Jeremiah 4 7

Jeremiah 4:7 kjv

The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:7 nkjv

The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:7 niv

A lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:7 esv

A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:7 nlt

A lion stalks from its den,
a destroyer of nations.
It has left its lair and is headed your way.
It's going to devastate your land!
Your towns will lie in ruins,
with no one living in them anymore.

Jeremiah 4 verses

Jeremiah 4 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 4:7 paints a vivid picture of imminent, devastating judgment upon Judah. It portrays the enemy as a powerful, relentless lion emerging from its hiding place, an established "destroyer of nations." This foe has set out with an explicit mission: to lay waste to Judah's land and utterly destroy its cities, leaving them uninhabited ruins. The verse is a stark prophecy, emphasizing the unstoppable nature and absolute severity of the coming Babylonian invasion as God's instrument of judgment for the nation's persistent sin.

Jeremiah 4 7 Context

Jeremiah chapter 4 marks a significant shift in the prophet's message, intensifying from appeals for repentance to vivid declarations of impending judgment. Prior verses (Jer 4:1-4) offer one last call to Israel (and Judah by implication) to circumcise their hearts and break up their fallow ground, lest God's wrath burn like fire. Immediately following, Jeremiah 4:5-6 issue a trumpet call, signaling an imminent enemy attack from the north, confirming the dire consequences of unheeded calls to repentance. Verse 7, then, personifies this northern foe as a ferocious lion, specifying its destructive nature and clear intent to decimate Judah. Historically, this prophecy forewarned the Neo-Babylonian invasion under Nebuchadnezzar II, a judgment unleashed upon Judah for its persistent idolatry, social injustice, and rejection of God's covenant, particularly during the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. The prophet's urgent warnings stood in direct opposition to the complacent belief in false security promoted by Judah's leadership and false prophets.

Jeremiah 4 7 Word analysis

• The lion (אַלֶּה, ’aryêh): This word signifies a mature, powerful, and fearsome male lion. In biblical and ancient Near Eastern cultures, the lion was a potent symbol of kings, empires, and unstoppable destructive power. Here, it is universally understood to represent the Neo-Babylonian Empire and its ruthless king, Nebuchadnezzar, chosen by God as His instrument of judgment. The imagery conveys the swiftness, ferocity, and inevitability of the impending invasion.
• has come up (יַעֲלֶה, ya‘aleh): Derived from the verb 'alah', meaning to ascend, go up, or rise. It suggests movement from a lower geographical region (like the Mesopotamian plains where Babylon was) towards a higher one (the elevated land of Judah). This term also implies intentional, active, and purposeful advance, not a random wandering.
• from his thicket (מִסֻּבְּכוֹ, missubběkhō): The Hebrew subbēkh refers to a dense mass of intertwined bushes, a lair or jungle thicket where a lion typically lies hidden, poised for attack. This imagery highlights the suddenness and unexpected ferocity of the invasion. The enemy's "lair" points to Babylon as its origin, a place of preparation from which it now bursts forth without warning.
• a destroyer of nations (וּמַשְׁחִית גּוֹיִם, ūmašḥîṯ gôyim): Mašḥîṯ (from the root shachath) denotes one who causes ruin, corruption, or utter devastation. Goyim simply means nations or peoples. This description emphasizes the enemy's proven track record as an empire that has conquered and laid waste to numerous other lands, signaling that Judah's fate will be no different. It underscores Babylon's overwhelming military might and its historical role as a regional superpower.
• he has set out (נָסַע, nāsaʿ): From the root meaning to pull up stakes, journey, or march. This word reinforces the determined and decisive movement of the invader. It's an irreversible departure from a previous state, signaling the commencement of a hostile campaign.
• he has left his place (יָצָא מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, yāṣāʾ mimmĕqōmō): Yāṣāʾ means to go out or leave. Meqômō means his place, referring to his usual abode or territory. This phrase reiterates and emphasizes the prior nāsaʿ, highlighting that the lion has specifically and deliberately abandoned its comfort and security to embark on this destructive mission, stressing its committed purpose.
• to make your land a waste (לָשׂוּם אַרְצְךָ לְשַׁמָּה, lāśûm ʾarṣēkhā lěšammâ): Śûm means to put, place, or make. ʾArṣēkhā is your land (Judah's). Šammâ denotes desolation, waste, or devastation, implying uninhabitable ruin. This is the explicit, declared purpose of the enemy's arrival, directly impacting God's covenant land, highlighting the severity of the judgment against His chosen people.
• your cities (עָרֶיךָ, ‘ārêkhā): Plural for "city" with the possessive "your." This specifies that the centers of habitation, commerce, and culture will be targeted, not just the rural areas, signifying total national collapse.
• will be ruins (תִּהְיֶינָה לְחָרְבָּה, tihyenâ lěḥorbâ): Tihyenâ means they will be. Ḥorbâ is a desolated place, ruins, or dryness, a synonym and often used in parallel with šammâ. It confirms the complete destruction and uninhabitable state of the cities, emphasizing the finality of the desolation.
• without inhabitant (מִבְּלִי יֹשֵׁב, mibbělî yōšēḇ): Mibbělî means without or so that there are no. Yōšēḇ refers to a dweller or inhabitant. This phrase paints the starkest picture of judgment: total depopulation. The land will be left utterly abandoned, a stark fulfillment of the covenant curses for Israel’s unfaithfulness.

Words-group analysis:

• "The lion has come up from his thicket": This vivid metaphor announces a hidden, formidable force (Babylon) suddenly bursting forth with savage intent. It captures the raw power and predatory nature of the invading army, indicating an imminent and ferocious assault from its place of origin.
• "a destroyer of nations, he has set out; he has left his place": These phrases characterize the enemy's proven track record of conquests and its current, irreversible decision to march against Judah. They underscore the deliberate, unwavering determination of a powerful empire focused on its destructive task, not merely a spontaneous raid.
• "to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant": This declares the ultimate, comprehensive goal of the invasion: utter desolation. The parallelism between "land a waste" and "cities...ruins without inhabitant" emphasizes that the judgment will affect both rural and urban areas, resulting in complete depopulation and abandonment, signaling a profound national calamity.

Jeremiah 4 7 Bonus section

• The "lion from the thicket" can also allude to the chaotic forces or "water from the North" mentioned in previous verses (Jer 1:13-15), making it a consistent symbol of terrifying, God-appointed judgment.
• The contrast between a lion, an animal of prey, and Israel as God's "sheep" (Jer 50:17), underscores the utter vulnerability of Judah before this overwhelming power when God removes His protection.
• This verse contains multiple synonyms for desolation (šammâ, ḥorbâ), serving to heighten the sense of irreparable destruction and reinforce the finality of the judgment, stressing that the land will become barren, mirroring the spiritual barrenness of its people.
• While primarily a warning, the verse implicitly serves as a call to recognize God's absolute sovereignty over all nations, even those seemingly godless, in carrying out His divine will.

Jeremiah 4 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 4:7 stands as a powerful prophetic announcement of divine judgment, channeled through the impending Babylonian invasion. The imagery of the "lion" is both immediate and profoundly unsettling, conveying an unstoppable, savage force sanctioned by God. This "destroyer of nations" represents not just any army, but Nebuchadnezzar's proven capability to dismantle civilizations, assuring Judah that their unique status would not grant immunity. The phrases "has come up from his thicket," "set out," and "left his place" paint a picture of deliberate, irreversible action, underscoring that this judgment is no accident but a predetermined course. The repeated motifs of "waste," "ruins," and "without inhabitant" brutally outline the totality of the coming devastation. It’s a message that counters any false hopes of peace or reliance on human alliances, asserting God's sovereignty over pagan empires to exact justice. For Judah, this was a final, severe warning: repent, or face total ruin and depopulation, a direct consequence of forsaking the Lord.