Jeremiah 4:19-31

Anguish over Judah's Desolation

19 1My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
20 2Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. 3Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.
21 How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 "For 4my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. 5They are 'wise'--in doing evil! But how to do good they know not."
23 I looked on the earth, and behold, it was 6without form and void; 7and to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I looked on 8the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.
25 9I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled.
26 I looked, and behold, the 10fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before 11his fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD, "The whole land shall be a desolation; 12yet I will not make a full end.
28 13"For this the earth shall mourn, 14and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; 15I have not relented, nor will I turn back."
29 At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and 16no man dwells in them.
30 And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, 17that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, 18that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. 19Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.
31 For I heard 20a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, 21stretching out her hands, "Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers."

Jeremiah 4:19-31 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 21

  • 1. Isaiah 16:11; Habakkuk 3:16; [Jeremiah 9:1; Isaiah 22:4]
  • 2. Ezekiel 7:26
  • 3. Jeremiah 10:20; Jeremiah 49:29
  • 4. Psalms 82:5; Isaiah 1:3
  • 5. Psalms 36:3; Isaiah 1:16, 17; Romans 16:19
  • 6. Genesis 1:2
  • 7. Isaiah 5:30
  • 8. Nahum 1:5
  • 9. [Zephaniah 1:3]
  • 10. Psalms 107:34
  • 11. See ver. 8
  • 12. Jeremiah 5:10, 18; Jeremiah 30:11; Jeremiah 46:28; Nehemiah 9:31; Ezekiel 11:13
  • 13. Jeremiah 12:4; Hosea 4:3
  • 14. Isaiah 50:3
  • 15. [Numbers 23:19]
  • 16. See ver. 7
  • 17. [Isaiah 61:10]
  • 18. [2 Kings 9:30]
  • 19. Lamentations 1:2, 19; Ezekiel 23:22
  • 20. Jeremiah 6:24; See Isaiah 13:8
  • 21. Isaiah 1:15; Lamentations 1:17
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.