Jeremiah 33:4

4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king’s palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy.

Jeremiah 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 33:4

For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel
The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, which was now fulfilling, is here mentioned as a pledge of the accomplishment of spiritual blessings after spoken of; and to assure the prophet, that as he would with his own eyes see the fulfilment of the prophecies he had delivered out in the name of the Lord concerning that, so likewise as certainly would the other be brought to pass: concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the
kings of Judah, which were thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
by "the mounts", which the Chaldeans raised without the city; or by the engines they placed there, by which they cast out stones into the city, to the demolishing of the houses in it; not in common only, but particularly the houses of the king and nobles, which they especially directed their shot at; and by "the sword", hammers, axes, and mattocks, for which sometimes this word is used, when they entered into the city. Though some render the words, "which are thrown down for mounts, and for the sword" ^F18; that mounts might be made of them within, on which the Jews might fight and defend themselves against the Chaldeans. So the Targum,

``which they pulled down, and threw up mounts to strengthen the wall, against those that kill with the sword;''

and so Jarchi interprets it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (brxh law twlloh la) "ad aggeres et vastitatem", Tigurine version; "in missilia catapultaria, et in gladium", Junius & Tremellius; "ad catapultas, et ad gladium", so some in Calvin.

Jeremiah 33:4 In-Context

2 “This is what the LORD says—the LORD who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the LORD :

3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king’s palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy.

5 You expect to fight the Babylonians, but the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness.

6 “Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace.