Jeremiah 4:1-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:1-2

When God called to backsliding Israel to return (Jer. 3:22) they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God here takes notice of their answer, and, by way of reply to it, I. He directs them how to pursue their good resolutions: ?Dost thou say, I will return?? 1. ?Then thou must return unto me; make a thorough work of it. Do not only turn from thy idolatries, but return to the instituted worship of the God of Israel.? Or, ?Thou must return speedily and not delay (as Isa. 21:12; If you will... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:3-4

The prophet here turns his speech, in God's name, to the men of the place where he lived. We have heard what words he proclaimed towards the north (Jer. 3:12), for the comfort of those that were now in captivity and were humbled under the hand of God; let us now see what he says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, who were now in prosperity, for their conviction and awakening. In these two verses he exhorts them to repentance and reformation, as the only way left them to prevent the desolating... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5-18

God's usual method is to warn before he wounds. In these verses, accordingly, God gives notice to the Jews of the general desolation that would shortly be brought upon them by a foreign invasion. This must be declared and published in all the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem, that all might hear and fear, and by this loud alarm be either brought to repentance or left inexcusable. The prediction of this calamity is here given very largely, and in lively expressions, which one would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:1

If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord ,.... To which they had been encouraged, and as they had promised they would, and said they did, Jeremiah 3:14 , return unto me ; with thy whole heart, and not feignedly and hypocritically, as Judah did, Jeremiah 3:10 . Some render the words (and the accents require they should be rendered so) "if thou wilt return to me, O Israel, saith the Lord, thou shalt return" F12 אם תשוב ישראל נאם יהוה אלי תשוב "si reverteris ad... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:2

And thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth ,.... Or by the living Lord, by him and him only; not by the creatures, but by the God of truth. This is sometimes put for the whole worship and service of God, Deuteronomy 6:13 and for a confession of Christ, and profession of faith in him, Isaiah 45:23 , compared with Romans 14:11 and which ought to be done, in truth, in righteousness, and in judgment ; in sincerity, integrity, and uprightness of soul; in spirit and in, truth; in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:3

For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem ,.... The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who were at the time of this prophecy in their own land; and so are distinguished from Israel the ten tribes, who were in captivity; unless the same persons should be meant, who were called by these several names, the people of the Jews; and it was in Judea that our Lord appeared in the flesh, and to the inhabitants thereof he ministered, he was the minister of the circumcision; and so to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:4

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord ,.... Or, "be ye circumcised", as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it. This is to be understood of the circumcision of the heart, as Kimchi observes; and as appears from the following words: and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem ; this is the true spiritual circumcision; and they that are possessed of it are the circumcision, the only truly circumcised persons; and they are such who have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5

Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, and say ,.... Exhortations to repentance being without effect in general, though they might have an influence on some few particular persons, the Lord directs the prophet to lay before the people a view of their destruction as near at hand; who calls upon some persons as a sort of heralds, to publish and declare in the land of Judea, and in Jerusalem the metropolis of it, what follows: blow ye the trumpet in the land ; as an alarm of an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:6

Set up the standard toward Zion ,.... Not on the tower of Zion, as Kimchi interprets it; but on some high place, pointing to Zion, and directing the country people to flee thither for safety; for the setting up of the standard here is not for enlisting of soldiers in order to fight, but as a sign of danger, and a direction where to flee from it: retire ; gather yourselves together in order to flee, as the word F16 העיזו "congregate vos, sub. ad fugiendum", Vatablus; "confirmate... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:7

The lion is come up from his thicket ,.... Meaning Nebuchadnezzar F19 So T. Bab. Megilia, fol. 11. 1. & Sanhedrin. fol 94. 2. , from Babylon, who is compared to a lion for his strength, fierceness, and cruelty; see Jeremiah 50:17 so the Roman emperor is called a lion, 2 Timothy 4:17 , agreeably to this the Targum paraphrases it, "a king is gone from his fortress;' or tower; and the Syriac version, "a certain most powerful king is about to go up as a lion out of his wood:'... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:3-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5-18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:7

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