Old Testament
Jeremiah 2:13
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"My people have committed two evils: they have abandoned me — the fountain of living waters — and they have dug their own cisterns, cracked cisterns that can't hold water.
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For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
What Jeremiah 2:13 means
Plain-English insight for readers
In this verse, God, speaking through Jeremiah, highlights two significant wrongdoings of His people. First, they have turned away from Him, who is described as the 'fountain of living waters,' symbolizing the source of true life and sustenance. Instead of relying on God for their needs, they have sought alternatives by creating their own cisterns, which are essentially containers for water. However, these cisterns are broken and cannot hold water, representing the futility of their efforts to find satisfaction outside of God. This imagery illustrates the spiritual emptiness that results from abandoning God and trying to fulfill one's needs through unreliable means. The verse serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of staying connected to God, who provides true nourishment and life, rather than relying on flawed human solutions that ultimately lead to disappointment.
How to apply Jeremiah 2:13 to your life
This verse encourages us to evaluate where we seek fulfillment in our lives. Are we relying on God, the true source of life, or are we trying to find satisfaction in temporary, unreliable things? We should strive to deepen our relationship with God and trust Him for our needs.
Curated for this public verse page. Jeremiah Summary
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Keep studying Jeremiah 2:13
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Key themes
At a Glance — the Book of Jeremiah
- Author
- Jeremiah the prophet, with Baruch
- Written
- Around 600 BC
- Genre
- Prophecy
- Original Audience
- Judah before and during the Babylonian exile
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick, clear answers about this verse
What does Jeremiah 2:13 mean?
Jeremiah 2:13 means that God's people have turned away from Him, the true source of life, and instead have tried to find fulfillment in their own unreliable solutions, represented by broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
What is the significance of 'fountain of living waters' in Jeremiah 2:13?
The 'fountain of living waters' in Jeremiah 2:13 symbolizes God as the ultimate source of life and sustenance, emphasizing the importance of relying on Him for true fulfillment.
What are the two evils mentioned in Jeremiah 2:13?
The two evils mentioned in Jeremiah 2:13 are abandoning God, the fountain of living waters, and creating their own broken cisterns, which represent futile attempts to find satisfaction outside of Him.
How does Jeremiah 2:13 relate to spiritual emptiness?
Jeremiah 2:13 illustrates spiritual emptiness by showing that when people turn away from God and seek fulfillment in unreliable sources, they end up with nothing of lasting value.
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