Jeremiah 4:20

20 Disaster follows disaster; the whole country has been destroyed. My tents are destroyed in only a moment. My curtains are torn down quickly.

Jeremiah 4:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 4:20

Destruction upon destruction is cried;
&c.] Or, "breach upon breach" F7; as soon as one affliction is over, another comes on; and upon the news of one calamity, tidings are brought of another, as in Job's case: it signifies, that distress and troubles would come thick and fast, and that there would be no end of them, until there was an utter destruction, as this phrase signifies, and the following words show. Kimchi interprets it of the destruction of the ten tribes which came first, and of the destruction of Judah that came now. For the whole land is spoiled,
or "wasted" F8; that is, the land of Judea: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment:
meaning either the armies of his people, which dwelt in tents, and were destroyed at once; or the cities, towns, and habitations of his countrymen, which he compares to tents, as being easily beat down or overthrown; and so the Targum interprets it of cities; and the prophet seems to intimate that this destruction would reach to Anathoth, where his tent; cottage, and curtains were. So sudden destruction some times comes, when men are crying Peace, peace, ( 1 Thessalonians 5:3 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (rbv le rbv) "contritio super contritionem", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius.
F8 (hddv) "vastata", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 4:20 In-Context

18 "The way you have lived and acted has brought this trouble to you. This is your punishment. How terrible it is! The pain stabs your heart!"
19 Oh, how I hurt! How I hurt! I am bent over in pain. Oh, the torture in my heart! My heart is pounding inside me. I cannot keep quiet, because I have heard the sound of the trumpet. I have heard the shouts of war.
20 Disaster follows disaster; the whole country has been destroyed. My tents are destroyed in only a moment. My curtains are torn down quickly.
21 How long must I look at the war flag? How long must I listen to the war trumpet?
22 The Lord says, "My people are foolish. They do not know me. They are stupid children; they don't understand. They are skillful at doing evil, but they don't know how to do good."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.