Jeremiah led people significantly through his gift with language. He used his prophetic gift as well as his gifts of teaching and exhortation for this purpose. Through the wise combination of these gifts, he became a master of communication.
In his book there are 12 metaphors that he used to explain God's intentions to the people. Leaders find images through which they convey their message, just as Jeremiah did. Jeremiah used the following metaphors:
| Metaphor | Bible passage |
|---|---|
| The almond branch | Jeremiah 1:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. |
| The seething pot | Jeremiah 1:13-19 13 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. |
| The ruined linen girdle | Jeremiah 13:7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. |
| The wine bottles | Jeremiah 13:12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? |
| The drought | Jeremiah 14:1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. |
| The partridge | Jeremiah 17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. |
| The potter and the clay | Jeremiah 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. |
| The broken flask | Jeremiah 19:10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, 11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. |
| Two baskets of figs | Jeremiah 24:1 The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, ... |
| Bonds and yokes | Jeremiah 27:2 Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck ... |
| Buying a field | Jeremiah 32:7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it. |
| The parable of the stones | Jeremiah 43:9 Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah, ... |
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