Jeremiah 4:10 kjv
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
Jeremiah 4:10 nkjv
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, 'You shall have peace,' Whereas the sword reaches to the heart."
Jeremiah 4:10 niv
Then I said, "Alas, Sovereign LORD! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, 'You will have peace,' when the sword is at our throats!"
Jeremiah 4:10 esv
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, 'It shall be well with you,' whereas the sword has reached their very life."
Jeremiah 4:10 nlt
Then I said, "O Sovereign LORD,
the people have been deceived by what you said,
for you promised peace for Jerusalem.
But the sword is held at their throats!"
Jeremiah 4 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 4:2 | "If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you shall return." | Jeremiah 4:2 (Call to return) |
| Jeremiah 3:1 | "If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man's, may he return to her?..." | Jeremiah 3:1 (Illustration of unfaithfulness) |
| Hosea 4:1 | "Hear the word of the LORD, you people of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land..." | Hosea 4:1 (LORD's controversy) |
| Isaiah 9:16 | "For the leaders of this people cause them to stray, And those who are guided by them are destroyed." | Isaiah 9:16 (Leaders cause straying) |
| Micah 3:11 | "Her princes judge for bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money..." | Micah 3:11 (Corruption of leaders) |
| Jeremiah 6:14 | "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace." | Jeremiah 6:14 (False peace) |
| Jeremiah 8:11 | "They have healed the wound of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace." | Jeremiah 8:11 (Echo of false peace) |
| Jeremiah 14:13 | "But I said, 'Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.”'" | Jeremiah 14:13 (Prophets of false peace) |
| Ezekiel 13:10 | "'Because, indeed, because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace!” when there is no peace, and one builds a wall, and look, others smear it with untempered mortar...' " | Ezekiel 13:10 (False prophets of peace) |
| 2 Timothy 4:3 | "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;" | 2 Timothy 4:3 (Ear-tickling teachers) |
| Romans 16:18 | "For those who are such do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." | Romans 16:18 (Deceiving with smooth words) |
| Jeremiah 7:4 | "But do not trust or rely on the words of falsehood, saying, ‘The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.’" | Jeremiah 7:4 (False reliance) |
| Proverbs 26:28 | "A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin." | Proverbs 26:28 (Danger of flattery) |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." | 1 John 4:1 (Testing spirits) |
| 1 Kings 22:13 | "Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, 'Indeed the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king...' " | 1 Kings 22:13 (Prophets in agreement for King) |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | "The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests bear rule by their means; And My people love to have it so..." | Jeremiah 5:31 (People love deception) |
| Jeremiah 23:21 | "'I did not send these prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.'" | Jeremiah 23:21 (Unauthorized prophets) |
| Psalm 36:1-4 | "An utterance of sin concerning the wicked lies deep within my heart; His comrade also praises him in his own eyes. For he esteems himself to be praised, And he does not hate falsehood." | Psalm 36:1-4 (Inner corruption and hatred of truth) |
| Isaiah 30:10 | "Who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ And to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, Prophesy deceits.’" | Isaiah 30:10 (Commanding false prophecy) |
| Lamentations 4:6 | "And the iniquity of my people has been made greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrought against it." | Lamentations 4:6 (Extent of iniquity) |
Jeremiah 4 verses
Jeremiah 4 10 Meaning
This verse declares that the prophet Jeremiah is in deep distress because God has declared deception has spread throughout Israel. This deception originates from the people and their leaders. The specific nature of the deception is not explicitly stated but is implied to be a false sense of security and well-being, while they were, in fact, facing imminent judgment.
Jeremiah 4 10 Context
Chapter 4 of Jeremiah begins with a call for Israel to repent and return to God, promising blessings if they do. However, the chapter quickly shifts to describing the severe consequences of their persistent disobedience and idolatry. The impending Babylonian invasion is vividly portrayed as God's judgment upon them. This particular verse, Jeremiah 4:10, falls within this section detailing the divine judgment and the reasons behind it. The prophet is expressing his deep sorrow and astonishment that God has allowed such devastation to occur because the people and their leaders have been so thoroughly deceived. This deception has led them to believe they were safe and secure, blinding them to the impending wrath.
Jeremiah 4 10 Word Analysis
- And said: (Hebrew: vâ yōʾmer, וַיֹּאמֶר) Indicates a declaration or statement being made.
- Alas: (Hebrew: hôi, הוֹי) An interjection expressing sorrow, grief, or woe. It highlights the prophet's deep emotional pain over the situation.
- Lord GOD: (Hebrew: ʾăḏōnâi YHWH, אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה) A combination of divine titles emphasizing God's sovereignty and personal relationship with Israel. It underscores the seriousness of God's pronouncement.
- surely: (Hebrew: kî, כִּי) Can mean "indeed," "truly," or "for." Here it emphasizes the certainty of the statement that follows.
- this: (Hebrew: zō'th, זֹאת) Refers to the current state or the immediate circumstances of destruction and judgment.
- people: (Hebrew: ʿâm, עָם) Refers to the nation of Israel.
- and this: (Hebrew: vâ-zō'th, וְזֹאת) Connects the preceding statement about the people with what follows.
- Jerusalem: (Hebrew: Yərûšâlayim, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) The capital city, often representative of the entire nation and its spiritual state.
- has been: (Hebrew: yâṯâ, verb form) Indicates a state of being or a past action that continues to have present results.
- deceived: (Hebrew: hišʾî, הִשְׁאִי) In the Hiphil (causative) conjugation of the verb meaning "to wander" or "to err." It implies that someone (God, or perhaps misleading prophets) has caused them to go astray. The passive sense is that they have been led into error.
- saying: (Hebrew: lēʾmōr, לֵאמֹר) Introduces the specific deceptive message or declaration.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Alas, Lord GOD!": This cry of anguish reveals Jeremiah's empathy with God's grief and the dire consequences for his people. It is not merely his personal sadness but a shared sorrow with the divine.
- "surely this people and this Jerusalem have been deceived": This phrase identifies the core problem: a pervasive spiritual blindness and misdirection afflicting the entire nation, symbolized by its capital. The deception leads to a false sense of security.
- "saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace": This is the essence of the deception. False prophets and leaders had been proclaiming safety and security, contradicting the reality of God's coming judgment. This was a superficial and dangerous message.
Jeremiah 4 10 Bonus Section
The phrase "Peace, peace!" (Hebrew: šālōm šālōm, שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם) is a deliberate repetition emphasizing the hollow assurance the people had received. It stands in stark contrast to the true peace that comes from obedience to God, as promised in other prophetic passages. This deliberate declaration of false security is a form of spiritual manipulation that leaves people vulnerable to divine judgment. The deception is often internal as well, as the people loved to have it so, choosing comfort over correction. This psychological aspect makes the repentance even harder.
Jeremiah 4 10 Commentary
Jeremiah's lament expresses profound grief over Israel's spiritual deception. They had been lulled into a false sense of security by those who spoke words of "peace" when God's judgment was imminent. This verse highlights the tragic consequences of embracing lies over truth. The leaders and prophets had failed their people, offering smooth words instead of calling them to repentance. This mirrors situations where a false gospel or unbiblical comfort is offered, masking the seriousness of sin and the need for genuine reconciliation with God. The prophet's sorrow stems from seeing God's justice served due to His people’s hardened hearts and their acceptance of misleading messages.