Jeremiah 17:13
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The phrase "written in the earth" isn't just about fading away; it highlights the stark contrast between earthly fame and true heavenly inscription. Those who forsake God might gain temporary recognition on earth, but their names will be as ephemeral as writing in the dust, completely absent from God's eternal record.
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah, who have been chosen by God but are now deeply entrenched in sin and idolatry, turning away from the true source of life and hope. In this verse, Jeremiah cries out to God as "the hope of Israel," contrasting the fleeting nature of those who abandon Him with the enduring faithfulness of God. He highlights that abandoning God means having your name written in the dust, signifying a temporary and ultimately forgotten existence, unlike those who remain faithful and whose names are preserved in heaven.
What does it mean for your name to be 'written in the earth'? It's a vivid picture of fleeting significance.
Jeremiah uses a powerful metaphor here: 'those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth.' This wasn't just a throwaway line. In ancient cultures, names were often inscribed for permanence – on stone, in official records, or even in heavenly books.
But to be 'written in the earth' means your legacy, your very existence, is as temporary and easily erased as writing in the dust or sand. It signifies a complete lack of lasting impact or divine remembrance. Unlike those whose names are etched in stone or inscribed in the book of life, the one who turns from God leaves a mark that the slightest breeze can obliterate. Their fame, their achievements, their very identity – all are destined for oblivion because they chose to disconnect from the source of all enduring reality.
Why does Jeremiah call God 'the hope of Israel' and 'the fountain of living waters'? It's a profound statement about God's essential nature.
The verse opens with a declaration of God's identity: 'O LORD, the hope of Israel.' This isn't just a nice title; it's a theological anchor. For Israel, God was not merely a hope, but the singular, ultimate source of their expectation, security, and future. He was their covenant partner, their protector, and the one in whom their entire national and spiritual destiny resided.
This foundational truth is immediately contrasted with the consequence of forsaking Him. Why? Because He is also described as 'the fountain of living waters.' This metaphor speaks of an inexhaustible, pure, and life-giving source. It represents God Himself as the origin of all spiritual vitality, refreshment, and sustenance. To turn away from Him is to turn away from the very wellspring of life, choosing instead a spiritual drought and eventual demise. The ingratitude and foolishness of forsaking such a source is what makes the rejection so grievous.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of God (Yahweh), the self-existent, eternal, and holy Creator who enters into a relational bond with His people.
tiqvah · Hebrew Noun
A confident expectation and trust in God’s promises and faithfulness. It is not merely wishful thinking, but a firm reliance on the character of God.
bosh · Hebrew Verb
Disgrace or humiliation resulting from a failure to rely on God. It is the natural outcome of trusting in false gods or one’s own efforts rather than the Creator.
mayim chayim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A metaphor for God as the source of eternal life, refreshment, and spiritual sustenance. It contrasts with "broken cisterns" or dry places that cannot sustain life.
Jeremiah's words come during Judah's final, tumultuous decades leading up to its destruction and exile. The imagery of names written in dust vividly contrasts the fleeting fame of those who abandon God with the eternal significance of faithfulness, especially in the face of impending national catastrophe and loss.
c. 627 BC
Jeremiah's Call
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy during the reign of King Josiah, a time of religious reform but also increasing political instability.
c. 609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle against the Egyptians at Megiddo, a significant blow to Judah's stability and a turning point in its relationship with foreign powers.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, crown prince of Babylon, defeats the Egyptians and begins deporting Judean nobility and skilled workers to Babylon, including Daniel.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
c. 587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar finally conquers Jerusalem, destroying the city and Solomon's Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon.
c. 582 BC
Third Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar conducts another deportation of Judeans, consolidating Babylonian control over the region.
Jesus uses the metaphor of 'living water' to describe the spiritual fulfillment He offers, directly echoing Jeremiah's theme of God as the ultimate source of life.
Psalm 73:27This psalm highlights that those who stray far from God will be destroyed, mirroring Jeremiah's warning that forsaking God leads to shame and ruin.
Job 19:23-24The desire for one's name to be inscribed permanently contrasts sharply with Jeremiah's imagery of names written in the earth, showing the ephemeral nature of worldly remembrance versus eternal significance.
Luke 10:20Jesus tells His disciples their names are written in heaven, providing a stark contrast to Jeremiah's 'written in the earth,' emphasizing where true spiritual citizenship and lasting identity are found.
Jeremiah 2:13This earlier passage from Jeremiah also addresses the people's abandonment of God as the 'fountain of living waters,' reinforcing the continuous theme of their unfaithfulness and God's ultimate source of life.
barnesJeremiah 17:13: "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters."
Shall be written in the earth - i. e., their names shall quickly disappear, unlike those graven in the rock forever Job 19:24 . A board covered with sand is used in the East to this day in schools for giving lessons in writing: but writing inscribed on such materials is intended to be…
clarkeJeremiah 17:13: "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters."
Written on the earth - They shall never come to true honor. Their names shall be written in the dust; and the first wind that blows over it shall mar every letter, and render it illegible.
The phrase "written in the earth" isn't just about fading away; it highlights the stark contrast between earthly fame and true heavenly inscription. Those who forsake God might gain temporary recognition on earth, but their names will be as ephemeral as writing in the dust, completely absent from God's eternal record.
The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah, who have been chosen by God but are now deeply entrenched in sin and idolatry, turning away from the true source of life and hope. In this verse, Jeremiah cries out to God as "the hope of Israel," contrasting the fleeting nature of those who abandon Him with the enduring faithfulness of God. He highlights that abandoning God means having your name written in the dust, signifying a temporary and ultimately forgotten existence, unlike those who remain faithful and whose names are preserved in heaven.
The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah, who have been chosen by God but are now deeply entrenched in sin and idolatry, turning away from the true source of life and hope. In this verse, Jeremiah cries out to God as "the hope of Israel," contrasting the fleeting nature of those who abandon Him with the enduring faithfulness of God. He highlights that abandoning God means having your name written in the dust, signifying a temporary and ultimately forgotten existence, unlike those who remain faithful and whose names are preserved in heaven.
"O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water." — The phrase "written in the earth" isn't just about fading away; it highlights the stark contrast between earthly fame and true heavenly inscription. Those who forsake God might gain temporary recogni…
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Last reviewed October 2026
