Jeremiah 4
Tree of Life Version
4 “If you will return, O Israel,
return to Me,” declares Adonai.
“If you will put your detestable things out of My sight.
Then you will not waver.
2 You will swear, ‘As Adonai lives!’
in truth, in justice and in righteousness.
The nations will bless themselves in Him
and in Him they will glory.”
3 Thus says Adonai to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground
and do not sow among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to Adonai
and remove the foreskins of your heart,
men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Else My wrath will break out like fire and blaze,
with no one to quench it,
because of your evil deeds!”
Imminent Invasion from the North
5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, saying:
“Blow the shofar in the land!”
Cry aloud and say,
“Assemble yourselves!
Let us go into the fortified cities.”
6 “Raise a banner toward Zion!
Take refuge! Do not delay!
For I bring calamity from the north,
even terrible destruction.
7 A lion has come up from his thicket—
a destroyer of nations has set out.
He has left his place
to make your land a wasteland.
Your cities will lie in ruins,
without inhabitant.
8 Therefore, put on sackcloth—
lament and wail!
For the fierce anger of Adonai
has not turned away from us.”
9 “It will happen in that day”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“that the king’s heart will fail,
as will the heart of the princes.
The kohanim will be appalled,
and the prophets will be stunned.”
10 Then I said, “Alas, Adonai Elohim! How completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem saying, ‘You will have shalom,’ until the sword touches the soul!”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A scorching wind from the barren hills in the wilderness blows toward My people, but not to winnow or to sift— 12 a wind too strong for these things will come from Me. Now even I will pronounce judgments against them.”
13 See, he comes up like clouds,
and his chariots like whirlwinds.
His horses are swifter than eagles—
“Oy! We are ruined!”
14 O Jerusalem, purify your heart from wickedness, so that you may be saved.
How long will your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
15 A voice announces from Dan
and proclaims calamity from the hills of Ephraim,
16 “Remind the nations,
proclaim over Jerusalem!
Besiegers are soon coming from a far country,
raising their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of a field they surround her,
because she has been rebellious against Me.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
18 Your conduct and your deeds
have brought these things on you.
This is your calamity!
How bitter it is!
How it smites your heart!
19 My stomach, my stomach!
I writhe in anguish!
The pain of my heart!
My heart is pounding within me!
I cannot keep silent
because I have heard, O my soul,
the sound of the shofar,
the battle-cry of war.
20 Disaster on disaster is reported.
So the whole land is ruined.
My tents are suddenly ravaged,
my curtains in an instant.
21 How long must I see the battle standard
and hear the sound of the shofar?
22 “For My people are foolish.
They do not know Me.
They are senseless children,
and they have no understanding.
They are wise to do evil,
but to do good they do not know.”
23 I looked at the earth and behold,
it was deserted and desolate,
and at the heavens
and they had no light.
24 I looked at the mountains—
behold, they were shaking
and all the hills swaying to and fro.
25 I looked and behold, no people!
All the birds of the sky had fled.
26 I looked and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness
and all of its cities were in ruins
before Adonai, before His fierce anger.
27 For thus says Adonai,
“The whole land will be wasteland,
yet I will not totally destroy it.
28 Therefore, the earth will mourn
and the heavens above grow black.
For I have spoken, I have purposed,
nor will I relent, nor turn from it.
29 At the sound of horsemen and archers
the whole city flees.
They go into the thickets
and climb up on the rocks.
The whole city is deserted—
no one dwells in it.
30 And you, O desolate one, what will you do?
Though you dress in scarlet,
though you adorn yourself with gold ornaments
though you enlarge your eyes with paint—
in vain
you make yourself beautiful—
your lovers despise you,
they seek your life.
31 For I heard a cry like one in labor,
the anguish of one giving birth to her first child—
the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
stretching out her hands saying,
“Oy, now to me!
For my soul faints
before murderers.”
Jeremiah 4
New King James Version
Jeremiah Laments over Judah
4 “If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord,
(A)“Return to Me;
And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight,
Then you shall not be moved.
2 (B)And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’
(C)In truth, in [a]judgment, and in righteousness;
(D)The nations shall bless themselves in Him,
And in Him they shall (E)glory.”
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
(F)“Break up your [b]fallow ground,
And (G)do not sow among thorns.
4 (H)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:
(I)“Blow the trumpet in the land;
Cry, ‘Gather together,’
And say, (J)‘Assemble yourselves,
And let us go into the fortified cities.’
6 Set up the [c]standard toward Zion.
Take refuge! Do not delay!
For I will bring disaster from the (K)north,
And great destruction.”
7 (L)The lion has come up from his thicket,
And (M)the destroyer of nations is on his way.
He has gone forth from his place
(N)To make your land desolate.
Your cities will be laid waste,
Without inhabitant.
8 For this, (O)clothe yourself with sackcloth,
Lament and wail.
For the fierce anger of the Lord
Has not turned back from us.
9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord,
“That the heart of the king shall perish,
And the heart of the princes;
The priests shall be astonished,
And the prophets shall wonder.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God!
(P)Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem,
(Q)Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’
Whereas the sword reaches to the [d]heart.”
11 At that time it will be said
To this people and to Jerusalem,
(R)“A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness
Toward the daughter of My people—
Not to fan or to cleanse—
12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now (S)I will also speak judgment against them.”
13 “Behold, he shall come up like clouds,
And (T)his chariots like a whirlwind.
(U)His horses are swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, for we are plundered!”
14 O Jerusalem, (V)wash your heart from wickedness,
That you may be saved.
How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares (W)from Dan
And proclaims [e]affliction from Mount Ephraim:
16 “Make mention to the nations,
Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem,
That watchers come from a (X)far country
And raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 (Y)Like keepers of a field they are against her all around,
Because she has been rebellious against Me,” says the Lord.
18 “Your(Z) ways and your doings
Have procured these things for you.
This is your wickedness,
Because it is bitter,
Because it reaches to your heart.”
Sorrow for the Doomed Nation
19 O my (AA)soul, my soul!
I am pained in my very heart!
My heart makes a noise in me;
I cannot hold my peace,
Because you have heard, O my soul,
The sound of the trumpet,
The alarm of war.
20 (AB)Destruction upon destruction is cried,
For the whole land is plundered.
Suddenly (AC)my tents are plundered,
And my curtains in a moment.
21 How long will I see the [f]standard,
And hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For My people are foolish,
They have not known Me.
They are [g]silly children,
And they have no understanding.
(AD)They are wise to do evil,
But to do good they have no knowledge.”
23 (AE)I beheld the earth, and indeed it was (AF)without form, and void;
And the heavens, they had no light.
24 (AG)I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled,
And all the hills moved back and forth.
25 I beheld, and indeed there was no man,
And (AH)all the birds of the heavens had fled.
26 I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a (AI)wilderness,
And all its cities were broken down
At the presence of the Lord,
By His fierce anger.
27 For thus says the Lord:
“The whole land shall be desolate;
(AJ)Yet I will not make a full end.
28 For this (AK)shall the earth mourn,
And (AL)the heavens above be black,
Because I have spoken.
I have (AM)purposed and (AN)will not relent,
Nor will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen.
They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks.
Every city shall be forsaken,
And not a man shall dwell in it.
30 “And when you are plundered,
What will you do?
Though you clothe yourself with crimson,
Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
(AO)Though you enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you will make yourself fair;
(AP)Your lovers will despise you;
They will seek your life.
31 “For I have heard a voice as of a woman in [h]labor,
The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child,
The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself;
She (AQ)spreads her hands, saying,
‘Woe is me now, for my soul is [i]weary
Because of murderers!’
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:2 justice
- Jeremiah 4:3 untilled
- Jeremiah 4:6 banner
- Jeremiah 4:10 Lit. soul
- Jeremiah 4:15 Or wickedness
- Jeremiah 4:21 banner
- Jeremiah 4:22 foolish
- Jeremiah 4:31 childbirth
- Jeremiah 4:31 faint
Jeremiah 4
English Standard Version
4 “If you return, O Israel,
declares the Lord,
(A)to me you should return.
If you remove your detestable things from my presence,
(B)and do not waver,
2 (C)and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’
in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,
then (D)nations shall bless themselves in him,
(E)and in him shall they glory.”
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
(F)“Break up your fallow ground,
and (G)sow not among thorns.
4 (H)Circumcise yourselves to the Lord;
remove the foreskin of your hearts,
O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;
(I)lest my wrath go forth like fire,
and burn with none to quench it,
(J)because of the evil of your deeds.”
Disaster from the North
5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
(K)“Blow the trumpet through the land;
cry aloud and say,
(L)‘Assemble, and let us go
into the fortified cities!’
6 (M)Raise a standard toward Zion,
flee for safety, stay not,
for I bring disaster from (N)the north,
(O)and great destruction.
7 (P)A lion has gone up from his thicket,
a destroyer of nations has set out;
he has gone out from his place
to make your land a waste;
your cities will be ruins
(Q)without inhabitant.
8 For this (R)put on sackcloth,
lament and wail,
for (S)the fierce anger of the Lord
has not turned back from us.”
9 “In that day, declares the Lord, (T)courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” 10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God, (U)surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from (V)the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, 12 a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who (W)speak in judgment upon them.”
13 Behold, he comes up like clouds;
(X)his chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are (Y)swifter than eagles—
woe to us, (Z)for we are ruined!
14 O Jerusalem, (AA)wash your heart from evil,
that you may be saved.
How long shall your wicked thoughts
lodge within you?
15 For a voice (AB)declares from Dan
and proclaims trouble from (AC)Mount Ephraim.
16 Warn the nations that he is coming;
announce to Jerusalem,
“Besiegers come (AD)from a distant land;
they shout against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of a field (AE)are they against her all around,
because she has rebelled against me,
declares the Lord.
18 Your ways and your deeds
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and (AF)it is bitter;
it has reached your very heart.”
Anguish over Judah's Desolation
19 (AG)My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war.
20 (AH)Crash follows hard on crash;
the whole land is laid waste.
(AI)Suddenly my tents are laid waste,
my curtains in a moment.
21 How long must I see the standard
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For (AJ)my people are foolish;
they know me not;
they are stupid children;
they have no understanding.
(AK)They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!
But how to do good they know not.”
23 I looked on the earth, and behold, it was (AL)without form and void;
(AM)and to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I looked on (AN)the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,
and all the hills moved to and fro.
25 (AO)I looked, and behold, there was no man,
and all the birds of the air had fled.
26 I looked, and behold, the (AP)fruitful land was a desert,
and all its cities were laid in ruins
before the Lord, before (AQ)his fierce anger.
27 For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; (AR)yet I will not make a full end.
28 (AS)“For this the earth shall mourn,
(AT)and the heavens above be dark;
for I have spoken; I have purposed;
(AU)I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”
29 At the noise of horseman and archer
every city takes to flight;
they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;
all the cities are forsaken,
and (AV)no man dwells in them.
30 And you, O desolate one,
what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,
(AW)that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
(AX)that you enlarge your eyes with paint?
In vain you beautify yourself.
(AY)Your lovers despise you;
they seek your life.
31 For I heard (AZ)a cry as of a woman in labor,
anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,
the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
(BA)stretching out her hands,
“Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
