◄ Jeremiah 13:15 ►
Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.
Study Bible
Listen
The Hebrew word for "listen" is "שְׁמַע" (shema), which carries a deeper meaning than merely hearing. It implies an active, attentive listening that leads to obedience. In the context of ancient Israel, "shema" was a call to not only hear but to internalize and act upon God's words. This call to listen is a recurring theme in the Bible, emphasizing the importance of being receptive to divine instruction.

and give heed
The phrase "give heed" translates from the Hebrew "הַאֲזִינוּ" (ha'azinu), which means to pay close attention or to consider carefully. This is a call to focus one's mind and heart on what is being communicated. In the historical context of Jeremiah, the people of Judah were often distracted by idolatry and worldly concerns, and this exhortation is a reminder to prioritize God's message above all else.

Do not be arrogant
The Hebrew word for "arrogant" is "גָּבַהּ" (gavah), which conveys a sense of pride or haughtiness. Arrogance in the biblical sense is often associated with a refusal to submit to God's authority. In Jeremiah's time, the leaders and people of Judah were guilty of this pride, believing they could rely on their own wisdom and strength rather than seeking God's guidance. This warning serves as a timeless reminder of the dangers of self-reliance and the importance of humility before God.

for the LORD has spoken
The phrase "the LORD has spoken" underscores the authority and finality of God's word. The Hebrew term for "LORD" is "יְהוָה" (YHWH), the sacred name of God, which signifies His eternal and unchanging nature. When the LORD speaks, it is not merely a suggestion but a command that demands a response. In the context of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry, this statement reinforces the seriousness of the message and the necessity of heeding God's voice.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was often warned by prophets like Jeremiah about impending judgment due to their disobedience and idolatry.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who speaks through His prophets to guide, warn, and instruct His people.
Teaching Points
The Call to Listen
God’s message requires our attention and obedience. We must actively listen to His Word and be open to His guidance.

The Danger of Arrogance
Pride can lead us away from God’s truth. We must guard our hearts against arrogance, recognizing our need for God’s wisdom and direction.

The Authority of God’s Word
When the LORD speaks, it is with ultimate authority. We are called to submit to His Word, acknowledging His sovereignty in our lives.

Humility as a Virtue
Embracing humility allows us to receive God’s grace and align our lives with His will. It is a posture that invites God’s favor and guidance.

Responding to God’s Warnings
God’s warnings are acts of love meant to steer us back to Him. We should respond with repentance and a willingness to change.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the call to "listen and give heed" in Jeremiah 13:15 challenge your current approach to reading and applying Scripture?

2. In what ways can arrogance manifest in our daily lives, and how can we actively combat it with humility?

3. Reflect on a time when you ignored a warning from God. What were the consequences, and how did you eventually respond?

4. How does understanding the authority of God’s Word influence your decision-making and priorities?

5. Compare the message of humility in Jeremiah 13:15 with James 4:6. How can these scriptures guide your interactions with others in your community or church?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 16:18
This verse warns that pride precedes destruction, echoing the call in Jeremiah 13:15 to avoid arrogance.

James 4:6
This New Testament passage emphasizes that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, reinforcing the message of humility in Jeremiah 13:15.

Isaiah 66:2
Highlights the value God places on humility and contrition, aligning with the admonition against arrogance in Jeremiah 13:15.
Sermons
Be not ProudS. Conway Jeremiah 13:15
Broken Pitchers; Or, Worldly Sufficiency and its PunishmentA.F. Muir Jeremiah 13:12, 15
A Demand for the Timely Giving of What is Due to JehovahD. Young Jeremiah 13:15, 16
Attention to God's WordE. Jerman.Jeremiah 13:15-17
God Glorified in the Fall of PrideW. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.Jeremiah 13:15-17
Jehovah Hath Spoken: Will Ye not Hear?Jeremiah 13:15-17
PrideJ. Bolton.Jeremiah 13:15-17
The Warning Against PrideR. Newton, D. D.Jeremiah 13:15-17
People
Jeremiah
Places
Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Negeb
Topics
Arrogant, Attention, Ear, Ears, Haughty, Heed, Lifted, Listen, Open, Proud, Spoken
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 13:15

     5793   arrogance

Jeremiah 13:15-17

     8803   pride, evil of

Library
An Impossibility Made Possible
'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?'--JER. xiii. 23. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.'--2 COR. v. 17. 'Behold, I make all things new.'--REV. xxi. 5. Put these three texts together. The first is a despairing question to which experience gives only too sad and decisive a negative answer. It is the answer of many people who tell us that character must be eternal, and of many a baffled man who says, 'It is of no use--I have tried and can do nothing.' The second text is the grand Christian …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Notion of Inability.
PROPER METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR IT. I have represented ability, or the freedom of the will, as a first-truth of consciousness, a truth necessarily known to all moral agents. The inquiry may naturally arise, How then is it to be accounted for, that so many men have denied the liberty of the will, or ability to obey God? A recent writer thinks this denial a sufficient refutation of the affirmation, that ability is a first-truth of consciousness. It is important that this denial should be accounted …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

On Earthly Things
The earth is man himself; in the gospel: another has fallen into the good earth. The same in a bad part about the sinner: you devour the earth all the days of your life. [Mark 4:18; Genesis 3:14] The dry lands are the flesh of a fruitless man; in Ecclesiastes, to work in a dry land with evil and sorrow. [Ecclesiastes 37:3] The dust is a sinner or the vanity of the flesh; in the psalm: like the dust, which the wind blows about. [Ps. 1:4 Vulgate] The mud is the gluttony of sinners; in the psalm: tear …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

On the Animals
The birds are the saints, because they fly to the higher heart; in the gospel: and he made great branches that the birds of the air might live in their shade. [Mark 4:32] Flying is the death of the saints in God or the knowledge of the Scriptures; in the psalm: I shall fly and I shall be at rest. [Ps. 54(55):7 Vulgate] The wings are the two testaments; in Ezekiel: your body will fly with two wings of its own. [Ez. 1:23] The feathers are the Scriptures; in the psalm: the wings of the silver dove. …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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