← Back to Jeremiah

Jeremiah 4

31 verses

TL;DR

Jeremiah 4 urges Israel to repent and remove abominations, warns of imminent judgment from a lion-like enemy, and laments the impending desolation of Jerusalem.

Summary

In the opening verses the LORD calls Israel to return, to forsake their abominations, and to swear that He lives in truth and righteousness. He then commands Judah and Jerusalem to break up their fallow fields and refrain from sowing thorns, urging them to circumcise their hearts to avoid divine wrath. A warning follows: a lion and a destroyer of Gentiles are approaching from the north, bringing destruction to the land. The chapter describes the ensuing sorrow, lamentation, and the king’s heart breaking, as priests and prophets are astonished. Jerusalem is called to wash its heart from wickedness, yet the text depicts a wilderness of desolation and an earth without form. The imagery of trumpets, standards, and clouds underscores the imminent military threat, while the people are urged to heed warnings from Dan and Mount Ephraim. The final verses lament the devastation, portraying Jerusalem as a grieving woman in labor, with the city’s inhabitants fleeing and their ornaments becoming futile.

Outline
  1. Call to repentance and removal of abominations (vv.1‑5)
  2. Prediction of impending judgment by a lion‑like enemy and descriptions of desolation (vv.6‑13)
  3. Lamentation over Jerusalem’s fall and exhortation to cleanse the heart (vv.14‑31)
Themes
Repentance and internal purificationDivine judgment and impending destructionDesolation and sorrow of Jerusalem
Keywords
returnabominationsjudgmentrighteousnessbreak up groundsow thornscircumcisionsackclothlamentkingprincespriestsprophetsliondestroyerchariotswindsdesolation
People
IsraelLordKingPrincesPriestsProphetsJerusalem
Places
IsraelJudahJerusalemZionDanMount EphraimNorthWilderness
Things
fallow groundthornscircumcisionforeskin of heartsackclothtrumpetstandarddefenced citiesliondestroyer of Gentileschariotshorsescloudswinds of the high placesdesolation
Key Verses
  • Jeremiah 4:4: Calls for a symbolic circumcision of the heart to avert God's wrath.
  • Jeremiah 4:7: Imagines a lion and destroyer approaching, illustrating imminent judgment.
  • Jeremiah 4:14: Urges Jerusalem to cleanse its heart, highlighting internal repentance.
Questions
  • What does the call to remove abominations mean for modern faith communities?
  • How does the imagery of a lion and a destroyer convey the severity of God's judgment?
  • Why does the text repeatedly emphasize washing the heart rather than external rituals?
  • In what ways does the lament of Jerusalem as a grieving woman inform our understanding of communal grief?
  • How can the warnings from Dan and Mount Ephraim be interpreted in a contemporary context?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter primarily presents warnings, judgments, and lamentation, conveying a tone of sorrow and impending calamity.