Jeremiah 4

Jeremiah 4:1-31 . CONTINUATION OF ADDRESS TO THE TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL. ( Jeremiah 4:1 Jeremiah 4:2 ). THE PROPHET TURNS AGAIN TO JUDAH, TO WHOM HE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN SENT ( Jeremiah 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 ( Genesis 4:12 Genesis 4:14 ).

2. And thou--rather, "And if (carried on from Jeremiah 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 Deuteronomy 6:13 , 10:20 , Isaiah 19:18 , Amos 8:14 ) in sincerity, &c.
and the nations--Rather, this is apodosis to the "if"; then shall the nations bless themselves in (by) Him" ( Isaiah 65:16 ). The conversion of the nations will be the consequence of Israel's conversion ( Psalms 102:13 Psalms 102:15 , Romans 11:12 Romans 11:15 ).

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 ( Hosea 10:12 , Matthew 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 ( Deuteronomy 10:16 , 30:6 , Romans 2:29 , Colossians 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 Jeremiah 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 ( Jeremiah 2:15 , 5:6 , Daniel 7:14 ).
his thicket--lair; Babylon.
destroyer of the Gentiles--rather, "the nations" ( Jeremiah 25:9 ).

8. Nothing is left to the Jews but to bewail their desperate condition.
anger . . . not turned back--( Isaiah 9:12 Isaiah 9:17 Isaiah 9:21 ).

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 ( Exodus 9:12 , 2 Thessalonians 2:11 ; compare Jeremiah 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 ( Jeremiah 5:12 , 14:13 , Ezekiel 14:9 ).
soul--rather, "reacheth to the life."