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 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 4:7 | The lion has come up from his thicket... their cities shall be laid waste | Lam 2:2 (God's wrath like a lion) |
| Jeremiah 4:7 | from the north... none shall turn back. | Jer 1:14 (Northly judgment) |
| Jeremiah 4:7 | his counsel against all thy borders. | Psa 2:2 (Kings consult against God) |
| Jeremiah 4:7 | their cities shall be laid waste without an inhabitant. | Jer 5:16 (Cities made desolate) |
| Isaiah 40:3 | Prepare ye the way of the LORD... make straight in the desert | Jer 50:4 (Return from Babylon) |
| Isaiah 45:1 | Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus... | Jer 50:6,17 (Babylon's judgment) |
| Jeremiah 1:14 | Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants | Jer 6:1 (Calamity from the north) |
| Jeremiah 6:22 | behold, a people cometh from the north country... | Jer 25:9 (Nation from the north) |
| Jeremiah 25:9 | behold, I will send and take all the families of the north... | Jer 49:19 (Judgment on nations) |
| Jeremiah 49:19 | behold, he shall come up like a lion from the pride of Jordan | Jer 50:44 (Judgment on Babylon) |
| Ezekiel 38:4 | And I will turn thee back... and cast hooks into thy jaws | Ezekiel 1:4 (Vision from the north) |
| Hosea 11:10 | They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion... | Hosea 13:7 (God as a lion) |
| Joel 1:6 | for a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number | Joel 2:2 (A powerful invasion) |
| Nahum 2:11 | Where is the dwelling place of the lions, and the feeding place... | Nahum 2:13 (Lion imagery for Nineveh) |
| Nahum 3:17 | Thy crowned are as the grasshoppers, and thy captains as the great | Rev 18:4 (Come out of her my people) |
| Luke 11:47 | for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers slew them | Luke 21:24 (Jerusalem's desolation) |
| Revelation 18:4 | And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people | Rev 13:7 (Beast's power) |
| Isaiah 3:1 | For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem | Isaiah 3:8 (Jerusalem's sin) |
| Isaiah 5:12 | and the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in | Isaiah 23:15 (Tyranny's reign) |
| Micah 4:13 | Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thy horn iron | Zephaniah 1:13 (Judgment for complacency) |
Jeremiah 4 verses
Jeremiah 4 7 Meaning
Jeremiah 4:7 declares the inevitable judgment upon Judah because of their rebellion. A devastating force, described as a lion, has risen from the north to conquer the land. This foe represents God's righteous wrath against sin. The verse highlights the consequence of straying from God and embracing wickedness, stating that their cities will be ruined and left desolate without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 4 7 Context
Jeremiah 4:7 is situated within Jeremiah's prophetic ministry during a period of impending doom for the kingdom of Judah. The prophet is delivering a stark warning of God's impending judgment, which will manifest through a foreign invasion. This judgment is a direct consequence of Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's covenant. The preceding verses (4:1-6) call for repentance and preparation for God's wrath, portraying it as a devastating, unleashed fury. The specific imagery in verse 7 points to the Babylonian army, which will march from the north to conquer Judah and its fortified cities.
Jeremiah 4 7 Word Analysis
- "The lion": Hebrew: 'aryeh (אַרְיֵה). Refers to a powerful, fierce wild animal. In biblical imagery, lions often represent strength, ferocity, and kingship. Here, it symbolizes a mighty invading force.
- "is come up": Hebrew: 'alah (עָלָה). Literally "to go up," suggesting a decisive movement and ascent of power or presence.
- "from his thicket": Hebrew: sūgō (סֻגּוֹ). Indicates a place of concealment or a refuge, emphasizing the sudden and unexpected emergence of the threat from a hidden source.
- "from his place of ambush": This phrase elaborates on "thicket," highlighting the strategic and predatory nature of the approaching enemy.
- "unto thy destruction": Hebrew: lemiṣpōṯēḵ (לְמִסְפֹּתֵךְ). Means "to your destruction" or "to your ruin." It underscores the devastating purpose of the invading force.
- "and thy cities": Hebrew: wə’āreyḵ (וְעָרַיִךְ). Refers to the urban centers of Judah.
- "shall be laid waste": Hebrew: yiḵē·ḵō wəhāyû (יֵחֶרְבוּ וְהָיוּ). Means "they will be laid waste" or "they will be made desolate."
- "without an inhabitant": Hebrew: bəle yôšēḇ (בְּלִי יוֹשֵׁב). Emphasizes complete depopulation and emptiness as a result of the invasion.
Words-group Analysis
- "The lion has come up from his thicket, from his place of ambush": This phrase employs potent imagery. The "lion" evokes a sense of power and danger. The "thicket" and "place of ambush" suggest an enemy that has been gathering strength and strategizing in secret, now emerging to strike with full force and unpredictability. The combination signifies an unstoppable and inevitable enemy arising from the northern regions, a common biblical trope for invading forces like the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 4 7 Bonus Section
The imagery of a lion is frequently used in the Old Testament to depict strength and divine wrath. God himself is sometimes depicted as a lion roaring in judgment (Hosea 11:10). However, here the lion is a simile for the enemy force that God is using. The "north" is consistently portrayed in prophetic literature as the direction from which calamitous invasions originate, often referencing empires like Assyria and Babylon that historically attacked Judah from that direction. This verse acts as a clear pronouncement of doom, setting the stage for Jeremiah's extensive prophecies concerning the Babylonian conquest of Judah.
Jeremiah 4 7 Commentary
Jeremiah 4:7 vividly portrays the terrifying reality of God's judgment upon a disobedient nation. The imagery of a lion, the king of beasts, emerging from its lair signifies the overwhelming and fearsome nature of the invading army, sent by God. This invading force is not just a human power; it is God's instrument of wrath against Judah's unfaithfulness. The devastation described—cities laid waste without inhabitants—speaks to the thoroughness of God's judgment and the profound consequences of national sin. It serves as a solemn warning that apostasy and wickedness will inevitably lead to ruin and desolation. The prophecy emphasizes God's sovereignty in even using earthly empires to execute His judgments against His own people when they forsake Him.