Jeremiah 13:16
New International Version
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.

New Living Translation
Give glory to the LORD your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.

English Standard Version
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.

Berean Standard Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

King James Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

New King James Version
Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.

New American Standard Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the mountains in the dark, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into gloom, And turns it into thick darkness.

NASB 1995
Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom.

NASB 1977
Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom.

Legacy Standard Bible
Give glory to Yahweh your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains; And while you are hoping for light, He makes it into the shadow of death And turns it into dense gloom.

Amplified Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dark and shadowy mountains, And while you are longing for light He turns it into the shadow of death, And makes it into thick darkness.

Christian Standard Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You wait for light, but he brings darkest gloom and makes total darkness.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You wait for light, but He brings darkest gloom and makes thick darkness.

American Standard Version
Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

Contemporary English Version
You hope for light, but God is sending darkness. Evening shadows already deepen in the hills. So return to God and confess your sins to him before you trip and fall.

English Revised Version
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains; and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Honor the LORD your God before it gets dark, before your feet stumble on the mountains in the twilight. You will look for light, but the LORD will turn it into the shadow of death and change it into deep darkness.

Good News Translation
Honor the LORD, your God, before he brings darkness, and you stumble on the mountains; before he turns into deep darkness the light you hoped for.

International Standard Version
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at twilight. You hope for light, but he turns it into deep darkness. He changes it into heavy gloom.

Majority Standard Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

NET Bible
Show the LORD your God the respect that is due him. Do it before he brings the darkness of disaster. Do it before you stumble into distress like a traveler on the mountains at twilight. Do it before he turns the light of deliverance you hope for into the darkness and gloom of exile.

New Heart English Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it gross darkness.

Webster's Bible Translation
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he shall cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he shall turn it into the shades of death, and make it gross darkness.

World English Bible
Give glory to Yahweh your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep darkness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Give glory to your God YHWH, "" Before He causes darkness, "" And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, "" And you have waited for light, "" And He has made it for death-shade, "" And has appointed [it] for thick darkness.

Young's Literal Translation
Give ye to Jehovah your God honour, Before He doth cause darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And ye have waited for light, And He hath made it for death-shade, And hath appointed it for thick darkness.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall give glory to Jehovah your God, before he shall darken, and before your feet shall strike upon the mountains of darkness, and ye waited for light, and he set it for the shadow of death, he will place for gloom.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Give ye glory to the Lord your God, before it be dark, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains: you shall look for light, and he will turn it into the shadow of death, and into darkness.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Give glory to the Lord your God, before darkness falls, and before your feet stumble on the darkened mountains. You will expect light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death and into utter darkness.

New American Bible
Give glory to the LORD, your God, before he brings darkness; Before your feet stumble on mountains at twilight; Before the light you look for turns to darkness, changes into black clouds.

New Revised Standard Version
Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, and before your feet stumble on the mountains at twilight; while you look for light, he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Give glory to the LORD your God before it becomes dark, and before your feet are injured upon the mountains in the darkness, and, while you look for light, he turns it into darkness and the shadows of death.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Give LORD JEHOVAH your God honor, before it is dark and before your feet will be broken on the mountains in darkness, and you look for the light and he makes it darkness and shadows of death
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Give glory to the LORD your God, Before it grow dark, And before your feet stumble Upon the mountains of twilight, And, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, And make it gross darkness.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and ye shall wait for light, and behold the shadow of death, and they shall be brought into darkness.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Captivity Threatened
15Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken. 16Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness. 17But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.…

Cross References
Isaiah 60:2
For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.

Isaiah 5:30
In that day they will roar over it, like the roaring of the sea. If one looks over the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be obscured by clouds.

Isaiah 8:22
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.

Amos 5:18-20
Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light. / It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake. / Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness and not light, even gloom with no brightness in it?

Joel 2:2
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.

Zephaniah 1:15
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

Micah 3:6
Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.

Isaiah 59:9
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

Psalm 82:5
They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Psalm 107:10-11
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains, / because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.

Proverbs 4:19
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

John 12:35-36
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. / While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.

Luke 1:78-79
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, / to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Matthew 4:16
the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”


Treasury of Scripture

Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

Give.

Joshua 7:19
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

1 Samuel 6:5
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

Psalm 96:7,8
Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength…

before.

Jeremiah 4:23
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

Ecclesiastes 11:8
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 12:1,2
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; …

your.

Proverbs 4:19
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

1 Peter 2:8
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1 John 2:10,11
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him…

while.

Jeremiah 8:15
We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

Jeremiah 14:19
Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

Isaiah 59:9
Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

the shadow.

Psalm 44:19
Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

gross.

Exodus 10:21
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Jump to Previous
Cause Dark Darkness Death Feet Glory Gross Grow Light Mountains Shades Shadow Stumble Turn Twilight
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Cause Dark Darkness Death Feet Glory Gross Grow Light Mountains Shades Shadow Stumble Turn Twilight
Jeremiah 13
1. By the type of a linen belt, hidden at Euphrates,
9. God prefigures the destruction of his people.
12. By the parable of bottles filled with wine he foretells their drunkenness in misery.
15. He exhorts to prevent their future judgments.
22. He shows their abominations are the cause thereof.














Give glory to the LORD your God
The phrase "Give glory" in Hebrew is "תנו כבוד" (tenu kavod), which implies an act of acknowledging God's supreme authority and majesty. In the ancient Near Eastern context, giving glory was often associated with recognizing the sovereignty and power of a deity. Here, Jeremiah calls the people to honor God, acknowledging His rightful place as their Lord. This is a call to repentance and worship, urging the Israelites to turn back to God with reverence and awe. The phrase underscores the importance of recognizing God's holiness and submitting to His will, a central theme in the prophetic literature.

before He brings darkness
The word "darkness" (חשך, choshek) in Hebrew often symbolizes judgment, calamity, or the absence of God's presence. In the biblical narrative, darkness is frequently associated with God's judgment, as seen in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23). Jeremiah warns the people that failing to honor God will result in divine judgment, depicted as darkness. This serves as a metaphor for the impending Babylonian exile, a period of spiritual and physical desolation for Judah. The urgency of the warning is clear: repentance must occur before the onset of judgment.

before your feet stumble on the darkening hills
The imagery of "feet stumble" suggests a loss of direction and stability, often used in Scripture to describe the consequences of sin and disobedience. The "darkening hills" evoke a sense of impending danger and uncertainty. Hills, in the ancient world, were often places of refuge or worship, but here they become treacherous. This phrase warns of the peril that awaits those who do not heed God's call to repentance. It is a vivid reminder of the spiritual and physical consequences of turning away from God.

You hope for light
The hope for "light" represents a desire for guidance, clarity, and divine favor. Light in the Bible is often associated with God's presence, truth, and salvation (Psalm 27:1, John 8:12). The people of Judah long for deliverance and restoration, yet their hope is misplaced if they continue in rebellion. This phrase highlights the futility of seeking light apart from God, emphasizing that true hope and illumination come only through a right relationship with Him.

but He turns it to the shadow of death
The "shadow of death" (צלמות, tsalmaveth) is a powerful metaphor for extreme danger, distress, or the threat of death. It is used in Psalm 23:4 to describe a place of deep peril. Here, it signifies the severe consequences of God's judgment. The transformation of hoped-for light into darkness underscores the seriousness of ignoring God's call. It serves as a stark warning that without repentance, the people's expectations of peace and security will be met with devastation.

and makes it deep gloom
"Deep gloom" (ערפל, araphel) conveys a sense of thick darkness and obscurity. This term is used in the Old Testament to describe the presence of God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:21), indicating a profound, overwhelming experience. In Jeremiah's context, it signifies the complete and utter desolation that will result from God's judgment. The phrase serves as a final, sobering reminder of the consequences of unrepentance, urging the people to turn back to God before it is too late.

(16) Give glory to the Lord your God.--Probably in the same sense as in Joshua 7:19 and John 9:24, perhaps also in Malachi 2:2, "give glory by confessing the truth, even though that truth be a sin that involves punishment." "Confess your guilt ere it be too late for pardon." This fits in better with the context than the more general sense of "ascribing praise to God."

Before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains.--Literally, the mountains of twilight, the word used being employed exclusively first of the coolness and then of the gathering gloom of evening twilight, and never of the dawn. (Compare its use in Job 3:9; Job 24:15; Proverbs 7:9.) The fact that the shadows are deepening is obviously one of the vivid touches of the figurative language used. The "gloaming" of the dusk is to pass on into the midnight darkness of the "shadow of death." The same thought is found in Isaiah 59:10, and (probably with some reference to this very passage) in our Lord's words, "If a man walk in the night he stumbleth" (John 11:10; John 12:35). . . .

Verse 16. - Give glory, etc. Let your tribute to your King be that of humble submission to his will. The precise application of the phrase must be derived from the context (comp. Joshua 7:19; Malachi 2:2). Upon the dark mountains; rather, upon mountains of twilight. A "mountain" is an image of a great obstacle (Zechariah 4:7; Matthew 21:21). As Judah is walking along, the hitherto even tenor of his way gives place to huge mountains wrapped in an impenetrable dusk, over which he will stumble and fall if he does not repent in time.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Give
תְּנוּ֩ (tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

glory
כָּבוֹד֙ (kā·ḇō·wḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3519: Weight, splendor, copiousness

to the LORD
לַיהוָ֨ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

before
בְּטֶ֣רֶם (bə·ṭe·rem)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 2962: Non-occurrence, not yet, before

He brings darkness,
יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ (yaḥ·šiḵ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2821: To be dark, to darken

before
וּבְטֶ֛רֶם (ū·ḇə·ṭe·rem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 2962: Non-occurrence, not yet, before

your feet
רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם (raḡ·lê·ḵem)
Noun - fdc | second person masculine plural
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

stumble
יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ (yiṯ·nag·gə·p̄ū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5062: To push, gore, defeat, stub, inflict

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the dusky
נָ֑שֶׁף (nā·šep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5399: A breeze, dusk

mountains.
הָ֣רֵי (hā·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

You wait
וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם (wə·qiw·wî·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6960: To bind together, collect, to expect

for light,
לְאוֹר֙ (lə·’ō·wr)
Preposition-l | Noun - common singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

but He turns it
וְשָׂמָ֣הּ (wə·śā·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

into deep gloom
לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת (lə·ṣal·mā·weṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6757: Death-like shadow, deep shadow

and
וְשִׁ֖ית (wə·šîṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7896: To put, set

thick darkness.
לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃ (la·‘ă·rā·p̄el)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6205: Cloud, heavy cloud


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to Yahweh your God before (Jer.)
Jeremiah 13:15
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