Focused Passage

Jeremiah 4:10-18

Return with Circumcised Hearts Before Disaster Comes from the North

The chapter moves from conditional return and heart circumcision, to urgent alarm over invasion from the north, to Jeremiah's anguished response, to a creation-reversal vision of devastation, and finally to Jerusalem's helpless self-presentation before unavoidable judgment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”

11At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A searing wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward the daughter of My people, but not to winnow or to sift;

12a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”

13Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!

14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?

15For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.

16Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.

17They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.

18“Your ways and deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment; how bitter it is, because it pierces to the heart!”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Then I saidוָאֹמַ֞רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularAhאֲהָ֣הּ׀H162InterjectionLordאֲדֹנָ֣יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularGODיְהוִ֗הH3069Noun - proper - masculine singularhow completelyאָכֵן֩H403AdverbYou have deceivedהַשֵּׁ֨אH5377Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .הִשֵּׁ֜אתָH5377Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularthisהַזֶּה֙H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleלָעָ֤םH5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularand Jerusalemוְלִירוּשָׁלִַ֣םH3389Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singularby sayingלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructYou will haveיִהְיֶ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-וְנָגְעָ֥הH5060Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularpeaceשָׁל֖וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singularwhile a swordחֶ֖רֶבH2719Noun - feminine singularis atעַד־H5704Prepositionour throatsהַנָּֽפֶשׁ׃H5315Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

At thatהַהִ֗יאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singulartimeבָּעֵ֣תH6256Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularit will be saidיֵאָמֵ֤רH559Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto thisהַזֶּה֙H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleלָֽעָם־H5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularand to Jerusalemוְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םH3389Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singularA searingצַ֤חH6703Adjective - masculine singular constructwindר֣וּחַH7307Noun - common singular constructfrom the barren heightsשְׁפָיִים֙H8205Noun - masculine pluralin the desertבַּמִּדְבָּ֔רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularblows towardדֶּ֖רֶךְH1870Noun - common singular constructthe daughterבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructof My peopleעַמִּ֑יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularbut notל֥וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particleto winnowלִזְר֖וֹתH2219Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .וְל֥וֹאH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleor to siftלְהָבַֽר׃H1305Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Verse 12

Original words

a windר֧וּחַH7307Noun - common singulartoo strongמָלֵ֛אH4392Adjective - masculine singularfor thatמֵאֵ֖לֶּהH428Preposition-m | Pronoun - common pluralcomesיָ֣בוֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom Meלִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularNowעַתָּ֕הH6258AdverbIאֲנִ֛יH589Pronoun - first person common singularalsoגַּם־H1571Conjunctionpronounceאֲדַבֵּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularjudgmentsמִשְׁפָּטִ֖יםH4941Noun - masculine pluralagainst themאוֹתָֽם׃H854Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

Beholdהִנֵּ֣ה׀H2009Interjectionhe advancesיַעֲלֶ֗הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularlike the cloudsכַּעֲנָנִ֣יםH6051Preposition-k | Noun - masculine pluralhis chariotsמַרְכְּבוֹתָ֔יוH4818Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularlike the whirlwindוְכַסּוּפָה֙H5492Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singularHis horsesסוּסָ֑יוH5483Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularare swifterקַלּ֥וּH7043Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthan eaglesמִנְּשָׁרִ֖יםH5404Preposition-m | Noun - masculine pluralWoeא֥וֹיH188Interjectionto usלָ֖נוּPreposition | first person common pluralforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionwe are ruinedשֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ׃H7703Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common plural
Verse 14

Original words

Washכַּבְּסִ֨יH3526Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singularthe evilמֵרָעָ֤הH7451Preposition-m | Adjective - feminine singularfrom your heartלִבֵּךְ֙H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularO Jerusalemיְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularso thatלְמַ֖עַןH4616Conjunctionyou may be savedתִּוָּשֵׁ֑עִיH3467Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularHow longעַד־H5704Preposition. . .מָתַ֛יH4970Interrogativewill you harborתָּלִ֥יןH3885Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularwickedאוֹנֵֽךְ׃H205Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularthoughtsמַחְשְׁב֥וֹתH4284Noun - feminine plural constructwithin youבְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

Forכִּ֛יH3588Conjunctiona voiceק֥וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singularresoundsמַגִּ֖ידH5046Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularfrom Danמִדָּ֑ןH1835Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularproclaimingוּמַשְׁמִ֥יעַH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singulardisasterאָ֖וֶןH205Noun - masculine singularfrom the hillsמֵהַ֥רH2022Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרָֽיִם׃H669Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Warnהַזְכִּ֣ירוּH2142Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralthe nationsלַגּוֹיִ֗םH1471Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralnowהִנֵּה֙H2009InterjectionProclaimהַשְׁמִ֣יעוּH8085Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluraltoעַל־H5921PrepositionJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularA besieging armyנֹצְרִ֥יםH5341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralcomesבָּאִ֖יםH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralfrom a distantהַמֶּרְחָ֑קH4801Article | Noun - masculine singularlandמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructthey raiseוַֽיִּתְּנ֛וּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir voicesקוֹלָֽם׃H6963Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralagainstעַל־H5921Prepositionthe citiesעָרֵ֥יH5892Noun - feminine plural constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֖הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

They surround herמִסָּבִ֑יבH5439Preposition-m | Adverblike men guardingכְּשֹׁמְרֵ֣יH8104Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructa fieldשָׂדַ֔יH7704Noun - masculine singular. . .הָי֥וּH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .עָלֶ֖יהָH5921Preposition | third person feminine singularbecauseכִּי־H3588Conjunction-אֹתִ֥יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularshe has rebelled against Meמָרָ֖תָהH4784Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Your waysדַּרְכֵּךְ֙H1870Noun - common singular construct | second person feminine singularand deedsוּמַ֣עֲלָלַ֔יִךְH4611Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularhave broughtעָשׂ֥וֹH6213Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolutethisאֵ֖לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralupon youלָ֑ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularThisזֹ֤אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularis your punishmentרָעָתֵךְ֙H7451Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singularhow bitter it isמָ֔רH4751Adjective - masculine singular. . .כִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionbecauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionit piercesנָגַ֖עH5060Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto theעַד־H5704Prepositionheartלִבֵּֽךְ׃סH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.