Jeremiah-Chap-4-1-18
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having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the
following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO
THE WORD which I command you,
NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT,
that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago and of today have, and are shamefully disobeying this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction to Jeremiah Chapter 4: Vv. 1 to 18:
This section of Jeremiah continues the prophet’s urgent call for the people of Israel and Judah to return to a life of integrity, justice, and loyalty to the One אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God). The tone moves between hope and warning. The opening verses describe what true return would look like, ‘sincere’, ‘ethical’, and ‘free of deceit’. But as the passage progresses, the tone shifts dramatically: Jeremiah foresees a devastating invasion from the north, a consequence of persistent ‘wrongdoing’ and ‘refusal to change course’. The chapter is emotionally intense. Jeremiah speaks as a ‘watchman’ who sees danger approaching, and as a grieving patriot who loves his people deeply. The imagery is vivid: ‘plowed fields’, ‘storm winds’, ‘lions’, ‘trumpets’, and the trembling of the land. The message is not fatalistic; it is a plea. The prophet insists that disaster is not inevitable, yet without genuine transformation, it becomes unavoidable.
Let us now commence reading Jeremiah Chapter 4; verses 1 to 18:
(JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).
1. If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith יְהוָה - the LORD, yea, return unto Me; and if thou wilt put away thy detestable things out of My sight, and wilt not waver;
2. And wilt swear: 'As יְהוָה - the LORD liveth' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; then shall the nations bless themselves by Him, and in Him shall they glory.
3. For thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: break up for you a fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
4. Circumcise yourselves to יְהוָה - the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest My fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5. Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, and say: 'Blow ye the horn in the land'; cry aloud and say: 'Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.'
6. Set up a standard toward Zion; put yourselves under covert, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
7. A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place; to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of יְהוָה - the LORD is not turned back from us.
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Let us now look at the ‘verse by verse’ with Explanations:
Verses 1-2. Jeremiah begins with a conditional promise: “If
you return … return unto Me”.
The emphasis is on sincerity. Removing falsehood and swearing truthfully in the
name of God would bring blessing not only to Israel but would allow other
nations to see stability and integrity. The idea is that ethical behavior has
ripple effects beyond borders.
Verse 3. The prophet uses agricultural imagery: “Break up your fallow ground.” This means: do not sow seeds among thorns. In other words, moral renewal requires preparation, clearing away harmful habits and attitudes so that good actions can take root.
Verse 4. The call to “circumcise yourselves to יְהוָה - the LORD” is ‘metaphorical’. It refers to ‘removing stubbornness of heart’. The warning is that failure to soften one’s inner disposition leads to consequences that burn like fire!
Verses 5-6. A trumpet blast is announced. People are told to gather and flee to fortified cities. A “standard” (a signal flag) is raised toward Zion. The message: danger is imminent. The threat comes “from the north,” a recurring theme in Jeremiah symbolizing foreign invasion.
Verse 7. The invader is described as a lion emerging from its thicket. This is a poetic way of saying that a powerful enemy is already on the move. The land will be made desolate. The imagery conveys unstoppable force.
Verse 8. People are urged to ‘mourn’, wear ‘sackcloth’, ‘lament’, and cry because Divine anger has been provoked. This is not a call to ‘despair’ but to ‘recognition’: the situation is serious and demands introspection.
Verse 9. ‘Leaders’, ‘kings’, ‘princes’, ‘priests’, and ‘prophets’ will be stunned and helpless. The verse highlights that no social class or authority will be able to avert the crisis once it arrives.
Verse 10. Jeremiah expresses anguish: “Ah, יְהוָה - LORD Elohim! Surely You have greatly deceived this people…” This is not an accusation but a cry of confusion. The people had believed they would have peace, yet danger is coming. Jeremiah voices the emotional turmoil of a nation that simply had misread its situation.
Verses 11-12. A hot, destructive wind is described, stronger than the normal wind used for winnowing grain. This wind symbolizes the invading force: not a gentle corrective breeze but a sweeping, consuming storm.
Verse 13. The enemy approaches like clouds, with chariots “as the whirlwind” and horses swifter than eagles. The imagery emphasizes speed and overwhelming power. The final line—“Woe unto us! for we are undone”, captures the people’s realization of their vulnerability.
Verse 14. Jerusalem is urged to cleanse its heart from
evil. The prophet asks: “How long shall your thoughts lodge within you?”
The message: the danger is not only ‘external’; ‘internal corruption’ is the
deeper issue.
Verse 15. A voice from Dan and the hills of Ephraim announces the coming disaster. These northern regions would be the first to see the invader, so their cry serves as an early warning.
Verse 16. Nations are told to take notice. A “watcher” from afar is coming against Jerusalem. The term “watcher” suggests a relentless observer or besieger who will not turn away.
Verse 17. The enemy surrounds Jerusalem like keepers of a field being ‘constant’, ‘watchful’, and ‘inescapable’. The reason is stated plainly: the people have rebelled.
Verse 18. The conclusion is stark: “Your way and your
doings have brought these things upon you.”
The suffering is described as “bitter” and reaching the heart. The prophet
emphasizes responsibility: actions have consequences, and the crisis is the
result of accumulated choices.
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My Closing Message:
Jeremiah 4:1-18 is both a warning and an invitation. The prophet does not speak from detachment; he speaks with deep love for his people and profound sorrow of their path. The passage teaches that genuine change begins within, through with ‘honesty’, ‘humility’, and the ‘courage’ to confront one’s own patterns. Even in its harshest moments, the chapter preserves a thread of hope: return is always possible. The call to “break up fallow ground” is timeless. It suggests that renewal requires ‘effort’, ‘preparation’, and ‘willingness’ to uproot what no longer serves our lives!
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember
what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via
several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD
of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He is
the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts be with
you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom
Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens,
PhD.
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