Jeremiah 4 4

Jeremiah 4:4 kjv

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Jeremiah 4:4 nkjv

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings."

Jeremiah 4:4 niv

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done? burn with no one to quench it.

Jeremiah 4:4 esv

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds."

Jeremiah 4:4 nlt

O people of Judah and Jerusalem,
surrender your pride and power.
Change your hearts before the LORD,
or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire
because of all your sins.

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 4 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:4 is an urgent prophetic call from God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem for genuine spiritual repentance. It demands an inward transformation, symbolically expressed as "circumcision of the heart," meaning the removal of spiritual hardness and rebellion. This sincere devotion to the LORD, rather than mere outward ritual, is presented as the only way to avert God's severe and inescapable wrath, which their wicked deeds have provoked and is likened to an unquenchable fire.

Jeremiah 4 4 Context

Jeremiah 4:4 is part of an impassioned plea for repentance to the kingdom of Judah, delivered by the prophet Jeremiah in the late 7th to early 6th century BC, preceding the Babylonian exile. The chapter opens with God appealing to Israel/Judah to return, promising restoration if they truly put away their detestable idols and live righteously (Jer 4:1-2). However, Jeremiah quickly shifts to lamentation and a vivid description of an impending, devastating invasion from the North (Jer 4:5ff), symbolizing God's judgment. Verse 4 stands as a critical hinge: a final, urgent command to fundamentally change their inner spiritual state as the only way to escape the prophesied destruction. The historical context reveals a people deeply entangled in idolatry, social injustice, and reliance on outward religious observance while their hearts were far from God, prompting God's covenant lawsuit against them.

Jeremiah 4 4 Word analysis

• Circumcise yourselves (מֻלוּ - mulu):

  • This is an imperative verb, calling for an active, deliberate action.
  • Root מול (mul) literally means "to circumcise" and points back to the physical covenant sign established with Abraham (Gen 17).
  • However, here it's used metaphorically, emphasizing the removal of something extraneous or obstructive, but spiritually. It requires a personal, willed decision.

• to the LORD (לַיהוָה - la-YHWH):

  • Signifies dedication, allegiance, and belonging. The action of circumcision of the heart is not for personal benefit primarily, but in covenant relationship with God (YHWH), their covenant-making God.
  • It implies turning to Him in exclusive devotion and obedience, rejecting foreign gods and idolatry.

• and remove the foreskins (וְהָסִרוּ עָרְלוֹת - ve-hasiru orlot):

  • A parallel imperative, further clarifying the action required. הָסִרוּ (hasiru) is the Hiphil imperative of סור (sur), meaning "cause to depart" or "take away." It implies decisive removal.
  • עָרְלוֹת (orlot) refers to "foreskins." While literally part of the male anatomy, it takes on a spiritual meaning, symbolizing something that hinders, hardens, or obstructs spiritual responsiveness.

• of your hearts (לְבַבְכֶם - levavkhem):

  • The crucial target of this spiritual surgery. The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) or לֵבָב (levav) signifies the whole inner person: intellect, will, emotions, and conscience. It's the core of one's being and the seat of moral and spiritual decisions.
  • An "uncircumcised heart" (cf. Lev 26:41, Deut 10:16) implies stubbornness, rebellion, spiritual deafness, and insensitivity to God's commands. It suggests a closed, self-focused, or idolatrous heart. This command is a direct polemic against reliance on outward physical circumcision as the sole mark of covenant.

• you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem:

  • Specifies the direct audience of this prophetic command. Judah was the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital.
  • This shows the targeted nature of the message, applying specifically to those within the covenant community who had failed to live up to its internal requirements.

• lest my wrath go forth (פֶּן־תֵּצֵא כָאֵשׁ חֲמָתִי - pen tetzei ka'esh hamati):

  • "Lest" introduces the dire consequence of failure to obey.
  • "My wrath" (חֲמָתִי - hamati) refers to God's holy indignation against sin, an attribute of His justice.
  • "Go forth" implies its inevitable and forceful unleashing, no longer contained.
  • "Like fire" (כָאֵשׁ - ka'esh) is a vivid simile emphasizing the consuming, destructive, and purifying nature of divine judgment. Fire in the Bible often represents God's powerful presence, which is dangerous to those who defy Him.

• and burn with no one to quench it (וּבָעֲרָה וְאֵין מְכַבֶּה - u-va'ara v'ein mekabeh):

  • "And burn" further stresses the destructive effect.
  • "With no one to quench it" signifies the irresistibility and finality of God's wrath once unleashed. No human effort or intervention can stop it; it will run its course fully. This underlines the severity and the urgent nature of the warning.

• because of the evil of your deeds (מִפְּנֵי רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם - mi-pnei ro'a ma'aləleiḵem):

  • This explicitly states the justification for God's wrath: the "evil of your deeds" (רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם - ro'a ma'aləleiḵem).
  • "Deeds" encompasses their practices, actions, and way of life, including idolatry, injustice, and disobedience to the covenant law. God's judgment is not arbitrary but a just response to their persistent sin.

• Words-group Analysis: "Circumcise yourselves... remove the foreskins of your hearts":

  • This phrase uses strong metaphorical language to contrast outward physical ritual with inward spiritual reality. The physical act of circumcision was the sign of the covenant (Gen 17), but without internal commitment, it was meaningless (Rom 2:28-29). Jeremiah is demanding a spiritual cleansing, a cutting away of hardened, rebellious, and idolatrous inclinations that prevent true relationship with God. This concept appears elsewhere, such as in Deut 10:16 and 30:6, showing it's a foundational demand in the covenant relationship. It means a complete turning from self-will and sin to God's will and obedience.

• Words-group Analysis: "lest my wrath go forth like fire and burn with no one to quench it":

  • This prophetic warning paints a picture of terrifying, irreversible judgment. The imagery of "fire" emphasizes intensity, purification, and destruction. "No one to quench it" highlights the absolute sovereignty of God's judgment, indicating that once it begins, it will achieve its full purpose without human interference. It's a stark portrayal of the consequences of neglecting the call to repentance.

Jeremiah 4 4 Bonus section

The concept of "circumcision of the heart" is not unique to Jeremiah, appearing also in Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6, where it signifies removing spiritual obstinacy and loving God wholeheartedly. In fact, Deuteronomy 30:6 indicates that God Himself will perform this spiritual operation, suggesting that while the people are commanded to "circumcise themselves," the ultimate ability for such deep change comes from divine enablement. Jeremiah 9:25-26 further clarifies this polemic by stating that both physically uncircumcised nations and the circumcised Israelites, if they have "uncircumcised hearts," are all alike in their alienation from God, effectively rendering their outward physical mark useless without inward reality. This highlights the universal call for inner transformation over mere external markers of religion.

Jeremiah 4 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:4 articulates the profound truth that true worship and covenant relationship with God extend beyond external rites and outward conformity. The physical act of circumcision, though a sign of the covenant, had become a point of ethnic pride and religious complacency for Judah, divorced from genuine internal piety. Jeremiah, much like Moses before him, strips away this superficiality by calling for a "circumcision of the heart." This metaphor speaks to a radical spiritual change: the excision of everything within the human heart—pride, stubbornness, rebellion, idolatry, insensitivity—that hinders a loving, obedient relationship with the LORD.

This inner transformation is portrayed not as an option but as an absolute necessity. The alternative is God's fierce wrath, personified as an unstoppable, consuming fire. This imagery emphasizes the holiness of God, whose nature demands justice against persistent evil. The impending Babylonian invasion, which Jeremiah frequently warned about, serves as the tangible manifestation of this divine wrath. The verse is a powerful summary of God's persistent desire for His people's genuine repentance, His justice against their deep-seated sin, and the urgent choice laid before them between life (true repentance) and destruction (persistent disobedience).

Practically, this verse reminds believers today that:

• Authentic faith is heart-deep, not merely external ritual or affiliation.
• Spiritual growth requires cutting away sinful attitudes and affections.
• Persistent unrepentant sin invokes God's righteous judgment.