Chapter IV · Location 4 of 52
Chapter 4 · Open to readFrom Jeremias · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Jeremias Chapter 4 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Conditional return and heart circumcision precede northern alarms. Winds, guards and battle sounds accompany distress and accusation. The desolate vision retains the promise against utter destruction.
Chapter breakdown
Jeremias 4 conditionally calls Israel to return and remove stumblingblocks, with oaths in truth, judgment and justice and Gentile blessing and praise. Juda and Jerusalem must break fallow ground, avoid sowing thorns and circumcise hearts lest wrath burn because of wicked thoughts. Trumpets call assembly into strong cities, and Sion's standard accompanies northern destruction. The lion and robber of nations bring desolate cities; haircloth and lament meet anger, failed hearts and amazed priests and prophets.
Jeremias asks the Lord whether he has deceived them with peace as sword reaches soul. The question is retained rather than reassigned to identified corrupt spokesmen. Burning and full winds precede judgment; cloud and tempest chariots and horses swifter than eagles bring woe. Heart washing, Dan's declaring voice and notice of the idol from Ephraim lead to distant guards around cities like field keepers. Ways and devices bring bitter wickedness touching heart. Pain in bowels and troubled heart hear trumpet and battle; sudden tents and pavilions fall, with questions about flight and foolish people skilled in evil.
The vision sees void earth, dark heaven, trembling mountains and hills, no man and departed birds; Carmel and cities are ruined. All land is desolate but not utterly destroyed, with mourning earth and lamenting heaven under the stated purpose. Horsemen and archers cause flight to thickets and rocks. Scarlet, gold and painted eyes vainly adorn one whose lovers despise and seek life. Sion's voice compares dying anguish with childbirth, hands spread and soul faint because of the slain. All animal extinction, armored troops, specific orchards and a completed murder of Sion are not narrated.
The story inside
Opening: Conditional return and heart circumcision precede northern alarms. Development: Winds, guards and battle sounds accompany distress and accusation. Conclusion: The desolate vision retains the promise against utter destruction.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Conditional return and heart circumcision precede northern alarms.
- 2Winds, guards and battle sounds accompany distress and accusation.
- 3The desolate vision retains the promise against utter destruction.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 84348–84351
4:4. Be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, ye men of Juda, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my indignation come forth like fire, and burn, and there be none that can quench it because of the wickedness of your thoughts.
Lines 84419–84420
4:23. I beheld the earth, and lo it was void, and nothing: and the heavens, and there was no light in them.
