1Wenn du umkehrst, Jisraël, ist des Ewigen Spruch, zu mir umkehrst, und wenn du deine Greuel abtust vor mir und nicht fortschweifst, 2und schwörst ,Es lebt der Ewige!' in Wahrheit, Recht und Gerechtigkeit, dann werden Völker sich mit ihm segnen und seiner sich rühmen. 3Denn so spricht der Ewige zum Mann von Jehuda und zu Jeruschalaim: Brecht Neubruch euch und sät nicht in Dornen! 4Beschneidet euch dem Ewigen entfernet eures Herzens Wildwuchs du, Mann Jehudas und Jeruschalaims Wohner daß nicht mein Grimm wie Feuer losbricht und brennt, und keiner löscht ob eurer Taten Arg. 5Verkündet in Jehuda laßt hören in Jeruschalaim und sprecht; ins Horn stoßt durchs Land ruft voll aus, sprecht: ,Bergt euch und laßt uns kommen in die festen Städte!' 6Höht Stangenzeichen nach Zijon sucht Zuflucht, haltet nicht! Denn Unheil bring ich vom Norden gewaltigen Sturz! 7Aufstieg der Leu aus seinem Dickicht der Völkervernichter brach auf verließ seine Stätte dein Land zur Wüste zu machen deine Städte veröden weil keiner drin wohnt. 8Drum gürtet euch Sackzeug und klaget und heult daß des Ewigen Zornglut von uns nicht gewichen. 9Und es wird sein an jenem Tag, ist des Ewigen Spruch, da schwindet der Verstand des Königs und der Fürsten, es erstarren die Priester, und gaffen alle Begeisteten. 10Und ich sprach: ,Weh, Herr, o Gott, so hast du doch dies Volk und Jeruschalaim getäuscht, da du sprachst: Frieden werdet ihr haben - und nun rührt das Schwert ans Leben!' 11In jener Zeit wird man von diesem Volk und von Jeruschalaim sprechen: ,Wind glüht der Wüste Auen meines Volkes Weg; nichts da zum Worfeln, nichts zum Säubern! 12Wind, voll für solches kommt an mich.' Nun will auch ich denn sprechen den Richtspruch ihnen! 13Sieh an, wie Wolken steigts herauf wie Sturm seine Wagen als Adler schneller seine Rosse! Weh uns, daß wir verheert! 14Wasch rein von Arg dein Herz, Jeruschalaim daß Rettung dir wird! Bis wann verweilt in dir dein Unheilstrachten? 15Denn eine Stimme meldet es von Dan und kündet Unheil vom Gebirg Efraim: 16Erwähnts den Völkern ja, lauthin an Jeruschalaim: Bedränger kamen an von fernem Land erhoben an Jehudas Städte ihr Geschrei. 17Wie Feldeshüter waren sie rings drum denn mir hat es getrotzt! Ist des Ewigen Spruch. 18Dein Wandel bracht dir das und deine Taten! Da deine Bosheit, daß es bitter es dir ans Herz rührt! 19Mein Innres, Innerstes! Ich zittre! O meines Herzens Wände! Es ächzt mein Herz mir! Kann still nicht bleiben! Hörst du ja, Seele, Hörnerschall des Kriegs Gebrüll! 20Sturz trifft auf Sturz da alles Land geplündert. Miteins sind verheert meine Zelte mir im Nu die Behänge! 21Bis wann muß ich das Stangenzeichen schaun des Hornes Schall hören? 22Denn töricht ist mein Volk, mich kennen sie nicht. Dumme Kinder sind sie, unverständig sind sie. Klug sind sie, Böses zu tun, aber Gutes zu tun verstehen sie nicht. 23Ich schaut die Erde - siehe, bloß und bar! Zum Himmel auf - dahin sein Licht! 24Ich schaut' die Berge - sieh, sie beben und alle Höhen umgerüttelt. 25Ich schaute - sieh, da war kein Mensch und alle Himmelsvögel warn entflohn! 26Ich schaut' - da war das Gartenland zur Wüste und alle seine Städte sind zerstört vom Ewgen her, vor seines Angesichtes Glut. 27Denn so spricht der Ewige: Zur Ödnis wird das ganze Land - doch garaus will ich nicht machen. 28Drob trauert die Erde erdunkelt der Himmel oben weil ich gesprochen, geplant mich nicht bedenk, nicht davon lasse. 29Vorm Lärm der Reiter und der Bogenschützen flieht alle Stadt. Sie gehn zu den Wolken ersteigen die Felsenhöhen. Ganz ist die Stadt verlassen kein Mensch bleibt drin. 30Und du, verheert was willst du tun? Ob du dich auch in Scharlach kleidest mit Goldschmuck schmückst mit Schminke deine Augen aufreißt - vergebens putzt du dich! Verschmähet haben dich die Buhlen dein Leben wolln sie! 31Denn Schrei wie der Kreißenden hör ich Angststöhnen wie der Erstgebärenden. Der Tochter Zijons Stimme, da sie keucht die Hände breitet: O weh mir! Meine Seele erliegt den Mördern!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 CONTINUATION OF ADDRESS TO THE TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL. (
Jer 4:1-
Jer 4:2). THE PROPHET TURNS AGAIN TO JUDAH, TO WHOM HE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN SENT (Jer. 4:3-31). (Jer. 4:1-31)
return . . . return--play on words. "If thou wouldest return to thy land (thou must first), return (by conversion and repentance) to Me."
not remove--no longer be an unsettled wanderer in a strange land. So Cain (
Gen 4:12,
Gen 4:14).
2 And thou--rather, "And if (carried on from
Jer 4:1) thou shalt swear, 'Jehovah liveth,' in truth, &c.", that is, if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship; compare
Deut 6:13;
Deut 10:20;
Isa 19:18;
Amos 8:14) in sincerity, &c.
and the nations--Rather, this is apodosis to the "if"; then shall the nations bless themselves in (by) Him" (
Isa 65:16). The conversion of the nations will be the consequence of Israel's conversion (
Ps 102:13,
Ps 102:15;
Rom 11:12,
Rom 11:15).
3 Transition to Judah. Supply mentally. All which (the foregoing declaration as to Israel) applies to Judah.
and Jerusalem--that is, and especially the men of Jerusalem, as being the most prominent in Judea.
Break . . . fallow ground--that is, Repent of your idolatry, and so be prepared to serve the Lord in truth (
Hos 10:12;
Matt 13:7). The unhumbled heart is like ground which may be improved, being let out to us for that purpose, but which is as yet fallow, overgrown with weeds, its natural product.
4 Remove your natural corruption of heart (
Deut 10:16;
Deut 30:6;
Rom 2:29;
Col 2:11).
5 cry, gather together--rather, "cry fully" that is, loudly. The Jews are warned to take measures against the impending Chaldean invasion (compare
Jer 8:14).
6 Zion--The standard toward Zion intimated that the people of the surrounding country were to fly to it, as being the strongest of their fortresses.
7 lion--Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans (
Jer 2:15;
Jer 5:6;
Dan 7:14).
his thicket--lair; Babylon.
destroyer of the Gentiles--rather, "the nations" (
Jer 25:9).
8 Nothing is left to the Jews but to bewail their desperate condition.
anger . . . not turned back-- (
Isa 9:12,
Isa 9:17,
Isa 9:21).
9 heart--The wisdom of the most leading men will be utterly at a loss to devise means of relief.
10 thou hast . . . deceived--God, having even the false prophets in His hands, is here said to do that which for inscrutable purposes He permits them to do (
Exod 9:12;
2Thess 2:11; compare
Jer 8:15; which passage shows that the dupes of error were self-prepared for it, and that God's predestination did not destroy their moral freedom as voluntary agents). The false prophets foretold "peace," and the Jews believed them; God overruled this to His purposes (
Jer 5:12;
Jer 14:13;
Ezek 14:9).
soul--rather, "reacheth to the life."
11 dry wind--the simoom, terrific and destructive, blowing from the southeast across the sandy deserts east of Palestine. Image of the invading Babylonian army (
Hos 13:15). Babylon in its turn shall be visited by a similar "destroying wind" (
Jer 51:1).
of . . . high places--that is, that sweeps over the high places.
daughter--that is, the children of my people.
not to fan--a very different wind from those ordinary winds employed for fanning the grain in the open air.
12 full . . . from those places--rather, "a wind fuller (that is, more impetuous) than those winds" (which fan the corn) (
Jer 4:11) [ROSENMULLER].
unto me--"for Me," as My instrument for executing My purpose.
sentence--judgments against them (
Jer 1:16).
13 clouds--continuing the metaphor in
Jer 4:11-
Jer 4:12. Clouds of sand and dust accompany the simoom, and after rapid gyrations ascend like a pillar.
eagles-- (
Deut 28:49;
Hab 1:8).
Woe unto us--The people are graphically presented before us, without it being formally so stated, bursting out in these exclamations.
14 Only one means of deliverance is left to the Jews--a thorough repentance.
vain thoughts--namely, projects for deliverance, such as enlisting the Egyptians on their side. GESENIUS translates, "How long wilt thou harbor vain thoughts?"
15 For . . . from Dan--The connection is: There is danger in delay; for the voice of a messenger announces the approach of the Chaldean enemy from Dan, the northern frontier of Palestine (
Jer 8:16; compare
Jer 4:6;
Jer 1:14).
Mount Ephraim--which borders closely on Judah; so that the foe is coming nearer and nearer. Dan and Beth-el in Ephraim were the two places where Jeroboam set up the idolatrous calves (
1Kgs 12:29); just retribution.
16 The neighboring foreign "nations" are summoned to witness Jehovah's judgments on His rebel people (
Jer 6:18-
Jer 6:19).
watchers--that is, besiegers (compare
2Sam 11:16); observed or watched, that is, besieged.
their voice--the war shout.
17 keepers of a field--metaphor from those who watch a field, to frighten away the wild beasts.
18 (
Jer 2:17,
Jer 2:19;
Ps 107:17).
this is thy wickedness--that is, the fruit of thy wickedness.
19 The prophet suddenly assumes the language of the Jewish state personified, lamenting its affliction (
Jer 10:19-
Jer 10:20;
Jer 9:1,
Jer 9:10;
Isa 15:5; compare
Luke 19:41).
at my very heart--Hebrew, "at the walls of my heart"; the muscles round the heart. There is a climax, the "bowels," the pericardium, the "heart" itself.
maketh . . . noise--moaneth [HENDERSON].
alarm--the battle shout.
20 Destruction . . . cried--Breach upon breach is announced (
Ps 42:7;
Ezek 7:26). The war "trumpet" . . . the battle shout . . . the "destructions" . . . the havoc throughout "the whole land" . . . the spoiling of the shepherds "tents" (
Jer 10:20; or, "tents" means cities, which should be overthrown as easily as tents [CALVIN]), form a gradation.
21 Judah in perplexity asks, How long is this state of things to continue?
22 Jehovah's reply; they cannot be otherwise than miserable, since they persevere in sin. The repetition of clauses gives greater force to the sentiment.
wise . . . evil . . . to do good . . . no knowledge--reversing the rule (
Rom 16:19) "wise unto . . . good, simple concerning evil."
23 Graphic picture of the utter desolation about to visit Palestine. "I beheld, and lo!" four times solemnly repeated, heightens the awful effect of the scene (compare
Isa 24:19;
Isa 34:11).
without form and void--reduced to the primeval chaos (
Gen 1:2).
24 mountains-- (
Isa 5:25).
moved lightly--shook vehemently.
25 no man . . . birds--No vestige of the human, or of the feathered creation, is to be seen (
Ezek 38:20;
Zeph 1:3).
26 fruitful place--Hebrew, Carmel.
a wilderness--Hebrew, "the wilderness," in contrast to "the fruitful place"; the great desert, where Carmel was, there is now the desert of Arabia [MAURER].
cities--in contrast to the fruitful place or field.
27 full end--utter destruction: I will leave some hope of restoration (
Jer 5:10,
Jer 5:18;
Jer 30:11;
Jer 46:28; compare
Lev 26:44).
28 For this--on account of the desolations just described (
Isa 5:30;
Hos 4:3).
not repent-- (
Num 23:19).
29 whole city--Jerusalem: to it the inhabitants of the country had fled for refuge; but when it, too, is likely to fall, they flee out of it to hide in the "thickets." HENDERSON translates, "every city."
noise--The mere noise of the hostile horsemen shall put you to flight.
30 when thou art spoiled--rather, "thou, O destroyed one" [MAURER].
rentest . . . face with painting--Oriental women paint their eyes with stibium, or antimony, to make them look full and sparkling, the black margin causing the white of the eyes to appear the brighter by contrast (
2Kgs 9:30). He uses the term "distendest" in derision of their effort to make their eyes look large [MAURER]; or else, "rentest," that is, dost lacerate by puncturing the eyelid in order to make the antimony adhere [ROSENMULLER]. So the Jews use every artifice to secure the aid of Egypt against Babylon.
face--rather, thy eyes (
Ezek 23:40).
31 anguish--namely, occasioned by the attack of the enemy.
daughter of Zion--There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the person in trouble, until that trouble had been fully described [HENDERSON].
bewaileth herself--rather, "draweth her breath short" [HORSLEY]; "panteth."
spreadeth . . . hands-- (
Lam 1:17).