Jeremiah 4:13

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!

Jeremiah 4:13 in Other Translations

KJV
13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
ESV
13 Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles-- woe to us, for we are ruined!
NLT
13 Our enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds. His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed!
MSG
13 Look at them! Like banks of storm clouds, racing, tumbling, their chariots a tornado, Their horses faster than eagles! Woe to us! We're done for!
CSB
13 Look, he advances like clouds; his chariots are like a storm. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!

Jeremiah 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 4:13

Behold, he shall come up as clouds
Meaning the lion, Nebuchadnezzar, ( Jeremiah 4:7 ) ,

``the king with his army (as the Targum paraphrases it); he shall come up against them as a cloud that ascendeth and covers the earth.''
``come up against them as a cloud that ascendeth and covers the earth.''
The metaphor denotes the swiftness of his coming, and the multitudes he should come with, and that darkness and distress he should bring with him upon the people of the Jews: and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind;
for swiftness, power, and violence: chariots for war are intended; see ( Isaiah 5:28 ) : his horses are swifter than eagles:
the swiftest of birds. The same thing is designed as by the other metaphors; the swiftness and suddenness of the Jews' destruction: woe unto us, for we are spoiled;
their destruction was inevitable, there was no escaping it; and therefore their case was woeful and miserable.

Jeremiah 4:13 In-Context

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.

Cross References 6

  • 1. S 2 Samuel 22:10; Isaiah 19:1
  • 2. Isaiah 66:15; Ezekiel 26:10; Nahum 2:4
  • 3. S 2 Kings 2:1; Isaiah 5:28
  • 4. Habakkuk 3:8
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 28:49; Habakkuk 1:8
  • 6. 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
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