Jeremiah 4:3-4
Legacy Standard Bible
3 For thus says Yahweh to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem,
“[a](A)Break up your fallow ground,
And (B)do not sow among thorns.
4 (C)Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh
And remove the foreskins of your heart,
Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My (D)wrath go forth like fire
And burn with (E)none to quench it
Because of the evil of your deeds.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:3 Lit Plow for yourselves plowed ground
Jeremiah 4:3-4
New English Translation
3 Yes,[a] this is what the Lord has said
to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground, do not cast seeds among thorns.[b]
4 Commit yourselves to the Lord;
dedicate your hearts to me[c]
people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Otherwise, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you
that no one will be able to extinguish.
That will happen because of the evil you have done.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:3 tn The particle כִּי (ki) is asseverative (“indeed, yes”) here rather than causal (“for”) because the content of v. 3 and following reaffirms the content of vv. 1-2.
- Jeremiah 4:3 sn The agricultural imagery seems to be that they are to plow over the thorns and make the ground ready for seeds that will produce a new crop. The spiritual application of breaking up their rebellious will and turning from sin is metaphorically stated in the next verse.
- Jeremiah 4:4 tn Heb “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskin of your heart.” sn Circumcising the heart is a metaphor for being dedicated to the Lord. It is associated with not being stubborn and with loving God in Deut 10:16; 30:6. See also Josh 5 for a ceremony of circumcision connected with national dedication.
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