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

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

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

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

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

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

28Therefore 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 lookedרָאִ֙יתִי֙H7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerat the earthהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .וְהִנֵּה־H2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionand it was formlessתֹ֖הוּH8414Noun - masculine singularand voidוָבֹ֑הוּH922Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular[I looked] toוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe heavensהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluraland they [had] noוְאֵ֥יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverblightאוֹרָֽם׃H216Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

I lookedרָאִ֙יתִי֙H7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularat the mountainsהֶֽהָרִ֔יםH2022Article | Noun - masculine pluraland beholdוְהִנֵּ֖הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionthey were quakingרֹעֲשִׁ֑יםH7493Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralallוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe hillsהַגְּבָע֖וֹתH1389Article | Noun - feminine pluralwere swayingהִתְקַלְקָֽלוּ׃H7043Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 25

Original words

I lookedרָאִ֕יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .וְהִנֵּ֖הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionand noאֵ֣יןH369Adverbman was leftהָאָדָ֑םH120Article | Noun - masculine singularallוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe birdsע֥וֹףH5775Noun - masculine singular constructof the airהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralhad fledנָדָֽדוּ׃H5074Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 26

Original words

I lookedרָאִ֕יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .וְהִנֵּ֥הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionand the fruitful landהַכַּרְמֶ֖לH3759Article | Noun - masculine singularwas a desertהַמִּדְבָּ֑רH4057Article | Noun - masculine singularAllוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructits citiesעָרָ֗יוH5892Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularwere torn downנִתְּצוּ֙H5422Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralbeforeמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbeforeמִפְּנֵ֖יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructHis fierceחֲר֥וֹןH2740Noun - masculine singular constructangerאַפּֽוֹ׃סH639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Forכִּי־H3588Conjunctionthis is whatכֹה֙H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularThe wholeכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructlandהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularwill beתִהְיֶ֖הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singulardesolateשְׁמָמָ֥הH8077Noun - feminine singularbut I will notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlefinish its destructionוְכָלָ֖הH3617Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Verse 28

Original words

Thereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .זֹאת֙H2063Pronoun - feminine singularthe earthהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularwill mournתֶּאֱבַ֣לH56Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular[and] the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralaboveמִמָּ֑עַלH4605Preposition-m | Adverb. . .עַ֤לH5921Preposition. . .כִּי־H3588Conjunctionwill grow darkוְקָדְר֥וּH6937Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralI have spokenדִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙H1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularI have plannedזַמֹּ֔תִיH2161Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularand I will notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlerelentנִחַ֖מְתִּיH5162Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .וְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleor turn backאָשׁ֥וּבH7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular. . .מִמֶּֽנָּה׃H4480Preposition | 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.