Jeremiah 4:11

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert toward my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse—

Jeremiah 4:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 4:11

At that time shall it be said to this people, and to
Jerusalem
The inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem, the people of the Jews; or "concerning" F24 them, as Jarchi interprets it: a dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of
my people.
The Targum is,

``as the south wind upon the heads of floods of water in the wilderness, so is the way of the congregation of my people;''
but rather the north wind is designed, since that is a dry one, and the south wind a moist one; and the rather, since this wind intends Nebuchadnezzar and his army, which should come from Babylon, from the north. Some render it, "a neat clean wind" F25; which strips the trees, lays bare rocks and mountains, carries away the earth and dust before it, and makes the stones look white and clean: it denotes a very strong, rushing, stormy, and boisterous wind. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a burning one"; and it represents the force and power with which the enemy should come, without any opposition or resistance to him; for a wind on high places, hills, and mountains, and which comes through deserts and wildernesses, has nothing to hinder it, as Kimchi observes; whereas, when it blows in habitable places, there are houses, walls, hedges, and fences, which resist it; and it is observed, that in the way from Babylon to Judea, which the prophet calls "the daughter of my people", were many desert places. The Septuagint version is, "the spirit of error in the desert, the way of the daughter of my people"; which the Syriac and Arabic versions seem to follow; the former rendering it, "as the wind that wanders through the paths of the desert, so is the way of the daughter of my people"; and the latter thus, "there is a spirit of error in the desert, in the way of the daughter of my people"; not to purity, nor to holiness,
as it with the Septuagint renders the next clause: "not to fan, nor to cleanse"; of which use a more moderate wind is in winnowing and cleansing the corn from chaff, and light and useless grain.
FOOTNOTES:

F24 (hzh Mel) "de hoc populo", Calvin, Vatablus.
F25 (xu xwr) "ventus nitidus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 4:11 In-Context

9 On that day, says the Lord, courage shall fail the king and the officials; the priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.
10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God, how utterly you have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, "It shall be well with you,' even while the sword is at the throat!"
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert toward my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse—
12 a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgment against them.
13 Look! He comes up like clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles— woe to us, for we are ruined!

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.