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Jeremiah 4:3-6
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 4:3-6
New Living Translation
Coming Judgment against Judah
3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts!
Do not waste your good seed among thorns.
4 O people of Judah and Jerusalem,
surrender your pride and power.
Change your hearts before the Lord,[a]
or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire
because of all your sins.
5 “Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem!
Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land:
‘Run for your lives!
Flee to the fortified cities!’
6 Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem[b]:
‘Flee now! Do not delay!’
For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you
from the north.”
Jeremiah 4:3-6
New King James Version
Jeremiah 4:3-6
New King James Version
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
(A)“Break up your [a]fallow ground,
And (B)do not sow among thorns.
4 (C)Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My fury come forth like fire,
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.”
An Imminent Invasion
5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:
(D)“Blow the trumpet in the land;
Cry, ‘Gather together,’
And say, (E)‘Assemble yourselves,
And let us go into the fortified cities.’
6 Set up the [b]standard toward Zion.
Take refuge! Do not delay!
For I will bring disaster from the (F)north,
And great destruction.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:3 untilled
- Jeremiah 4:6 banner
Jeremiah 4:3-6
The Voice
Jeremiah 4:3-6
The Voice
3 This is what the Eternal now says to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem.
Eternal One: Break up the hard, untilled soil!
It is a waste to plant seeds among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to Me;
cut away the foreskin of your hearts,
men of Judah and people of Jerusalem.
Remove all that stands between us,
and devote yourselves fully to Me,
Or the heat of My anger will burn as an unquenchable fire
against your wicked ways.
The warnings now climax with a vision of invasion and destruction that is almost more than the young prophet can bear. Still God instructs Jeremiah to speak these words of terror, and this prophet who loves the people he has been called to chastise struggles with his mission. In the midst of this painful vision, Jeremiah begins to wonder aloud to the very God for whom he speaks. As he proclaims, he prays. As he waits for answers, the words of devastation continue.
5 Eternal One (to Jeremiah): Cry out to those in Jerusalem. Proclaim to all of Judah.
Let the trumpets blare throughout the land!
Say to the people, “Gather everyone from the outlying villages,
and run toward the fortified cities.”
6 Raise a banner toward Zion, Jerusalem;
point everyone toward her refuge.
Don’t wait, for I am releasing an evil from the north that will devastate the land.
Jeremiah 4:3-6
New International Version
Jeremiah 4:3-6
New International Version
3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground(A)
and do not sow among thorns.(B)
4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
circumcise your hearts,(C)
you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath(D) will flare up and burn like fire(E)
because of the evil(F) you have done—
burn with no one to quench(G) it.
Disaster From the North
5 “Announce in Judah and proclaim(H) in Jerusalem and say:
‘Sound the trumpet(I) throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
‘Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities!’(J)
6 Raise the signal(K) to go to Zion!
Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster(L) from the north,(M)
even terrible destruction.”
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.