1 If thou wilt return, H7725 O Israel, H3478 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 return H7725 unto me: and if thou wilt put away H5493 thine abominations H8251 out of my sight, H6440 then shalt thou not remove. H5110
2 And thou shalt swear, H7650 The LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 in truth, H571 in judgment, H4941 and in righteousness; H6666 and the nations H1471 shall bless H1288 themselves in him, and in him shall they glory. H1984
3 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 to the men H376 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem, H3389 Break up H5214 your fallow ground, H5215 and sow H2232 not among thorns. H6975
4 Circumcise H4135 yourselves to the LORD, H3068 and take away H5493 the foreskins H6190 of your heart, H3824 ye men H376 of Judah H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem: H3389 lest my fury H2534 come forth H3318 like fire, H784 and burn H1197 that none can quench H3518 it, because H6440 of the evil H7455 of your doings. H4611
5 Declare H5046 ye in Judah, H3063 and publish H8085 in Jerusalem; H3389 and say, H559 Blow H8628 ye the trumpet H7782 in the land: H776 cry, H7121 gather together, H4390 and say, H559 Assemble H622 yourselves, and let us go H935 into the defenced H4013 cities. H5892
6 Set up H5375 the standard H5251 toward Zion: H6726 retire, H5756 stay H5975 not: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 from the north, H6828 and a great H1419 destruction. H7667
7 The lion H738 is come up H5927 from his thicket, H5441 and the destroyer H7843 of the Gentiles H1471 is on his way; H5265 he is gone forth H3318 from his place H4725 to make H7760 thy land H776 desolate; H8047 and thy cities H5892 shall be laid waste, H5327 without an inhabitant. H3427
8 For this gird H2296 you with sackcloth, H8242 lament H5594 and howl: H3213 for the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 is not turned back H7725 from us.
9 And it shall come to pass at that day, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that the heart H3820 of the king H4428 shall perish, H6 and the heart H3820 of the princes; H8269 and the priests H3548 shall be astonished, H8074 and the prophets H5030 shall wonder. H8539
10 Then said H559 I, Ah, H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 surely H403 thou hast greatly H5377 deceived H5377 this people H5971 and Jerusalem, H3389 saying, H559 Ye shall have peace; H7965 whereas the sword H2719 reacheth H5060 unto the soul. H5315
11 At that time H6256 shall it be said H559 to this people H5971 and to Jerusalem, H3389 A dry H6703 wind H7307 of the high places H8205 in the wilderness H4057 toward H1870 the daughter H1323 of my people, H5971 not to fan, H2219 nor to cleanse, H1305
12 Even a full H4392 wind H7307 from those places shall come H935 unto me: now also will I give H1696 sentence H4941 against them.
13 Behold, he shall come up H5927 as clouds, H6051 and his chariots H4818 shall be as a whirlwind: H5492 his horses H5483 are swifter H7043 than eagles. H5404 Woe H188 unto us! for we are spoiled. H7703
14 O Jerusalem, H3389 wash H3526 thine heart H3820 from wickedness, H7451 that thou mayest be saved. H3467 How long shall thy vain H205 thoughts H4284 lodge H3885 within H7130 thee?
15 For a voice H6963 declareth H5046 from Dan, H1835 and publisheth H8085 affliction H205 from mount H2022 Ephraim. H669
16 Make ye mention H2142 to the nations; H1471 behold, publish H8085 against Jerusalem, H3389 that watchers H5341 come H935 from a far H4801 country, H776 and give out H5414 their voice H6963 against the cities H5892 of Judah. H3063
17 As keepers H8104 of a field, H7704 are they against her round about; H5439 because she hath been rebellious H4784 against me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
18 Thy way H1870 and thy doings H4611 have procured H6213 these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, H7451 because it is bitter, H4751 because it reacheth H5060 unto thine heart. H3820
19 My bowels, H4578 my bowels! H4578 I am pained H2342 H3176 at my very H7023 heart; H3820 my heart H3820 maketh a noise H1993 in me; I cannot hold my peace, H2790 because thou hast heard, H8085 O my soul, H5315 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 the alarm H8643 of war. H4421
20 Destruction H7667 upon destruction H7667 is cried; H7121 for the whole land H776 is spoiled: H7703 suddenly H6597 are my tents H168 spoiled, H7703 and my curtains H3407 in a moment. H7281
21 How long shall I see H7200 the standard, H5251 and hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet? H7782
22 For my people H5971 is foolish, H191 they have not known H3045 me; they are sottish H5530 children, H1121 and they have none understanding: H995 they are wise H2450 to do evil, H7489 but to do good H3190 they have no knowledge. H3045
23 I beheld H7200 the earth, H776 and, lo, it was without form, H8414 and void; H922 and the heavens, H8064 and they had no light. H216
24 I beheld H7200 the mountains, H2022 and, lo, they trembled, H7493 and all the hills H1389 moved lightly. H7043
25 I beheld, H7200 and, lo, there was no man, H120 and all the birds H5775 of the heavens H8064 were fled. H5074
26 I beheld, H7200 and, lo, the fruitful place H3759 was a wilderness, H4057 and all the cities H5892 thereof were broken down H5422 at the presence H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and by his fierce H2740 anger. H639
27 For thus hath the LORD H3068 said, H559 The whole land H776 shall be desolate; H8077 yet will I not make H6213 a full end. H3617
28 For this shall the earth H776 mourn, H56 and the heavens H8064 above H4605 be black: H6937 because I have spoken H1696 it, I have purposed H2161 it, and will not repent, H5162 neither will I turn back H7725 from it.
29 The whole city H5892 shall flee H1272 for the noise H6963 of the horsemen H6571 and bowmen; H7198 H7411 they shall go H935 into thickets, H5645 and climb up H5927 upon the rocks: H3710 every city H5892 shall be forsaken, H5800 and not a man H376 dwell H3427 therein. H2004
30 And when thou art spoiled, H7703 what wilt thou do? H6213 Though thou clothest H3847 thyself with crimson, H8144 though thou deckest H5710 thee with ornaments H5716 of gold, H2091 though thou rentest H7167 thy face H5869 with painting, H6320 in vain H7723 shalt thou make thyself fair; H3302 thy lovers H5689 will despise H3988 thee, they will seek H1245 thy life. H5315
31 For I have heard H8085 a voice H6963 as of a woman in travail, H2470 and the anguish H6869 as of her that bringeth forth her first child, H1069 the voice H6963 of the daughter H1323 of Zion, H6726 that bewaileth H3306 herself, that spreadeth H6566 her hands, H3709 saying, Woe H188 is me now! for my soul H5315 is wearied H5888 because of murderers. H2026
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 4
Commentary on Jeremiah 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Jer 4:1-31. Continuation of Address to the Ten Tribes of Israel. (Jer 4:1, 2). The Prophet Turns Again to Judah, to Whom He Had Originally Been Sent (Jer 4:3-31).
1. return … return—play on words. "If thou wouldest return to thy land (thou must first), return (by conversion and repentance) to Me."
not remove—no longer be an unsettled wanderer in a strange land. So Cain (Ge 4:12, 14).
2. And thou—rather, "And if (carried on from Jer 4:1) thou shalt swear, 'Jehovah liveth,' in truth, &c.", that is, if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship; compare De 6:13; 10:20; Isa 19:18; Am 8:14) in sincerity, &c.
and the nations—Rather, this is apodosis to the "if"; then shall the nations bless themselves in (by) Him" (Isa 65:16). The conversion of the nations will be the consequence of Israel's conversion (Ps 102:13, 15; Ro 11:12, 15).
3. Transition to Judah. Supply mentally. All which (the foregoing declaration as to Israel) applies to Judah.
and Jerusalem—that is, and especially the men of Jerusalem, as being the most prominent in Judea.
Break … fallow ground—that is, Repent of your idolatry, and so be prepared to serve the Lord in truth (Ho 10:12; Mt 13:7). The unhumbled heart is like ground which may be improved, being let out to us for that purpose, but which is as yet fallow, overgrown with weeds, its natural product.
4. Remove your natural corruption of heart (De 10:16; 30:6; Ro 2:29; Col 2:11).
5. cry, gather together—rather, "cry fully" that is, loudly. The Jews are warned to take measures against the impending Chaldean invasion (compare Jer 8:14).
6. Zion—The standard toward Zion intimated that the people of the surrounding country were to fly to it, as being the strongest of their fortresses.
7. lion—Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans (Jer 2:15; 5:6; Da 7:14).
his thicket—lair; Babylon.
destroyer of the Gentiles—rather, "the nations" (Jer 25:9).
8. Nothing is left to the Jews but to bewail their desperate condition.
anger … not turned back—(Isa 9:12, 17, 21).
9. heart—The wisdom of the most leading men will be utterly at a loss to devise means of relief.
10. thou hast … deceived—God, having even the false prophets in His hands, is here said to do that which for inscrutable purposes He permits them to do (Ex 9:12; 2Th 2:11; compare Jer 8:15; which passage shows that the dupes of error were self-prepared for it, and that God's predestination did not destroy their moral freedom as voluntary agents). The false prophets foretold "peace," and the Jews believed them; God overruled this to His purposes (Jer 5:12; 14:13; Eze 14:9).
soul—rather, "reacheth to the life."
11. dry wind—the simoom, terrific and destructive, blowing from the southeast across the sandy deserts east of Palestine. Image of the invading Babylonian army (Ho 13:15). Babylon in its turn shall be visited by a similar "destroying wind" (Jer 51:1).
of … high places—that is, that sweeps over the high places.
daughter—that is, the children of my people.
not to fan—a very different wind from those ordinary winds employed for fanning the grain in the open air.
12. full … from those places—rather, "a wind fuller (that is, more impetuous) than those winds" (which fan the corn) (Jer 4:11) [Rosenmuller].
unto me—"for Me," as My instrument for executing My purpose.
sentence—judgments against them (Jer 1:16).
13. clouds—continuing the metaphor in Jer 4:11:12. Clouds of sand and dust accompany the simoom, and after rapid gyrations ascend like a pillar.
eagles—(De 28:49; Hab 1:8).
Woe unto us—The people are graphically presented before us, without it being formally so stated, bursting out in these exclamations.
14. Only one means of deliverance is left to the Jews—a thorough repentance.
vain thoughts—namely, projects for deliverance, such as enlisting the Egyptians on their side. Gesenius translates, "How long wilt thou harbor vain thoughts?"
15. For … from Dan—The connection is: There is danger in delay; for the voice of a messenger announces the approach of the Chaldean enemy from Dan, the northern frontier of Palestine (Jer 8:16; compare Jer 4:6; Jer 1:14).
Mount Ephraim—which borders closely on Judah; so that the foe is coming nearer and nearer. Dan and Beth-el in Ephraim were the two places where Jeroboam set up the idolatrous calves (1Ki 12:29); just retribution.
16. The neighboring foreign "nations" are summoned to witness Jehovah's judgments on His rebel people (Jer 6:18, 19).
watchers—that is, besiegers (compare 2Sa 11:16); observed or watched, that is, besieged.
their voice—the war shout.
17. keepers of a field—metaphor from those who watch a field, to frighten away the wild beasts.
18. (Jer 2:17, 19; Ps 107:17).
this is thy wickedness—that is, the fruit of thy wickedness.
19. The prophet suddenly assumes the language of the Jewish state personified, lamenting its affliction (Jer 10:19, 20; 9:1, 10; Isa 15:5; compare Lu 19:41).
at my very heart—Hebrew, "at the walls of my heart"; the muscles round the heart. There is a climax, the "bowels," the pericardium, the "heart" itself.
maketh … noise—moaneth [Henderson].
alarm—the battle shout.
20. Destruction … cried—Breach upon breach is announced (Ps 42:7; Eze 7:26). The war "trumpet" … the battle shout … the "destructions" … the havoc throughout "the whole land" … the spoiling of the shepherds' "tents" (Jer 10:20; or, "tents" means cities, which should be overthrown as easily as tents [Calvin]), form a gradation.
21. Judah in perplexity asks, How long is this state of things to continue?
22. Jehovah's reply; they cannot be otherwise than miserable, since they persevere in sin. The repetition of clauses gives greater force to the sentiment.
wise … evil … to do good … no knowledge—reversing the rule (Ro 16:19) "wise unto … good, simple concerning evil."
23. Graphic picture of the utter desolation about to visit Palestine. "I beheld, and lo!" four times solemnly repeated, heightens the awful effect of the scene (compare Isa 24:19; 34:11).
without form and void—reduced to the primeval chaos (Ge 1:2).
24. mountains—(Isa 5:25).
moved lightly—shook vehemently.
25. no man … birds—No vestige of the human, or of the feathered creation, is to be seen (Eze 38:20; Zep 1:3).
26. fruitful place—Hebrew, Carmel.
a wilderness—Hebrew, "the wilderness," in contrast to "the fruitful place"; the great desert, where Carmel was, there is now the desert of Arabia [Maurer].
cities—in contrast to the fruitful place or field.
27. full end—utter destruction: I will leave some hope of restoration (Jer 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28; compare Le 26:44).
28. For this—on account of the desolations just described (Isa 5:30; Ho 4:3).
not repent—(Nu 23:19).
29. whole city—Jerusalem: to it the inhabitants of the country had fled for refuge; but when it, too, is likely to fall, they flee out of it to hide in the "thickets." Henderson translates, "every city."
noise—The mere noise of the hostile horsemen shall put you to flight.
30. when thou art spoiled—rather, "thou, O destroyed one" [Maurer].
rentest … face with painting—Oriental women paint their eyes with stibium, or antimony, to make them look full and sparkling, the black margin causing the white of the eyes to appear the brighter by contrast (2Ki 9:30). He uses the term "distendest" in derision of their effort to make their eyes look large [Maurer]; or else, "rentest," that is, dost lacerate by puncturing the eyelid in order to make the antimony adhere [Rosenmuller]. So the Jews use every artifice to secure the aid of Egypt against Babylon.
face—rather, thy eyes (Eze 23:40).
31. anguish—namely, occasioned by the attack of the enemy.
daughter of Zion—There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the person in trouble, until that trouble had been fully described [Henderson].
bewaileth herself—rather, "draweth her breath short" [Horsley]; "panteth."
spreadeth … hands—(La 1:17).