Jeremiah · World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Jeremiah 4 World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
WEBBE World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 “If you will return, Israel,” says the LORD, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
1 “If you will return, Israel,” says Yahweh, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
2 and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
2 and you will swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
3 For the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow amongst thorns.
3 For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
4 Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5 Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
5 Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
6 Set up a standard towards Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
6 Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8 For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD hasn’t turned back from us.
8 For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn’t turned back from us.
9 “It will happen at that day,” says the LORD, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
9 “It will happen at that day,” says Yahweh, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace;’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace;’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind blows from the bare heights in the wilderness towards the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind blows from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
12 A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgements against them.”
12 A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgments against them.”
13 Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
13 Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
14 Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
14 Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
15 For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
16 “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
16 “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says the LORD.
17 As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh.
18 “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.”
18 “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.”
19 My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
19 My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
20 Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
20 Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
21 How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
21 How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skilful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
22 “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
23 I saw the earth and, behold, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
23 I saw the earth and, behold, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
24 I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
25 I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
25 I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
26 I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, before his fierce anger.
26 I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of Yahweh, before his fierce anger.
27 For the LORD says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
27 For Yahweh says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
28 For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it. I have planned it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.”
28 For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it. I have planned it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.”
29 Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers. They go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.
29 Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers. They go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.
30 You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
30 You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”
31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Joel 2:12; Jeremiah 3:22; Ezekiel 43:9; Genesis 35:2; Jeremiah 3:1
- 2 Isaiah 65:16; Genesis 22:18; Jeremiah 9:24; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17
- 3 Hosea 10:12; Luke 8:14; Luke 8:7; Galatians 6:7–8; Mark 4:18–19
- 4 Deuteronomy 10:16; Romans 2:28–29; Deuteronomy 30:6; Colossians 2:11; Jeremiah 9:26
- 5 Jeremiah 8:14; Joshua 10:20; Jeremiah 6:1; Hosea 8:1; Amos 3:6
- 6 Jeremiah 50:2; Jeremiah 1:13–15; Jeremiah 51:27; Jeremiah 6:22; Jeremiah 4:21
- 7 Isaiah 6:11; Ezekiel 26:7–10; Isaiah 1:7; Jeremiah 2:15; Jeremiah 5:6
- 8 Jeremiah 6:26; Isaiah 22:12; Isaiah 10:4; Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 32:11
- 9 Isaiah 22:3–5; Isaiah 29:9–10; Ezekiel 13:9–16; Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 37:19
- 10 Jeremiah 5:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12; Isaiah 37:35; Jeremiah 14:13–14; Romans 1:28
- 11 Hosea 13:15; Ezekiel 17:10; Isaiah 41:16; Luke 3:17; Jeremiah 8:19
- 12 Jeremiah 1:16; Ezekiel 5:8; Ezekiel 6:11–13; Ezekiel 7:8–9
- 13 Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 66:15; Lamentations 4:19; Habakkuk 1:8; Isaiah 5:28
- 14 James 4:8; Isaiah 55:7; Acts 8:22; Romans 1:21; Luke 11:39
- 15 Jeremiah 8:16; Judges 18:29; Joshua 17:15; Joshua 20:7; Jeremiah 6:1
- 16 Ezekiel 21:22; Jeremiah 5:15; Isaiah 39:3; Jeremiah 2:15; Jeremiah 31:10
- 17 Jeremiah 5:23; 2 Kings 25:1–4; Ezekiel 2:3–7; Luke 19:43–44; Isaiah 30:9
- 18 Psalm 107:17; Jeremiah 2:19; Jeremiah 2:17; Proverbs 1:31; Jeremiah 6:19
- 19 Habakkuk 3:16; Isaiah 22:4; Isaiah 16:11; Jeremiah 9:1; Jeremiah 9:10
- 20 Psalm 42:7; Joel 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Ezekiel 7:25–26; Matthew 10:28
- 21 2 Chronicles 36:6–7; 2 Chronicles 35:25; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Jeremiah 4:5–6; 2 Chronicles 36:3
- 22 1 Corinthians 14:20; Romans 16:19; Jeremiah 5:21; Romans 3:11; Hosea 4:6
- 23 Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24–25; Joel 3:15–16; Isaiah 13:10; Genesis 1:2
- 24 Ezekiel 38:20; Isaiah 5:25; Jeremiah 10:10; Nahum 1:5–6; Judges 5:4–5
- 25 Zephaniah 1:2–3; Jeremiah 12:4; Jeremiah 9:10; Hosea 4:3
- 26 Psalm 107:34; Micah 3:12; Jeremiah 14:2–6; Isaiah 7:20–25; Jeremiah 12:4
- 27 Jeremiah 46:28; Jeremiah 5:18; Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 30:11; Romans 9:27–29
- 28 Numbers 23:19; Jeremiah 12:4; Isaiah 50:3; Hosea 4:3; Joel 2:30–31
- 29 Isaiah 2:19–21; Jeremiah 4:7; Revelation 6:15–17; Isaiah 30:17; Jeremiah 39:4–6
- 30 Lamentations 1:2; 2 Kings 9:30; Lamentations 1:19; Isaiah 10:3; Ezekiel 16:36–41
- 31 Isaiah 1:15; Lamentations 1:17; Jeremiah 13:21; Jeremiah 18:21; Lamentations 2:21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… fatherless, and negligent of the cause of the widows." And Jeremiah, in like manner: "They," he says, "who rule my people did not know me; they are senseless and imprudent children; they are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no knowledge."