Jeremiah 45:4

4 "Thus you are to say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, ¹what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land."

Jeremiah 45:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 45:4

Thus shalt thou say unto him
This is spoken to Jeremiah, and is an order from the Lord to him, what he should say in his name to Baruch: the Lord saith thus, behold, [that] which I have built will I break
down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up;
the Jewish nation, both as to church and state; which the Lord had built up as a spacious and beautiful house to dwell in, and had planted as a vineyard, and set it with pleasant plants; but now would demolish this building, and destroy this plantation: even this whole land;
not a few cities only, or only Jerusalem the metropolis, but the whole land of Judea; no part of it but what should be left desolate. So the Targum,

``even the whole land of Israel, which is mine.''

Jeremiah 45:4 In-Context

1 This is the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written down these words in a book at Jeremiah's dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying:

2 "Thus says the LORD the God of Israel to you, O Baruch:

3 'You said, "Ah, woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and have found no rest."'

4 "Thus you are to say to him, 'Thus says the LORD , "Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land."

5 'But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,' declares the LORD , 'but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.' "

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 5:5; Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 11:17; Jeremiah 18:7-10; Jeremiah 31:28