Jeremiah 4 20

Jeremiah 4:20 kjv

Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

Jeremiah 4:20 nkjv

Destruction upon destruction is cried, For the whole land is plundered. Suddenly my tents are plundered, And my curtains in a moment.

Jeremiah 4:20 niv

Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.

Jeremiah 4:20 esv

Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.

Jeremiah 4:20 nlt

Waves of destruction roll over the land,
until it lies in complete desolation.
Suddenly my tents are destroyed;
in a moment my shelters are crushed.

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 20 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:20 portrays a vivid and urgent declaration of overwhelming disaster. It describes a ceaseless series of destructions cried out across the land, signifying total desolation. The verse then shifts to a deeply personal lament, identifying with the immediate and unexpected plundering of dwellings ("my tents") and their coverings ("my curtains"), emphasizing the sudden, universal, and personal nature of the impending judgment on Judah.

Jeremiah 4 20 Context

Jeremiah Chapter 4 is a prophetic oracle concerning Judah's impending judgment at the hands of an invading foe, likely Babylon. The chapter oscillates between appeals for repentance and stark declarations of inevitable disaster. Prior verses (Jer 4:1-2) urge Judah and Jerusalem to repent and remove their abominations, offering a glimpse of restoration if they truly return to the Lord. However, the subsequent verses swiftly pivot to a portrayal of the devastation wrought by the enemy from the North, who is described as a lion (Jer 4:7), bringing overwhelming destruction. Jeremiah 4:20 falls within this context of impending national catastrophe, capturing the prophet's profound distress and the vivid, almost instantaneous, collapse of society as judgment unfolds. The language reflects both an objective prophetic declaration and a deeply subjective, lamenting identification with the people's suffering, portraying the fall of a stable, albeit unfaithful, kingdom. The use of "my tents" reflects either Jeremiah's personal anguish or the nation's collective identity being stripped away, as tents signify dwellings, even in settled communities, emphasizing vulnerability and transience.

Jeremiah 4 20 Word analysis

• Destruction: (Hebrew: שֶׁבֶר, shever). This term signifies breaking, shattering, ruin, or calamity. Its repetition ("destruction upon destruction") highlights the overwhelming, continuous, and compounding nature of the catastrophe. It implies not just one isolated event but successive waves of devastating blows, leading to total collapse. The original Hebrew root speaks of physical breaking, suggesting utter fragmentation.

• upon: (Hebrew: עַל, al). This preposition indicates a stacking or accumulation. Here, it denotes one disaster following immediately upon another, escalating the magnitude of the calamity.

• is cried: (Hebrew: נִקְרָא, niqra). This is in the Niphal stem (passive or reflexive), meaning "it is called out" or "it is proclaimed." It implies a loud, widespread wailing or an official pronouncement of doom that reverberates through the land. It captures the sound of widespread panic and grief.

• for: (Hebrew: כִּי, ki). A causal conjunction, meaning "because" or "for this reason," connecting the loud cries of destruction to the underlying cause – the utter desolation of the land.

• the whole land: (Hebrew: כָּל־הָאָרֶץ, kol-ha'arets). Refers to the entire territory of Judah, indicating the judgment's sweeping scope and totality. No place or person will be exempt from the devastation. It emphasizes the nationwide, indiscriminate nature of the disaster, impacting everyone.

• is spoiled: (Hebrew: שֻׁדְּדָה, shudedah). From the verb שָׁדַד (shadad), meaning to lay waste, devastate, plunder, or spoil. This form is a Pu'al perfect, signifying that the action is completed and total in its effect – the land has already been thoroughly plundered and laid waste, perhaps even conceptually so from the divine perspective before its physical occurrence.

• suddenly: (Hebrew: פֶּתַע, peta). Denotes an immediate, unexpected, and abrupt occurrence. It highlights the lack of warning and the shock with which the disaster unfolds, allowing no time for escape or preparation.

• my tents: (Hebrew: אָהֳלַי, aholay). "Tents" here refer to dwellings or abodes, used metaphorically to represent the houses, cities, and the very fabric of society of the Judean people. The possessive "my" can be understood as Jeremiah identifying deeply with the suffering people ("my people's tents") or personifying the land or the nation of Judah itself, expressing a communal grief and loss. Tents symbolize vulnerability and impermanence, even for a settled people, suggesting their swift removal.

• spoiled: (Hebrew: שֻׁדְּדוּ, shudedoo). Same root as "is spoiled" earlier, again in the Pu'al perfect, indicating the complete and devastating act of plundering, specifically referring to the tents.

• and my curtains: (Hebrew: יְרִיעֹתָי, yerio'tay). Refers to the coverings or hangings of the tents. These represent the inner, protective, or decorative elements of their homes. Their destruction alongside the tents emphasizes the thoroughness of the desolation, stripping away even the most intimate aspects of life and shelter. It points to a total and personal loss, extending to every part of their domestic security.

• in a moment: (Hebrew: רֶגַע, rega). Means an instant, a flash, or in a very brief space of time. Reinforces the notion of suddenness, amplifying the shock and helplessness experienced. It parallels "suddenly" and further underscores the speed and immediacy of the judgment.

• "Destruction upon destruction is cried": This phrase dramatically portrays a state of overwhelming, cumulative disaster. It's an auditory image of relentless suffering, where cries of ruin follow one another incessantly, making it seem like disaster itself is vocalizing its triumph or being perpetually announced. The repetition shever al shever (breakings upon breakings) intensifies the sense of unending calamity.

• "for the whole land is spoiled": This part connects the cries of destruction to their widespread cause and effect. The reason for the incessant lament is the complete devastation and plundering of the entire territory. It describes an existing, accomplished state of ruin from the prophet's vantage point of inspired foreknowledge, highlighting the certainty of the doom.

• "suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment": This shift from a broader description of land-wide devastation to "my tents" and "my curtains" brings the impact down to a personal and immediate level. The prophet identifies deeply with the people's loss, feeling the stripping away of every form of security. The double emphasis on "suddenly" (peta) and "in a moment" (rega) highlights the terrifying speed and unexpected nature of the invaders' attack and their ruthless efficiency in bringing about ruin, leaving no time for defense or escape. This reflects the fragility of human security when divine judgment falls.

Jeremiah 4 20 Bonus section

The imagery of "tents" (אֹהֶל, ohel) can have a nomadic association, even for a settled people like Judah. The choice of "tents" over "houses" might underscore the impermanence and vulnerability of human dwellings against divine judgment, or perhaps a regression to a primal, less secure existence. It implies that what seemed stable can be swept away like a nomadic camp. The "curtains" (יְרִיעוֹת, yeri'ot) further emphasize this; these were typically light coverings easily removed or destroyed, highlighting the complete stripping bare of privacy, comfort, and security.

The intensity of Jeremiah's language reflects his personal and spiritual burden as he confronts Judah with their sin and its terrible consequences. Unlike some prophets who deliver messages and remain detached, Jeremiah often merges his identity with the nation, experiencing their coming suffering vicariously and profoundly. This particular verse reflects Jeremiah's agony over the spiritual state and impending doom of his own people, seeing the judgment through their eyes. This passage can be understood as Jeremiah processing or voicing the inevitable future lament of Judah herself.

Jeremiah 4 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:20 serves as a pivotal cry of lament and warning, encapsulating the horrific reality of Judah's impending judgment. The repetition of "destruction" (shever) underscores the relentless, compounding nature of the calamities to come. This is not a single misfortune but an onslaught of breaking, signifying a complete societal collapse. The phrase "is cried" indicates a universal wailing that permeates the devastated land, mirroring the prophet's own deep anguish. The cause is explicit: "the whole land is spoiled" (or plundered, laid waste), revealing the comprehensiveness of the divine judgment and the foe's rapacity. The subsequent personal interjection, "my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment," conveys profound personal grief and identifies Jeremiah with the plight of his people. The tents and curtains symbolize not just individual dwellings but the entire fabric of life, safety, and cultural identity. Their "sudden" and "in a moment" destruction emphasizes the unexpected speed and terrifying efficiency of the judgment, leaving no room for preparation, resistance, or escape. This verse vividly portrays the inescapable consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, illustrating how swiftly security can turn into ruin when the Lord executes His righteous decree.