Jeremiah 4 14

Jeremiah 4:14 kjv

O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Jeremiah 4:14 nkjv

O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?

Jeremiah 4:14 niv

Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?

Jeremiah 4:14 esv

O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?

Jeremiah 4:14 nlt

O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart
that you may be saved.
How long will you harbor
your evil thoughts?

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 14 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:14 is a direct and fervent call from God, through the prophet, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It implores them to undertake a radical and internal purification of their "heart"—the core of their being, thoughts, and intentions—from all forms of wickedness. The ultimate aim of this thorough spiritual cleansing is "that you may be saved" from the impending divine judgment and physical destruction. The verse culminates in an urgent and somewhat exasperated rhetorical question, underscoring God's profound frustration with their continued cultivation and lodging of evil thoughts and desires deep within themselves, signifying a profound internal corruption that needed immediate address.

Jeremiah 4 14 Context

Jeremiah chapter 4 is an integral part of Jeremiah's prophetic messages (chapters 4-6) warning Judah about the imminent invasion from the North, widely recognized as the Babylonians. Throughout these chapters, Jeremiah vehemently calls for genuine repentance, contrasting it with the nation's superficial and half-hearted attempts at religious reform. Prior to verse 14, God expresses disappointment and pleads for Israel to return, emphasizing that a mere external adherence to ritual without internal transformation is futile (Jer 4:1-4). The prophet paints a grim picture of the coming judgment, attributing it directly to Judah's widespread idolatry, moral decay, and rejection of God's ways. Verse 14 is a specific and urgent appeal to Jerusalem, the political and religious center, highlighting that its deep-seated inner corruption is a primary cause for its vulnerability and the impending divine wrath. The nation’s fate hinges on this inner moral turning.

Jeremiah 4 14 Word analysis

• O Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַ֫ם Yerushalaim): A direct and personal address to the capital city. It personifies Jerusalem as representative of the entire nation and its populace, especially the leadership and those residing in the center of their faith and governance, making the appeal acutely relevant to all.
• wash (כַּבְּסִי kabbĕsî): An imperative verb commanding a thorough, vigorous cleansing, akin to fulling or laundering dirty garments to remove deep-seated stains. This suggests a purification far beyond mere ritualistic sprinkling, demanding a complete and active eradication of moral defilement from the very essence of one’s being.
• your heart (לִבֵּךְ libbēk): In Hebrew thought, the lēv signifies the entirety of the inner person. It is not just the seat of emotions, but also of intellect, will, reason, moral consciousness, and spiritual decisions. Thus, "heart" refers to the core identity and the wellspring of one's actions and intentions.
• from wickedness (מֵרָעָה mēra'āh): This refers to moral evil, depravity, malicious intent, harmful acts, and a general state of being contrary to God's righteous standards. The call is to remove not merely isolated acts of sin but the underlying propensity towards evil.
• that you may be saved (לְמַעַן תִּוָּשָׁעִי lema'an tivvāšā'î): This clause clearly states the purpose. "Saved" encompasses rescue from immediate physical catastrophe (like the Babylonian invasion and exile) as well as, more profoundly, spiritual deliverance from the consequences of sin, thereby restoring a right relationship with God.
• How long (עַד־מָתַי 'ad-mātay): A rhetorical question that conveys strong emotion: impatience, exasperation, and sorrow. It expresses God’s lament over Jerusalem's prolonged obstinacy and delay in turning from its destructive path.
• will your wicked thoughts (מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת אָוֶן maḥšĕvôt 'āwen): "Wicked thoughts" refer to internal machinations, plans, intentions, and imaginations that are contrary to divine will. Aven carries connotations of trouble, mischief, sorrow, or iniquity, specifically the substance or outcome of sin. This phrase emphasizes that the root of their problem lies in the deeply corrupt inner deliberations of the mind.
• lodge within you? (יָלִ֛ינוּ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ yālînû bĕqirbēk): The verb yālînû means "to spend the night, to dwell, to abide." This suggests that their wicked thoughts are not transient impulses but have found a permanent home, are nurtured, and have become deeply embedded within their innermost being (bĕqirbēk, "in your inward parts" or "in your midst"). This indicates a persistent, cultivated evil, not an occasional failing.

Jeremiah 4 14 Bonus section

• The phrase "wash your heart" carries an implicit polemic against a superficial understanding of temple worship and sacrificial system, which some in Judah believed offered automatic protection or cleansing regardless of true moral state. Jeremiah asserts that true purity begins inwardly, not externally.
• This specific call for the people to "wash their heart" foreshadows the later New Covenant promises (like Jer 31:33 and Ezek 36:26-27), where God himself would intervene to give a new heart and spirit, thus highlighting both humanity's responsibility and God's ultimate solution for internal defilement.
• The persistence of "wicked thoughts lodging" indicates a deliberate and ongoing choice to entertain and cultivate sinful ideas, reflecting a deep spiritual lethargy and resistance to divine appeals. It reveals a failure not just in action, but at the foundational level of mental and spiritual discipline.

Jeremiah 4 14 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:14 unveils the heart of Judah's spiritual malady: a profound internal corruption that manifested as external wickedness. God's urgent appeal to "wash your heart from wickedness" is a divine mandate for an immediate and radical inner transformation. This command far transcends mere superficial rituals or behavioral adjustments; it demands a thorough purification of their very will, intentions, and desires which are the true generators of sin. The use of "heart" emphasizes that sin permeates the entire moral and volitional essence of a person. The exasperated question, "How long will your wicked thoughts lodge within you?", powerfully conveys God's frustration with a people who not only tolerate but seemingly cherish and cultivate iniquity deep within their souls. This verse teaches the critical biblical truth that genuine salvation and escape from divine judgment necessitate an authentic, God-centered heart, highlighting that without such inner change, outward actions and religious professions remain void. It's a reminder that a moral cleansing starting from the innermost being is the true path to rescue.