Focused Passage

Jeremiah 4:23-28

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

23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.

24 I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.

25 I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.

26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.

27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.

28 Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Original words

I looked רָאִ֙יתִי֙ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker at the earth הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . וְהִנֵּה־ H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection and it was formless תֹ֖הוּ H8414 Noun - masculine singular and void וָבֹ֑הוּ H922 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular [I looked] to וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the heavens הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and they [had] no וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb light אוֹרָֽם׃ H216 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

I looked רָאִ֙יתִי֙ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular at the mountains הֶֽהָרִ֔ים H2022 Article | Noun - masculine plural and behold וְהִנֵּ֖ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection they were quaking רֹעֲשִׁ֑ים H7493 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the hills הַגְּבָע֖וֹת H1389 Article | Noun - feminine plural were swaying הִתְקַלְקָֽלוּ׃ H7043 Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 25

Original words

I looked רָאִ֕יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֖ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection and no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb man was left הָאָדָ֑ם H120 Article | Noun - masculine singular all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the birds ע֥וֹף H5775 Noun - masculine singular construct of the air הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural had fled נָדָֽדוּ׃ H5074 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 26

Original words

I looked רָאִ֕יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection and the fruitful land הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל H3759 Article | Noun - masculine singular was a desert הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר H4057 Article | Noun - masculine singular All וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct its cities עָרָ֗יו H5892 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular were torn down נִתְּצוּ֙ H5422 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural before מִפְּנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular before מִפְּנֵ֖י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct His fierce חֲר֥וֹן H2740 Noun - masculine singular construct anger אַפּֽוֹ׃ס H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

For כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction this is what כֹה֙ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular The whole כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct land הָאָ֑רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular will be תִהְיֶ֖ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular desolate שְׁמָמָ֥ה H8077 Noun - feminine singular but I will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle finish its destruction וְכָלָ֖ה H3617 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular . . . אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Verse 28

Original words

Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . זֹאת֙ H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular the earth הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular will mourn תֶּאֱבַ֣ל H56 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular [and] the heavens הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural above מִמָּ֑עַל H4605 Preposition-m | Adverb . . . עַ֤ל H5921 Preposition . . . כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction will grow dark וְקָדְר֥וּ H6937 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural I have spoken דִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular I have planned זַמֹּ֔תִי H2161 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and I will not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle relent נִחַ֖מְתִּי H5162 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle or turn back אָשׁ֥וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ H4480 Preposition | third 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.