Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 4

Verse 1

return. Note the Figure of speech Cycloides. App-6 .

Israel. Now referring to the northern kingdom.

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

then shalt thou not remove = and stray not [from Jehovah]. Compare Jeremiah 2:22-26 ; Jeremiah 3:2 .

Verse 2

thou shalt swear. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 10:20 ).

in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. Figure of speech Hendiatris ( App-6 ) = truly, yea, justly and righteously, the three referring to the one thing, "shalt swear".

Verse 3

and Jerusalem. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and the inhabitants of Jerusalem", as in Jeremiah 4:4 .

Verse 4

Circumcise. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 10:16 ; Deuteronomy 30:6 ). Spiritual circumcision in the O.T. is confined to these three passages.

Verse 5

Declare . . . publish . . . say. Compare Jeremiah 46:14 ; Jeremiah 50:2 .

Judah. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), for Judah and Benjamin.

Blow ye. Hebrew text reads, "And blow ye": but Hebrew margin, and some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read without the "And". This is followed by Authorized Version and Revised Version.

Verse 6

Set. . . retire . . . stay. All plural. standard.

evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

destruction: or, breaking up.

Verse 7

The lion = A lion. Figure of speech Hypocatastasis , not Simile or Metaphor. Put thus for the king of Babylon. Contrast Jeremiah 49:19 . See note there.

Gentiles = nations.

Verse 9

heart. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for courage.

king . . . princes . . . priests . . . prophets. All had become false and corrupt since Josiah's day.

Verse 10

greatly deceived. Hebrew idiom for declaring that they would be deceived: i.e. by the false prophets who prophesied peace.

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 11

wind. Hebrew. ruach . App-9 .

Verse 12

them . A special various reading called "Sevir" ( App-34 ) reads "her".

Verse 15

from Dan . . . Ephraim. The enemy would enter the Land from the north, as he afterward did.

mount = hill country of.

Verse 19

My bowels. Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ), for emphasis. Note the Figure of speech Hypotyposis, verses: 19-31. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), for the emotions which produce and affect their movement.

bowels . . . very heart . . . heart. Note the Figure of speech Anabasis. App-6 . See note below.

my very heart = the walls of my heart.

thou hast. Hebrew text reads "I have"; but margin and some codices, with three early printed editions, and Revised Version margin, read "thou hast", as in Authorized Version.

Verse 20

curtains. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for tents, in which a large proportion of the people lived (2 Samuel 18:17 . 1 Kings 8:66 ). Compare Jeremiah 10:20 .

Verse 22

known = acknowledged.

sottish = stupid. Probably from Celtic. Breton sot, or sod = stupid.

children = sons.

Verse 23

I beheld. Note the Figure of speech Anaphora ( App-6 ), commencing this and the three following verses.

lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

without form, and void. Hebrew. tohu va-bohu. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:2 ). Occurs only here. App-92 . In Isaiah 34:11 , the two words are in another connection. Compare also Isaiah 45:18 .

light = lights (pl). Compare Genesis 1:14 .

Verse 26

at = because of.

and by. Some cod ices, with five early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and because of".

Verse 27

yet will I not make a full end. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:44 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 5:10 , Jeremiah 5:18 .

Verse 28

I have purposed it, and, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 23:19 ). App-92 .

Verse 29

city. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for its inhabitants.

every = all, as in preceding clause.

Verse 30

thou. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia , Put for idolatrous Israel. An adulterous woman.

rentest = enlargest (with paint).

face = eyes.

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh.