Jeremiah 4:1-7

Judah Threatened with Invasion

1 "If you will 1return, O Israel," declares the LORD, "Then you should return to Me. And 2if you will put away your detested things from My presence, And will not waver,
2 And you will 3swear, 'As the LORD lives,' 4In truth, in justice and in righteousness; Then the 5nations will bless themselves in Him, And 6in Him they will glory."
3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, "7Break up your fallow ground, And 8do not sow among thorns.
4 "9Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My 10wrath will go forth like fire And burn with 11none to quench it, Because * of the evil of your deeds."
5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, "12Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry aloud and say, '13Assemble yourselves, and let us go Into the fortified cities.'
6 "Lift up a 14standard toward Zion! Seek refuge, do not stand still, For I am bringing 15evil from the north, And great destruction.
7 "A 16lion has gone up from his thicket, And a 17destroyer of nations has set out; He has gone out from his place To 18make your land a waste. Your cities will be ruins Without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:1-7 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 18

  • 1. Jeremiah 3:22; Jeremiah 15:19; Joel 2:12
  • 2. Jeremiah 7:3, 7; Jeremiah 35:15
  • 3. Deuteronomy 10:20; Isaiah 45:23; Isaiah 65:16; Jeremiah 12:16
  • 4. Isaiah 48:1
  • 5. Genesis 22:18; Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 12:15, 16; Galatians 3:8
  • 6. Isaiah 45:25; Jeremiah 9:24; 1 Corinthians 1:31
  • 7. Hosea 10:12
  • 8. Matthew 13:7
  • 9. Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 9:25, 26; Romans 2:28, 29; Colossians 2:11
  • 10. Isaiah 30:27, 33; Jeremiah 21:12; Zephaniah 2:2
  • 11. Amos 5:6; Mark 9:43, 48
  • 12. Jeremiah 6:1; Hosea 8:1
  • 13. Joshua 10:20; Jeremiah 8:14
  • 14. Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 4:21; Jeremiah 50:2
  • 15. Jeremiah 1:14, 15; Jeremiah 6:1, 22
  • 16. Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 25:38; Jeremiah 50:17
  • 17. Jeremiah 25:9; Ezekiel 26:7-10
  • 18. Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 6:11; Jeremiah 2:15

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "Plow for yourselves plowed ground"
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