Jeremiah 4 6

Jeremiah 4:6 kjv

Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Jeremiah 4:6 nkjv

Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction."

Jeremiah 4:6 niv

Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction."

Jeremiah 4:6 esv

Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction.

Jeremiah 4:6 nlt

Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem :
'Flee now! Do not delay!'
For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you
from the north."

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 6 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:6 is an urgent prophetic warning issued to the inhabitants of Judah concerning an impending and devastating judgment. It calls for immediate action – raising a signal banner (standard) visible to Zion (Jerusalem) as a declaration of imminent danger. People are commanded to seek refuge without delay because God Himself is bringing calamity and widespread destruction from the northern direction, an idiom for the instrument of divine judgment, which would later be the Babylonians. The verse emphasizes the speed, certainty, and divine origin of the coming devastation upon Judah, including its capital, Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 4 6 Context

Jeremiah chapter 4 is a powerful message of impending doom and a desperate call for repentance directed at Judah. Following calls for returning to the Lord and promises of restoration (Jer 4:1-4) that went unheeded, the prophecy swiftly shifts to graphic descriptions of an invading army from the north, portraying God as the instigator of this judgment. Verses 5-8 serve as an urgent summons to sound the alarm, gather for defense or flight, and prepare for widespread destruction. Jeremiah 4:6 specifically escalates this warning, emphasizing the critical need for immediate action, contrasting with the false sense of security that many in Jerusalem held, believing their city and Temple were inviolable. Historically, this prophecy foretold the invasions by the Neo-Babylonian Empire that ultimately led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. The "enemy from the north" became a recurring and terrifying motif in Jeremiah's pronouncements.

Jeremiah 4 6 Word analysis

• Raise (הָרִימוּ / harimu): An imperative verb, emphasizing an urgent command. It signifies an act of lifting something high to be visible from a distance.
• a standard (נֵס / nes): Refers to a banner, ensign, or signal flag. In military contexts, it was a rallying point. Here, it functions as a visual alarm, indicating imminent danger or a call to assemble (for flight).
• toward Zion (צִיּוֹנָה / Tziyonah): Zion refers to Jerusalem, specifically the hill where the Temple and royal palace stood, representing the entire city. The "toward" (or "-ah" ending indicating direction) signifies the warning signal is to be set up so that it is visible from Zion, or pointed at Zion, highlighting that Jerusalem itself is the direct target or focal point of the impending disaster. It indicates the primary direction of concern for the warning.
• take refuge (עוּזוּ / ʿūzū): Another urgent imperative. It means to flee for safety, to seek shelter, or to find a place of protection. It emphasizes the need for rapid movement away from the danger zone.
• do not delay (אַל־תַּעֲמֹדוּ / al-taʿamōdū): "אַל" (al) is a negative particle, and "תַּעֲמֹדוּ" (taʿamōdū) means "you stand" or "you stop." The phrase is an emphatic prohibition against hesitation or standing still, underscoring the extreme urgency of the situation and the immediate danger. Any delay would be fatal.
• for I am bringing (כִּי־מֵבִיא אָנֹכִי / ki-mevi anokhi): "כִּי" (ki) means "for" or "because," introducing the reason for the command. "מֵבִיא" (mevi) is a participle of "bring," implying an ongoing or imminent action. "אָנֹכִי" (anokhi) is the strong first-person pronoun "I," directly attributing the action to God Himself. This highlights divine authorship of the impending disaster, showing it's not merely a geopolitical event but divine judgment.
• disaster (רָעָה / raʿah): Means evil, calamity, trouble, or disaster. It describes a severe negative consequence, often linked to divine punishment for sin.
• from the north (מִצָּפוֹן / mitsafon): A crucial prophetic motif in Jeremiah, signifying the direction from which God's chosen instrument of judgment (the Babylonians) would come. It can also carry symbolic weight as a source of destructive power.
• even great destruction (וְשֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל / vĕshever gadol): "וְשֶׁבֶר" (vĕshever) means "breaking," "shattering," or "destruction," implying utter ruin. "גָּדוֹל" (gadol) means "great" or "mighty," intensifying the extent and severity of the promised devastation.

Words-group analysis:

• "Raise a standard toward Zion": This phrase acts as a vivid alarm signal. The "standard" is not for rallying troops to defend Zion but for warning its inhabitants and those nearby to take heed and prepare for flight, as the focus of the warning is directly at Zion. It's a distress flag pointing to the capital.
• "flee for safety, stay not": These two urgent imperatives, given without pause, form a compound command emphasizing the critical need for immediate and continuous escape. It’s a call to proactive flight, not passive waiting. The parallel construction reinforces the desperate need for rapid departure.
• "for I am bringing disaster from the north": This section provides the irrefutable justification for the flight. The disaster is explicitly presented as divinely ordained and orchestrated by God ("I am bringing"). The specific geographical direction ("from the north") pinpoints the origin of the formidable enemy chosen by God as His instrument of judgment.
• "even great destruction": This final clause magnifies the scale and totality of the impending doom. It is not just trouble, but a monumental, widespread "breaking" that will devastate the land and people. This intensifies the earlier word "disaster."

Jeremiah 4 6 Bonus section

The repeated motif of "the enemy from the north" (Jer 1:14; 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22, etc.) is highly significant in Jeremiah's prophecies. While historically identifying with specific invaders like the Scythians or later the Babylonians, it also carries a theological weight. The north was generally perceived in ancient Near Eastern cosmology as the seat of divine judgment or mythical forces. By constantly invoking this direction, Jeremiah reinforces that this invasion is not mere geopolitical chance but is divinely ordained and guided. The threat is not simply external but a direct expression of Yahweh's judgment against His rebellious people. This theological perspective undermines any sense of nationalistic invulnerability or reliance on superficial religious observance that prevailed in Judah at the time. The very God who established them would use an instrument from the dreaded north to dismantle their perceived security.

Jeremiah 4 6 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:6 encapsulates the prophetic urgency and the theological foundation of Judah's impending judgment. It's a trumpet blast signaling the end of an era of false security and God's patience. The command to "Raise a standard toward Zion" is paradoxical; Zion, the perceived place of divine protection and safety, is now the target, and the signal points to its doom, instructing others to flee from the converging danger. The instruction to "take refuge" and "do not delay" reflects God's gracious warning even in judgment, offering a narrow window of opportunity for escape, a stark contrast to the swiftness of the coming catastrophe. The phrase "for I am bringing disaster from the north, even great destruction" fundamentally establishes divine agency behind the suffering. This isn't random misfortune but the direct consequence of Judah's covenantal unfaithfulness, administered by the Almighty. It serves as a stern reminder that even a chosen people can face God's severe chastisement when they persistently stray from His ways, confirming that God's justice is an immutable attribute alongside His love and mercy.