Jeremiah 7:13-15
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God emphasizes His persistent efforts to reach them, describing His messages as "rising up early and speaking" and "calling"—vivid imagery of relentless, diligent pursuit that highlights their profound deafness to His constant invitations. This isn't just a passive statement; it paints God as actively engaged, "waking up early" with profound concern, only to be met with stubborn refusal.
And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out all your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God declares that because His people have persisted in their wicked actions and ignored His persistent calls and warnings, He will now act against them. He emphasizes His earnest, early, and repeated attempts to get them to listen, drawing a parallel to the destruction of the earlier sanctuary at Shiloh due to similar unfaithfulness.
Have you ever felt like you're trying to communicate something important, but the other person just isn't hearing you? God felt that way with Israel.
The verse uses the vivid phrase, 'rising up early and speaking.' This isn't just about waking up; it's a powerful idiom for God's unwearied effort.
Zealous and Continual Effort
Imagine a diligent gardener, tending to their plants from the very first light of dawn. This is God's approach to His people. He wasn't just casually mentioning things; He was actively, persistently, and zealously working to get their attention. This phrase is unique to Jeremiah, highlighting God's deep investment in His covenant people.
Multiple Calls, No Answer
He 'spoke' and 'called,' showing different ways He tried to reach them. This wasn't a single warning but a sustained effort. Yet, Israel's response was silence – they 'did not listen' and 'did not answer.' This lack of response is critical; it reveals a deep-seated rebellion and a refusal to engage with the One who loved them so dearly.
God doesn't just react to one single sin; He sees the accumulation of our actions. What does 'all these works' truly signify here?
The verse begins with a solemn declaration: 'And now, because ye have done all these works...' This isn't a minor infraction; it's the culmination of a pattern of behavior.
Accumulation of Iniquity
'All these works' refers back to the list of sins detailed earlier in Jeremiah's message, including theft, murder, adultery, perjury, and idolatry (Jeremiah 7:9). It signifies a life lived in direct opposition to God's commands, a consistent pattern of rebellion.
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The Consequence of Disobedience
This accumulated sin wasn't just bad behavior; it was a betrayal of their covenant relationship with God. They had treated the Temple, God's dwelling place, as a magical charm rather than a place to live in obedience. Their 'works' demonstrated a deep disregard for God's holiness and His expectations.
Understand the original words
shama' · Hebrew Verb
The act of giving heed, paying attention, or obeying; it implies a responsive heart that aligns its behavior with the spoken word of God.
batach · Hebrew Verb
The act of relying on something or someone for security, safety, or hope; in a biblical context, it is often warned against when placed in anything other than God Himself (e.g., temples, wealth, or national status).
shalak · Hebrew Verb
The removal or exclusion of someone from the presence, favor, or protective care of God; it signifies the consequences of covenant disobedience.
zera' · Hebrew Noun
Descendants or progeny; the physical or spiritual line that follows a person or group, often carrying the legacy or consequences of their ancestors' actions.
The verse comes at a crucial moment, just before the final, devastating destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by the Babylonians. Jeremiah's message is a desperate plea to the people, reminding them that their empty rituals and misplaced trust in the Temple's physical presence are utterly worthless in the face of their persistent disobedience. God's patience, symbolized by His 'rising early and calling,' has been exhausted by their refusal to listen, leading to the judgment that befell Shiloh centuries earlier and is now about to befall Jerusalem.
~1050 BC
Ark of the Covenant Lost at Shiloh
During a devastating battle with the Philistines, the Israelites suffer a massive defeat. The Ark of the Covenant, previously housed in the sanctuary at Shiloh for over 300 years, is captured by the enemy. This event marks the beginning of Shiloh's destruction and the end of its prominence as Israel's religious center.
c. 970 BC
Temple of Solomon Dedicated in Jerusalem
King Solomon dedicates the magnificent First Temple in Jerusalem, establishing it as the new central sanctuary for Israel's worship. This monumental structure, built to house the Ark of the Covenant, becomes a symbol of God's presence and a source of national pride.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire Conquers Northern Kingdom
The powerful Assyrian Empire systematically conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the deportation of its inhabitants. This event serves as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of unfaithfulness to God.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting segments of Judah's population, including many of its elite and skilled workers, to Babylon. This marks the initial phase of Judah's subjugation and foreshadows the impending destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar conducts a second, larger deportation of Judeans to Babylon. This wave includes royalty and more of the city's leadership, further weakening the kingdom and intensifying the sense of impending doom.
587/586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, finally conquer Jerusalem, utterly destroying the city and its magnificent Temple. This catastrophic event fulfills the prophecies of judgment and marks the end of the Davidic monarchy and the centralized worship in Jerusalem.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's complaint, describing God's persistent calls through prophets that were ignored, leading to judgment.
Matthew 23:37Jesus Himself uses a similar image of God's longing desire to gather His people, lamenting their refusal to come, just as Jeremiah describes in this verse.
Jeremiah 25:4Here, Jeremiah repeats the theme of God speaking persistently, rising early to send prophets, only to be met with disobedience by His people.
Isaiah 65:12This verse starkly contrasts God's efforts to call and provide for His people with their own willful choices to ignore Him and pursue other paths.
barnesJeremiah 7:13: "And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;"
Rising up early and speaking - A proverbial expression for "speaking zealously and earnestly." It is used only by Jeremiah.
pulpitJeremiah 7:13: "And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;"
Verse 13. - Rising up early and speaking; i.e. speaking zealously and continually (so ver. 25; Jeremiah 25:4; Jeremiah 26:5; Jeremiah 29:19). It is an expression peculiar to Jeremiah.
God emphasizes His persistent efforts to reach them, describing His messages as "rising up early and speaking" and "calling"—vivid imagery of relentless, diligent pursuit that highlights their profound deafness to His constant invitations. This isn't just a passive statement; it paints God as actively engaged, "waking up early" with profound concern, only to be met with stubborn refusal.
God declares that because His people have persisted in their wicked actions and ignored His persistent calls and warnings, He will now act against them. He emphasizes His earnest, early, and repeated attempts to get them to listen, drawing a parallel to the destruction of the earlier sanctuary at Shiloh due to similar unfaithfulness.
God declares that because His people have persisted in their wicked actions and ignored His persistent calls and warnings, He will now act against them. He emphasizes His earnest, early, and repeated attempts to get them to listen, drawing a parallel to the destruction of the earlier sanctuary at Shiloh due to similar unfaithfulness.
"And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in whic…" — God emphasizes His persistent efforts to reach them, describing His messages as "rising up early and speaking" and "calling"—vivid imagery of relentless, diligent pursuit that highlights their profou…
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Last reviewed October 2026
