Jeremiah 4:5-15

Disaster From the North

5 “Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say: ‘Sound the trumpet throughout the land!’ Cry aloud and say: ‘Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities!’
6 Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction.”
7 A lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitant.
8 So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORDhas not turned away from us.
9 “In that day,” declares the LORD, “the king and the officials will lose heart, the priests will be horrified, and the prophets will be appalled.”
10 Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ when the sword is at our throats!”
11 At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse;
12 a wind too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them.”
13 Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!
14 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15 A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.

Jeremiah 4:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 4

This chapter begins with several exhortations to repentance; first to Israel, or the ten tribes, to return to the Lord with their whole hearts, and put away their abominations, and serve him in sincerity and uprightness of soul; with promises of rest and safety to themselves; and that it would have a happy influence on the Gentiles, and issue in their conversion; who would hereupon bless themselves in the Lord, and glory in him, Jer 4:1,2, and next to the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, to show a concern for renewing and sanctifying grace, signified by various metaphors, lest they should be consumed with the fire of divine wrath, Jer 4:3,4 and then the destruction of that land and city is foretold and described, partly by what was introductory to it, and the proclamation of it, signified by blowing the trumpet, and setting up the standard, Jer 4:5,6,15,19,20, by an account of the destroyers, their cruelty, swiftness, and diligence, Jer 4:7,13,16,17, and of the destruction itself, compared to a violent wind, Jer 4:11,12, by the effect it should have upon the inhabitants of all sorts, high and low, Jer 4:8,9, and had upon the prophet himself, Jer 4:10,19,21, and by the cause and ground of it, the sins of the people, which they are called upon to repent of, Jer 4:14,17,18,22 and by a vision the prophet had of the dreadful desolation of the land, Jer 4:23-29 and by the vain and false hopes the people would have of their recovery, and the great anxiety and distress they would be in, Jer 4:30,31.

Cross References 32

  • 1. Jeremiah 5:20; Jeremiah 11:2,6
  • 2. S ver 21; S Numbers 10:2,7; S Job 39:24
  • 3. S Joshua 10:20; Jeremiah 8:14
  • 4. ver 21; Psalms 74:4; S Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 31:9; Jeremiah 50:2
  • 5. Jeremiah 11:11; Jeremiah 18:11
  • 6. S Isaiah 14:31; Jeremiah 1:13-15; Jeremiah 50:3
  • 7. S 2 Kings 24:1; S Jeremiah 2:15
  • 8. Jeremiah 25:38; Hosea 5:14; Hosea 13:7; Nahum 2:12
  • 9. Jeremiah 6:26; Jeremiah 15:8; Jeremiah 22:7; Jeremiah 48:8; Jeremiah 51:1,53; Ezekiel 21:31; Ezekiel 25:7
  • 10. S Isaiah 1:7; Ezekiel 12:20
  • 11. ver 29; S Leviticus 26:31; S Isaiah 6:11; Jeremiah 25:9
  • 12. 1 Kings 21:27; S Isaiah 3:24; Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 6:26; Ezekiel 7:18; Joel 1:8
  • 13. Jeremiah 7:29; Jeremiah 9:20; Amos 5:1
  • 14. S Isaiah 10:4; S Jeremiah 30:24
  • 15. S 1 Samuel 17:32
  • 16. S Isaiah 29:9
  • 17. S Exodus 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:11
  • 18. Isaiah 30:10; Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 14:13; Jeremiah 23:17; Ezekiel 13:10; Micah 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:3
  • 19. S Genesis 41:6; S Leviticus 26:33; S Job 1:19; Ezekiel 17:10; Hosea 13:15
  • 20. S Isaiah 64:6
  • 21. Jeremiah 1:16
  • 22. S 2 Samuel 22:10; Isaiah 19:1
  • 23. Isaiah 66:15; Ezekiel 26:10; Nahum 2:4
  • 24. S 2 Kings 2:1; Isaiah 5:28
  • 25. Habakkuk 3:8
  • 26. S Deuteronomy 28:49; Habakkuk 1:8
  • 27. ver 20,27; Isaiah 6:11; Isaiah 24:3; Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 9:11,19; Jeremiah 12:11; Jeremiah 25:11; Jeremiah 44:6; Micah 2:4
  • 28. S Ruth 3:3; S Psalms 51:2; James 4:8
  • 29. Isaiah 45:22
  • 30. S Psalms 6:3
  • 31. S Genesis 30:6; Jeremiah 8:16
  • 32. Jeremiah 31:6
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.