Jeremiah 4 11

Jeremiah 4:11 kjv

At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,

Jeremiah 4:11 nkjv

At that time it will be said To this people and to Jerusalem, "A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people? Not to fan or to cleanse?

Jeremiah 4:11 niv

At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse;

Jeremiah 4:11 esv

At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse,

Jeremiah 4:11 nlt

The time is coming when the LORD will say
to the people of Jerusalem,
"My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert,
and it's not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain.

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 11 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:11 declares a stark pronouncement of divine judgment upon the people of Judah and Jerusalem. It foretells a "scorching wind"—a destructive force originating from barren, desolate regions—that will descend upon the "daughter of My people." Crucially, the verse specifies that this is no ordinary purifying or winnowing judgment. Instead, it signals a period of unmitigated desolation, signifying utter destruction rather than a process designed to separate the righteous from the wicked for spiritual refinement. It highlights the severe consequences of persistent sin and rebellion against God, where the immediate purpose of the divine intervention is to lay waste.

Jeremiah 4 11 Context

Jeremiah 4:11 is embedded within a broader prophetic message from God, delivered through Jeremiah, concerning the impending judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for their profound and persistent rebellion, idolatry, and social injustice. Chapter 4 begins with a plea for repentance, promising restoration if they truly return to the Lord. However, this appeal is followed immediately by graphic descriptions of the coming judgment, signifying that the people's repentance is insufficient or non-existent. The verse paints a vivid picture of a swift and inescapable invasion from the North (referring to the Babylonian empire), which God orchestrates as His instrument of wrath. The "scorching wind" metaphor sets the tone for the absolute desolation and lack of hope for immediate purification, preparing the reader for Jeremiah's subsequent lament over the destruction that follows. It highlights that the nation has reached a point where corrective measures beyond simple discipline are required, moving towards full-scale societal collapse and exile.

Jeremiah 4 11 Word analysis

• At that time (בָּעֵת הַהִיא, ba'et hahi): This phrase denotes a specific, impending moment in the future, marking a definitive shift towards the actualization of prophecy. It sets a chronological marker for the judgment to unfold.
• it will be said (יֵאָמֵר, ye'amer): The passive voice suggests a divine pronouncement. It's a decree from God, spoken authoritatively through Jeremiah, leaving no doubt about the source or certainty of the message.
• this people (לָעָם הַזֶּה, la'am hazzeh) / Jerusalem (וְלִירוּשָׁלַם, ve'liyrushalayim): "This people" refers specifically to the unrepentant people of Judah, God's chosen covenant nation. Jerusalem, their capital and spiritual center, symbolizes the entire nation and its leaders. The direct address highlights the specificity and intimacy of the judgment against those who bore God's name yet turned away.
• A scorching wind (רוּחַ צַחָה, ruach tsakhah): This is a powerful metaphor for divine judgment.
  • Ruach (wind/spirit/breath): Often a carrier of God's power or presence. Here, it is destructive.
  • Tsakhah (scorching/bare/hot): Implies a dry, burning, desolating force. Such winds (like the sharav in the region) desiccate land, wither vegetation, and are inherently destructive, causing death and barrenness rather than promoting life or growth. It signals complete annihilation.
• from the bare heights (שְׁפָיִם, shefayim): This term can denote barren, desolate, elevated places, typically found in the desert. In a symbolic sense, these exposed high places were often sites of idolatrous worship (Jer. 3:2, Eze. 20:27-28), suggesting that the judgment originates from or passes through places linked to their sin and spiritual barrenness.
• in the desert (בַּמִּדְבָּר, bammidbar): The desert is a place of desolation, death, and hostility. Its association with the wind's origin underscores its destructive, unforgiving nature. This wind brings no refreshment, only arid desolation, like a devastating invasion from an empty, hostile quarter.
• toward the daughter of my people (דֶּרֶךְ בַּת־עַמִּי, derekh bat-ammi): "Daughter of my people" is a tender and intimate expression, frequently used by Jeremiah (Jer. 8:19, 8:21, 14:17). Its usage here highlights the deep pathos of the situation: God, despite His love and covenant relationship, must bring such a severe judgment upon His beloved people, portraying their tragedy and His heartbreak.
• not to winnow (לֹא לְזָרוֹת, lo lezarot): Winnowing is an agricultural process where the wind separates lighter chaff from heavier grain, symbolizing purification (Ps. 1:4). Here, the negation is critical: this wind is not for separating good from bad in a refining process.
• or to cleanse (וְלֹא לְבָרֵר, velo levarer): To cleanse, select, or purify, often associated with metallurgy (Isa. 1:25) or judicial selection. The double negation "not to winnow or to cleanse" profoundly indicates that the immediate judgment's purpose is not refinement, discipline, or an opportunity for spiritual growth, but rather utter destruction and desolation of the current national entity, signifying that the time for mere corrective action is over. It suggests that the wickedness has become so pervasive that the only immediate recourse is overwhelming punishment.

Jeremiah 4 11 Bonus section

• The Hebrew word for "scorching" (tsakhah) can also mean "glowing" or "bright." When applied to the wind, it not only describes its desiccating quality but possibly also a blinding intensity, reflecting the inescapable and overwhelming nature of the approaching catastrophe.
• The absence of winnowing or cleansing explicitly stated in this verse underscores a "day of wrath" where God's immediate focus is to execute justice, rather than provide an opportunity for redemption in this specific stage of judgment. It highlights the profound shift from a probationary period to a retributive phase, at least temporarily. However, this destruction for the nation of Judah eventually led to a remnant and a new phase of God's covenant plan, though not for those upon whom the scorching wind directly fell.
• In the ancient Near East, desert winds from the east (like the sirocco) were often associated with divine punishment due to their destructive capacity for crops, life, and the general environment. This imagery would have been readily understood by the original audience as a harbinger of extreme disaster.

Jeremiah 4 11 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:11 marks a profound and severe turning point in God's prophetic declaration against Judah. The "scorching wind" metaphor speaks to the devastating speed, power, and finality of the impending judgment. Unlike other instances where God's discipline is likened to a refiner's fire or a winnower's separation, intended to purify and salvage a remnant (Mal. 3:3, Isa. 1:25), this particular divine act is unequivocally destructive. It's a judgment where the emphasis is on the complete desolation of the land and the breaking of the nation, rather than its immediate restoration or spiritual upgrade for those then present. This reflects the utter failure of Judah to repent, pushing them beyond a point of no immediate return in their national history. The origin of this wind from "bare heights in the desert" not only hints at its destructive nature but also subtly connects to the desolate, idol-ridden places of their sin, implying that their unfaithfulness sowed the very seeds of their destruction. The poignant phrase "daughter of my people" underscores the tragedy and pain of this necessary divine judgment from a loving, yet just, God. This verse therefore does not nullify God's eventual plan for restoration, but emphasizes the dire, immediate consequence of protracted and unrepentant sin for a people who continuously defied their covenant Lord.