Jeremiah 4
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
CONTINUATION OF ADDRESS TO THE TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL. (Jer 4:1-2). THE PROPHET TURNS AGAIN TO JUDAH, TO WHOM HE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN SENT (Jer. 4:3-31). (Jer. 4:1-31) return . . . return--play on words. "If thou wouldest return to thy land (thou must first), return (by conversion and repentance) to Me." not remove--no longer be an unsettled wanderer in a strange land. So Cain (Gen 4:12, Gen 4:14).
Open source ↗If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord,.... To which they had been encouraged, and as they had promised they would, and said they did, Jer 3:14, return unto me; with thy whole heart, and not feignedly and hypocritically, as Judah did, Jer 3:10. Some render the words (and the accents require they should be rendered so) "if thou wilt return to me, O Israel, saith the Lord, thou shalt return" (l); that is, to thine own land, being now in captivity; or, "thou shalt rest" (m); or "have rest"; so Kimchi interprets the last word; see Jer 30:10, and these words may very well be considered as the words of Christ, and as spoken by him, when he entered upon his ministry, who began it with calling the people of the Jews to repentance, and promising to give them rest; and all such who return to God by repentance, and come to Christ by faith, find spiritual rest for their souls now, and shall have an eternal rest hereafter, Mat 4:17, and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight; not only their sins, but their self-righteousness, and dependence upon it; the rites and ceremonies of the old law abolished by Christ, together with the traditions of the elders, by which they made void the commandments of God; all which were abominations in the sight of the Lord, Isa 1:13, then shalt thou not remove; from thine own land again when restored, or further off, into more distant countries, for they were now in captivity; or rather the words may be rendered, not as a promise, but as a continuation of what is before said, and not move to and fro (n); or be unstable and wavering, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and precept of men; but be established in the faith of the Gospel, and steadfast and immovable in every good work. The Targum is: "if thou wilt return,…
Open source ↗The answer of the Lord. - Jer 4:1. "If thou returnest, Israel, saith Jahveh, returnest to me; and if thou puttest away thine abominations from before my face, and strayest not, Jer 4:2. and swearest, As Jahveh liveth, in truth, with right, and uprightness; then shall the nations bless themselves in Him, and in Him make their boast." Graf errs in taking these verses as a wish: if thou wouldst but repent...and swear...and if they blessed themselves. His reason is, that the conversion and reconciliation with Jahveh has not yet taken place, and are yet only hoped for; and he cites passages for אם with the force of a wish, as Gen 13:3; Gen 28:13, where, however, נא or לוּ is joined with it. But if we take all the verbs in the same construction, we get a very cumbrous result; and the reason alleged proceeds upon a prosaic misconception of the dramatic nature of the prophet's mode of presentation from Jer 3:21 onwards. Just as there the prophet hears in spirit the penitent supplication of the people, so here he hears the Lord's answer to this supplication, by inward vision seeing the future as already present. The early commentators have followed the example of the lxx and Vulg. in construing the two verses differently, and take אלי and ולא תנוּד as apodoses: if thou returnest, Israel, then return to me; or, if thou, Israel, returnest to me, then shalt thou return, sc. into thy fatherland; and if thou puttest away thine abominations from before mine eyes, then shalt thou no longer wander; and if thou swearest...then will they bless themselves. But by reason of its position after נאם יהוה it is impossible to connect אלי with the protasis. It would be more natural to take אלי תּשׁוּב as apodosis, the אלי being put first for the sake of emphasis. But if we take it as apodosis at…
Open source ↗When God called to backsliding Israel to return (Jer 3:22) they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God here takes notice of their answer, and, by way of reply to it, I. He directs them how to pursue their good resolutions: "Dost thou say, I will return?" 1. "Then thou must return unto me; make a thorough work of it. Do not only turn from thy idolatries, but return to the instituted worship of the God of Israel." Or, "Thou must return speedily and not delay (as Isa 21:12, If you will enquire, enquire you); if you will return unto me, return you: do not talk of it, but do it." 2. "Thou must utterly abandon all sin, and not retain any of the relics of idolatry: Put away thy abominations out of my sight," that is, out of all places (for every place is under the eye of God), especially out of the temple, the house which he had in a particular manner his eye upon, to see that it was kept clean. It intimates that their idolatries were not only obvious, but offensive, to the eye of God. They were abominations which he could not endure the sight of; therefore they must be put away out of his sight, because they were a provocation to the pure eyes of God's glory. Sin must be put away out of the heart, else it is not put away out of God's sight, for the heart and all that is in it lie open before his eye. 3. They must not return to sin again; so some understand that, Thou shalt not remove, reading it, Thou shalt not, or must not, wander. "If thou wilt put away thy abominations, and wilt not wander after them again, as thou hast done, all shall be well." 4. They must give unto God the glory due unto his name (Jer 4:2): "Thou shalt sear, The Lord liveth. His existence shall be with thee the most sacred fact, than which nothing can be more sure, and his judgment the supreme c…
Open source ↗4:1 The Lord saw that despite their lovely prayer, the people did not intend to throw away their idols or change their lifestyle (15:19; Joel 2:12).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) שִׁקּוּץ (shiqqûwts, H8251) — disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… נוּד (nûwd, H5110) — to nod, i.e. waver; figuratively, to wander, flee, disappear; also (from shaking the head…
Open source ↗שָׁבַע (shâbaʻ, H7650) — to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially… אֶמֶת (ʼemeth, H571) — stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… צְדָקָה (tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) — rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue)… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… בָרַךְ (bârak, H1288) — to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as… הָלַל (hâlal, H1984) — to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to…
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine נִיר (nîyr, H5214) — to till the soil נִיר (nîyr, H5215) — properly, plowing, i.e. (concretely) freshly plowed land זָרַע (zâraʻ, H2232) — to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify קוֹץ (qôwts, H6975) — a thorn
Open source ↗מוּל (mûwl, H4135) — to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) עׇרְלָה (ʻorlâh, H6190) — the prepuce לֵבָב (lêbâb, H3824) — the heart (as the most interior organ); אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine חֵמָה (chêmâh, H2534) — heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) בָּעַר (bâʻar, H1197) — to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be(-come) brutish כָּבָה (kâbâh, H3518) — to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger)
Open source ↗נָגַד (nâgad, H5046) — properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) תָּקַע (tâqaʻ, H8628) — to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive… שׁוֹפָר (shôwphâr, H7782) — a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) אָסַף (ʼâçaph, H622) — to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מִבְצָר (mibtsâr, H4013) — a fortification, castle, or fortified city; figuratively, a defender עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere…
Open source ↗נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative נֵס (nêç, H5251) — a flag; also a sail; by implication, a flagstaff; generally a signal; figuratively, a… צִיּוֹן (Tsîyôwn, H6726) — Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem עוּז (ʻûwz, H5756) — to be strong; causatively, to stregthen, i.e. (figuratively) to save (by flight) עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) רַע (raʻ, H7451) — bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) צָפוֹן (tsâphôwn, H6828) — properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown) גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent שֶׁבֶר (sheber, H7667) — a fracture, figuratively, ruin; specifically, a solution (of a dream)
Open source ↗אֲרִי (ʼărîy, H738) — a lion עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… סֹבֶךְ (çôbek, H5441) — a copse שָׁחַת (shâchath, H7843) — to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… נָסַע (nâçaʻ, H5265) — properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… מָקוֹם (mâqôwm, H4725) — properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);… שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שַׁמָּה (shammâh, H8047) — ruin; by implication, consternation עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… נָצָה (nâtsâh, H5327) — properly, to go forth, i.e. (by implication) to be expelled, and (consequently) desolate;… יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to…
Open source ↗חָגַר (châgar, H2296) — to gird on (as a belt, armor, etc.) שַׂק (saq, H8242) — properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or… סָפַד (çâphad, H5594) — properly, to tear the hair and beat the breasts (as Orientals do in grief); generally to… יָלַל (yâlal, H3213) — to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one) חָרוֹן (chârôwn, H2740) — a burning of anger אַף (ʼaph, H639) — properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not…
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… שָׁמֵם (shâmêm, H8074) — to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both… נָבִיא (nâbîyʼ, H5030) — a prophet or (generally) inspired man תָּמַהּ (tâmahh, H8539) — to be in consternation
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲהָהּ (ʼăhâhh, H162) — Oh! אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} אָכֵן (ʼâkên, H403) — firmly; figuratively, surely; also (advers.) but נָשָׁא (nâshâʼ, H5377) — to lead astray, i.e. (mentally) to delude, or (morally) to seduce עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine שָׁלוֹם (shâlôwm, H7965) — safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,… חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) — drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or… נָגַע (nâgaʻ, H5060) — properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in…
Open source ↗עֵת (ʻêth, H6256) — time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc. אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine צַח (tsach, H6703) — dazzling, i.e. sunny, bright, (figuratively) evident רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… שְׁפִי (shᵉphîy, H8205) — bareness; concretely, a bare hill or plain מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb בַּת (bath, H1323) — a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and… זָרָה (zârâh, H2219) — to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow בָּרַר (bârar, H1305) — to clarify (i.e. brighten), examine, select
Open source ↗מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4392) — full (literally or figuratively) or filling (literally); also (concretely) fulness;… רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a…
Open source ↗עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… עָנָן (ʻânân, H6051) — a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloud מֶרְכָּבָה (merkâbâh, H4818) — a chariot סוּפָה (çûwphâh, H5492) — a hurricane סוּס (çûwç, H5483) — a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight) קָלַל (qâlal, H7043) — to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively… נֶשֶׁר (nesher, H5404) — the eagle (or other large bird of prey) אוֹי (ʼôwy, H188) — lamentation; also interjectionally Oh! שָׁדַד (shâdad, H7703) — properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passively, impregnable); by…
Open source ↗יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine כָּבַס (kâbaç, H3526) — to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… רַע (raʻ, H7451) — bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) יָשַׁע (yâshaʻ, H3467) — properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to… אָוֶן (ʼâven, H205) — strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol מַחֲשָׁבָה (machăshâbâh, H4284) — a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan… לוּן (lûwn, H3885) — to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense)… קֶרֶב (qereb, H7130) — properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial…
Open source ↗Cross-references
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“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
“Return, O faithless children, and I will heal your faithlessness.” “Here we are. We come to You, for You are the LORD our God.
So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.
Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever.
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers— and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.
Now let them remove far from Me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will dwell among them forever.
The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.
The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.