Jeremiah 4:9

9 It shall happen at that day, says the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the Kohanim shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

Jeremiah 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 4:9

And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the Lord
When Nebuchadnezzar should be come up from Babylon into the land of Judea, and lay waste the cities thereof, and besiege Jerusalem: that the heart of the king shall perish;
meaning Zedekiah king of Judah, who should be in the utmost fright and consternation, not knowing what to do, being devoid both of wisdom and courage; see ( Jeremiah 39:4 ) : and the heart of the princes;
who being seized with the same panic, and at their wits' end, would not be able to give any advice and counsel to the king; so that the people would have no help from the king and his nobles, in whom they put their confidence: and the priests shall be astonished;
which Kimchi interprets of the priests of the high places, the idolatrous priests, whose service would now cease, and whose idols would not save them: and the prophets shall wonder;
which he also interprets of the false prophets; as does the Targum; who prophesied peace, and now they shall see it was a lie they prophesied, since sudden destruction now comes upon them.

Jeremiah 4:9 In-Context

7 A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.

8 For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD hasn't turned back from us.

9 It shall happen at that day, says the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the Kohanim shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely you have greatly deceived this people and Yerushalayim, saying, You shall have shalom; whereas the sword reaches to the life.

11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Yerushalayim, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse;