Judah, revealing that their treasured possessions will be plundered and given away freely, not because the conquerors paid for them, but because God is divesting them of value due to their pervasive sins across the entire land. This declaration highlights the complete abandonment and worthlessness of their wealth in God's eyes when contrasted with their rampant iniquity, setting the stage for the ensuing pronouncements of exile and judgment.
This verse bursts forth as a stark pronouncement of judgment, following God's assurances to Jeremiah in the preceding verses. It directly addresses Judah, revealing that their treasured possessions will be plundered and given away freely, not because the conquerors paid for them, but because God is divesting them of value due to their pervasive sins across the entire land. This declaration highlights the complete abandonment and worthlessness of their wealth in God's eyes when contrasted with their rampant iniquity, setting the stage for the ensuing pronouncements of exile and judgment.
"“Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory." — The chilling phrase "without price" suggests God's utter disdain for their treasures; they're not even worth a transaction, implying their material wealth held no true value in His eyes compared to t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
