Jeremiah 4:9-19

9 "It shall come about in that day," declares the LORD, "that the ¹heart of the king and the heart of the princes will fail; and the priests will be appalled and the ²prophets will be astounded."

10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have utterly ³deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, '⁴You will have peace '; whereas a sword touches the throat."

11 In that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A ⁵scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness in the direction of the daughter of My people -not to winnow and not to cleanse,

12 a wind too strong for this -will come at My command; now I will also pronounce judgments against them.

13 "Behold, he ⁶goes up like clouds, And his ⁷chariots like the whirlwind; His horses are ⁸swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for ⁹we are ruined!"

14 Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, That you may be saved. How long * will your ¹⁰wicked thoughts Lodge within you?

15 For a voice declares from ¹¹Dan, And proclaims wickedness from Mount Ephraim.

16 "Report it to the nations, now! Proclaim over Jerusalem, 'Besiegers come from a ¹²far country, And ¹³lift their voices against the cities of Judah.

17 'Like watchmen of a field they are ¹⁴against her round about, Because she has ¹⁵rebelled against Me,' declares the LORD.

18 "Your ¹⁶ways and your deeds Have brought these things to you. This is your evil. How ¹⁷bitter! How it has touched your heart!"

Lament over Judah's Devastation

19 ¹⁸My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My ¹⁹heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent, Because you have heard, O my soul, The ²⁰sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.

Jeremiah 4:9-19 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

• 1. Isaiah 22:3-5; Jeremiah 48:41
• 2. Isaiah 29:9, 10; Ezekiel 13:9-16
• 3. Ezekiel 14:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:11
• 4. Jeremiah 5:12; Jeremiah 14:13
• 5. Jeremiah 13:24; Jeremiah 51:1; Ezekiel 17:10; Hosea 13:15
• 6. Isaiah 19:1; Nahum 1:3
• 7. Isaiah 5:28; Isaiah 66:15
• 8. Lamentations 4:19; Habakkuk 1:8
• 9. Isaiah 3:8
• 10. Proverbs 1:22; Jeremiah 6:19; Jeremiah 13:27; James 4:8
• 11. Jeremiah 8:16
• 12. Isaiah 39:3; Jeremiah 5:15
• 13. Ezekiel 21:22
• 14. 2 Kings 25:1, 4
• 15. Isaiah 1:20, 23; Jeremiah 5:23
• 16. Psalms 107:17; Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 2:17, 19
• 17. Jeremiah 2:19
• 18. Isaiah 15:5; Isaiah 16:11; Isaiah 21:3; Isaiah 22:4; Jeremiah 9:1, 10; Jeremiah 20:9
• 19. Habakkuk 3:16
• 20. Numbers 10:9

Footnotes

• [a] Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
• [b] Or "life"
• [c] Lit "these"
• [d] Lit "for Me"
• [e] Lit "done"
• [f] Lit "inward parts"
• [g] Lit "inward parts"
• [h] Lit "The walls of my heart"
• [i] Or "I, my soul, heard"