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.
Jeremiah 4:3-4
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.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
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.