Jeremiah 4 2

Jeremiah 4:2 kjv

And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

Jeremiah 4:2 nkjv

And you shall swear, 'The LORD lives,' In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory."

Jeremiah 4:2 niv

and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast."

Jeremiah 4:2 esv

and if you swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."

Jeremiah 4:2 nlt

Then when you swear by my name, saying,
'As surely as the LORD lives,'
you could do so
with truth, justice, and righteousness.
Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world,
and all people would come and praise my name."

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:2 speaks of a future time when Israel will return to God and acknowledge Him as their true and faithful Lord. It describes a renewal of covenant faithfulness and a recognition of God's sovereignty and salvific power. This verse promises restoration and divine blessing upon the nation once they have sincerely turned back to the LORD.

Jeremiah 4 2 Context

Jeremiah 4:1-4 describes a dire warning of judgment about to fall upon Judah due to their persistent sin and idolatry. Before detailing this coming destruction, God offers a glimmer of hope for those who would truly repent. Jeremiah 4:2 pivots from the imminent threat of destruction to the conditions for averting or recovering from it, emphasizing the possibility of national renewal and the blessings that follow sincere return to the LORD. This conditional promise anticipates a future restoration, a theme woven throughout Jeremiah's prophecies.

Jeremiah 4 2 Word Analysis

• If you will return, O Israel:
  • Return (שׁוּב): Shuv. A fundamental concept in the Old Testament, meaning "to turn back," "repent," "return," or "restore." It implies a turning away from sin and back to God and His covenant. This is a direct call to repentance, echoing earlier exhortations.
  • O Israel: Addresses the nation of Israel as a whole, including both the northern and southern kingdoms, though at this point, the southern kingdom of Judah is the primary focus of Jeremiah's prophecy.
• to Me, you shall return:
  • To Me (אֵלַי): Elai. Directly signifies returning to the LORD, emphasizing personal and corporate accountability to Him.
  • You shall return (תָּשׁוּב): Tashuv. Repetition of "shuv" for emphasis, underscoring the necessity of the act of turning.
• and if you put away your abominations out of My sight:
  • Put away (סוּר): Sur. Means "to turn aside," "remove," or "cause to depart." It speaks of actively ceasing from sinful practices.
  • Your abominations (שִׁקּוּצַיִךְ): Shiquitzayikh. Refers to detestable things, especially idols and the worship associated with them, which are utterly offensive to God.
  • Out of My sight (מִנֶּגֶד): Min-neged. Literally "from before," implying removal from God's presence and acknowledgment. The act of turning away from idols is presented as a removal from God's perceptual gaze, which always rests upon His people.
• and you shall not wander:
  • Wander (נָע): Na'. To wander, move to and fro, to err, or to stray. It signifies deviation from the right path, a loss of direction and spiritual stability, characteristic of idol worship.
• Groups of Words Analysis:
  • "Return... and put away your abominations": This phrase establishes the core components of genuine repentance: an outward act of returning to God, coupled with an inward and outward removal of that which God abhors (idolatry and sin). It’s not just an emotional change but a practical, decisive rejection of sin.
  • "out of My sight": This emphasizes the offensive nature of abominations not just in human eyes, but especially in the eyes of a holy God. Their removal must be complete, leaving no trace where God can see it.
  • "you shall not wander": This speaks to the stability and security that come from faithfulness to God. True rest and purpose are found when one’s life is anchored in the LORD.

Jeremiah 4 2 Bonus Section

The concept of "abominations" (shiquzim) in the Old Testament is strongly tied to idolatry and pagan religious practices that violated the Mosaic Law. These included child sacrifice, fertility cults, and worship of Canaanite deities like Baal and Asherah. God's "sight" represents His awareness and His judgment; removing abominations from His sight means ceasing those practices entirely. The promise of "not wandering" signifies restoration to a stable, settled, and divinely-guided life, which is fundamentally at odds with the rootless, fear-driven existence often associated with pagan worship or prolonged rebellion against God. This verse, therefore, encapsulates the essence of biblical repentance as a holistic turning back to God that includes a decisive break from sin.

Jeremiah 4 2 Commentary

This verse is a crucial conditional promise within the context of impending judgment. It is God's gracious offer to avert or mitigate disaster. The emphasis is on active repentance, characterized by two main actions: returning to God (shuv) and removing detestable practices (abominations). The repetition of "return" highlights the seriousness and necessity of this turning. True repentance is not merely superficial or momentary; it involves a decisive rejection of sin and a wholehearted redirection towards the LORD. When Israel truly abandons idolatry and reorients their allegiance to God, they will find steadfastness and security, contrasted with the aimless wandering caused by their sin. This is a prophetic glimpse of a hoped-for renewal, a foreshadowing of the New Covenant where God Himself enables such transformation (Jeremiah 31:33).