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

10 Then 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.”

11 At 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;

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

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

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

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

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

17 They 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 said וָאֹמַ֞ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular Ah אֲהָ֣הּ׀ H162 Interjection Lord אֲדֹנָ֣י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֗ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular how completely אָכֵן֩ H403 Adverb You have deceived הַשֵּׁ֨א H5377 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . הִשֵּׁ֜אתָ H5377 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular this הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people לָעָ֤ם H5971 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular and Jerusalem וְלִירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם H3389 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular by saying לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct You will have יִהְיֶ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - וְנָגְעָ֥ה H5060 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular peace שָׁל֖וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular while a sword חֶ֖רֶב H2719 Noun - feminine singular is at עַד־ H5704 Preposition our throats הַנָּֽפֶשׁ׃ H5315 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

At that הַהִ֗יא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular time בָּעֵ֣ת H6256 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular it will be said יֵאָמֵ֤ר H559 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to this הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people לָֽעָם־ H5971 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular and to Jerusalem וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם H3389 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular A searing צַ֤ח H6703 Adjective - masculine singular construct wind ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct from the barren heights שְׁפָיִים֙ H8205 Noun - masculine plural in the desert בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular blows toward דֶּ֖רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular construct the daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct of My people עַמִּ֑י H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular but not ל֥וֹא H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to winnow לִזְר֖וֹת H2219 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . וְל֥וֹא H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle or to sift לְהָבַֽר׃ H1305 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Verse 12

Original words

a wind ר֧וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular too strong מָלֵ֛א H4392 Adjective - masculine singular for that מֵאֵ֖לֶּה H428 Preposition-m | Pronoun - common plural comes יָ֣בוֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from Me לִ֑י Preposition | first person common singular Now עַתָּ֕ה H6258 Adverb I אֲנִ֛י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular also גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction pronounce אֲדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular judgments מִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים H4941 Noun - masculine plural against them אוֹתָֽם׃ H854 Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

Behold הִנֵּ֣ה׀ H2009 Interjection he advances יַעֲלֶ֗ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular like the clouds כַּעֲנָנִ֣ים H6051 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural his chariots מַרְכְּבוֹתָ֔יו H4818 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular like the whirlwind וְכַסּוּפָה֙ H5492 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singular His horses סוּסָ֑יו H5483 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular are swifter קַלּ֥וּ H7043 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural than eagles מִנְּשָׁרִ֖ים H5404 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural Woe א֥וֹי H188 Interjection to us לָ֖נוּ Preposition | first person common plural for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction we are ruined שֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ׃ H7703 Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common plural
Verse 14

Original words

Wash כַּבְּסִ֨י H3526 Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singular the evil מֵרָעָ֤ה H7451 Preposition-m | Adjective - feminine singular from your heart לִבֵּךְ֙ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular O Jerusalem יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular so that לְמַ֖עַן H4616 Conjunction you may be saved תִּוָּשֵׁ֑עִי H3467 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular How long עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . מָתַ֛י H4970 Interrogative will you harbor תָּלִ֥ין H3885 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular wicked אוֹנֵֽךְ׃ H205 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular thoughts מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת H4284 Noun - feminine plural construct within you בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

For כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction a voice ק֥וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular resounds מַגִּ֖יד H5046 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular from Dan מִדָּ֑ן H1835 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular proclaiming וּמַשְׁמִ֥יעַ H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular disaster אָ֖וֶן H205 Noun - masculine singular from the hills מֵהַ֥ר H2022 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Ephraim אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Warn הַזְכִּ֣ירוּ H2142 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural the nations לַגּוֹיִ֗ם H1471 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural now הִנֵּה֙ H2009 Interjection Proclaim הַשְׁמִ֣יעוּ H8085 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural to עַל־ H5921 Preposition Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular A besieging army נֹצְרִ֥ים H5341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural comes בָּאִ֖ים H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural from a distant הַמֶּרְחָ֑ק H4801 Article | Noun - masculine singular land מֵאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct they raise וַֽיִּתְּנ֛וּ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural their voices קוֹלָֽם׃ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the cities עָרֵ֥י H5892 Noun - feminine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֖ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

They surround her מִסָּבִ֑יב H5439 Preposition-m | Adverb like men guarding כְּשֹׁמְרֵ֣י H8104 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct a field שָׂדַ֔י H7704 Noun - masculine singular . . . הָי֥וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . עָלֶ֖יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular because כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction - אֹתִ֥י H853 Direct object marker | first person common singular she has rebelled against Me מָרָ֖תָה H4784 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Your ways דַּרְכֵּךְ֙ H1870 Noun - common singular construct | second person feminine singular and deeds וּמַ֣עֲלָלַ֔יִךְ H4611 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular have brought עָשׂ֥וֹ H6213 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute this אֵ֖לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural upon you לָ֑ךְ Preposition | second person feminine singular This זֹ֤את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular is your punishment רָעָתֵךְ֙ H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular how bitter it is מָ֔ר H4751 Adjective - masculine singular . . . כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction it pierces נָגַ֖ע H5060 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to the עַד־ H5704 Preposition heart לִבֵּֽךְ׃ס H3820 Noun - 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.