Jeremiah 8:4

4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall , and not arise ? shall he turn away , and not return ?

Jeremiah 8:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 8:4

Moreover, thou shalt say unto them
The Jews, in Jeremiah's time, in order to leave them inexcusable, though the Lord had before assured that they would not hearken to him, ( Jeremiah 7:27 ) : thus saith the Lord, shall they fall, and not rise?
men, when they fall, endeavour to get up again, and generally they do: shall he turn away, and not return?
when a man turns out of the right way into a wrong one, as soon as he is sensible of his mistake, he returns back; this is usually done among men. This is generally the case in a natural sense, and might be expected in a moral sense; that whereas these people had fallen into sin, they would rise again by repentance; and, having turned from the good ways of God, would soon return again to them.

Jeremiah 8:4 In-Context

2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved , and whom they have served , and after whom they have walked , and whom they have sought , and whom they have worshipped : they shall not be gathered , nor be buried ; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall , and not arise ? shall he turn away , and not return ?

5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return .

6 I hearkened and heard , but they spake not aright : no man repented him of his wickedness, saying , What have I done ? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.