Jeremiah 4:12

12 {a wind too strong for} these will come for me, now also I speak judgments against them."

Jeremiah 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 4:12

Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me
That is, a strong one, very vehement; or, "a wind which is fuller than these", as the Syriac version renders it; which is stronger than those winds which are fit for fanning and winnowing the chaff from the wheat. Jarchi interprets it, a wind full of those punishments which God had threatened, and determined to bring upon this people, and would not turn from, nor repent of: and the phrase "shall come unto me" regards not the prophet, nor the people of the Jews, whom he represented, but the Lord himself; and shows that the wind is at his command, and when he calls, it comes unto him, and obeys his will, ( Psalms 148:8 ) and that all afflictions, judgments, and punishments for sin, are from him: now also will l give sentence against them;
not the prophet, but the Lord, who would now call them to his bar, try their cause, reprove them for their sins, pronounce sentence against them, and execute it. The Targum is,

``because they have wandered after the false prophets, who prophesied to them in a spirit of falsehood; therefore the armies of the people, higher than those, as the wind shall come against them; even now by my word I will bring them, and pronounce the vengeance of my judgments on them.''

Jeremiah 4:12 In-Context

10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, 'It will be peace for you,' while the sword reaches up to the throat."

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "{A hot wind from the barren heights} in the desert, {in the direction of} the daughter of my people, not to winnow and not to cleanse,

12 {a wind too strong for} these will come for me, now also I speak judgments against them."

13 Look, he comes up like the clouds, and his chariots [are] like the whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles, woe to us, for we are devastated.

14 Cleanse your heart from wickedness, [O] Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. {How long} will your thoughts of mischief dwell in your inner part?

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "a wind strong more than"