Jeremiah 6:4 kjv
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
Jeremiah 6:4 nkjv
"Prepare war against her; Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day goes away, For the shadows of the evening are lengthening.
Jeremiah 6:4 niv
"Prepare for battle against her! Arise, let us attack at noon! But, alas, the daylight is fading, and the shadows of evening grow long.
Jeremiah 6:4 esv
"Prepare war against her; arise, and let us attack at noon! Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen!
Jeremiah 6:4 nlt
They shout, 'Prepare for battle!
Attack at noon!'
'No, it's too late; the day is fading,
and the evening shadows are falling.'
Jeremiah 6 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 5:15-17 | "Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar... A mighty nation... They shall devour your harvest... and destroy your fortified cities." | Babylon's impending invasion |
| Jer 1:15 | "For behold, I am calling all the clans of the kingdoms of the north, and they shall come, and every one set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem." | Source of the invaders from the north |
| Jer 4:6 | "Raise a signal toward Zion, Flee for safety, do not stay, for I am bringing disaster from the north, and great destruction." | Warning of the severe threat from the north |
| Deut 28:49-50 | "The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away... a nation ruthless in appearance... which will not show favor." | Covenant curses predicting foreign invaders |
| Isa 5:26-30 | "He will raise a signal for nations far away... coming with speed... none is weary, none stumbles... their arrows are sharp, all their bows bent." | Divine judgment executed by swift foreign armies |
| Jer 4:20 | "Disaster after disaster! The whole land is laid waste. In a moment my tents are destroyed, my curtains in an instant." | The speed and suddenness of the destruction |
| Hab 1:6-8 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans... a bitter and hasty nation... swifter than leopards." | Describing the rapid and aggressive nature of the Chaldeans |
| Joel 3:9-10 | "Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men... beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears." | Nations consecrated for war, a similar command but often against God's people |
| Zeph 1:14-15 | "The great day of the Lord is near... A day of wrath is that day... a day of clouds and thick darkness." | Emphasizes the swiftness and darkness of judgment |
| Isa 17:14 | "At evening time, behold terror! Before morning, it is gone! This is the portion of those who plunder us." | Rapid and unexpected onset of destruction |
| 1 Thess 5:2-3 | "For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night... then sudden destruction will come upon them." | Suddenness of God's coming judgment or the return of Christ |
| Jer 4:13 | "Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles—woe to us, for we are ruined!" | Judah's cry of woe in the face of destruction |
| Jer 48:3 | "A voice of crying from Horonaim, 'Devastation and great destruction!'" | Lamentation over utter destruction |
| Rev 9:12 | "The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come." | Eschatological woes signifying judgment |
| Rev 11:14 | "The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come." | Continued sequence of judgment woes |
| Lev 26:14-17 | "But if you will not listen to me... I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies... those who hate you shall rule over you." | Consequences of disobedience to God's covenant |
| Isa 9:13-17 | "The people did not turn to him who struck them... Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail... the Lord does not rejoice over their young men." | Unrepentance leading to persistent judgment |
| Jer 5:3 | "O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction." | Judah's stubborn refusal to repent |
| Prov 1:24-27 | "Because I have called and you refused... I will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you like a storm." | Warning against rejecting wisdom, leading to disaster |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!... against the people of my wrath I command him." | God using foreign nations as instruments of His judgment |
| Hab 1:6-7 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own." | God orchestrates the invaders as His tool of wrath |
| Psa 2:1-4 | "Why do the nations rage...? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord... He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision." | God's sovereign control over nations and their schemes |
Jeremiah 6 verses
Jeremiah 6 4 Meaning
Jeremiah 6:4 describes the urgent and aggressive intentions of the enemy (likely the Babylonians, acting as God's instrument) against Jerusalem. The verse opens with the invaders preparing themselves for battle with a solemn, almost ritualistic dedication, emphasizing their resolve. They eagerly proclaim their readiness to attack at "noon," a time usually avoided for battle due to intense heat, highlighting their extraordinary zeal and determination for swift conquest. However, this initial zeal immediately shifts to a cry of frustration as they perceive the day drawing to a close, fearing the lost opportunity for immediate action as evening shadows begin to lengthen. This portrays the relentless and overwhelming nature of the approaching judgment, so zealous the enemy regrets even a slight delay.
Jeremiah 6 4 Context
Jeremiah chapter 6 continues the prophet's impassioned warnings of imminent judgment against Judah, specifically Jerusalem. Jeremiah's message, delivered during a period of geopolitical turmoil with the rising Babylonian empire, paints a vivid picture of the coming invasion. The "daughter of Zion" (Jerusalem) is surrounded, depicted as vulnerable and facing an overwhelming military force from the north. The preceding verses (Jer 6:1-3) speak of an enemy encamped around the city, preparing for siege. Verse 4 vividly describes the eagerness and strategic intent of these invaders. The historical context reveals that Judah, despite repeated prophetic warnings, refused to genuinely repent from their idolatry, social injustice, and false religious confidence, leading God to use foreign nations, primarily Babylon, as His instrument of correction and punishment. This verse thus stands as a dramatic, immediate prelude to the foretold destruction, conveying the relentless momentum of God's ordained judgment.
Jeremiah 6 4 Word analysis
- "Prepare" (קַדְּשׁוּ - qadd'shu): This Hebrew word is often translated as "sanctify" or "consecrate." In a military context, it signifies a formal, almost religious dedication to war, making it a "holy war." This imbues the enemies' campaign with a deep seriousness and commitment, even though they are pagan nations. It may subtly suggest they are, unknowingly, agents of divine judgment, giving their mission a pseudo-sacred zeal.
- "war" (מִלְחָמָה - milchamah): The standard term for battle or conflict, here emphasized by the "preparation" aspect, underscoring the severity and directness of the impending attack.
- "against her" (עָלֶיהָ - aleiha): "Her" refers to the metaphorical "daughter of Zion," representing Jerusalem or Judah, the target of God's wrath due to her unfaithfulness.
- "Up" (קוּמוּ - qumu): An imperative, meaning "Arise!" or "Get up!". It expresses extreme urgency, zeal, and a command for immediate action from the invaders.
- "and let us go up" (וְנַעֲלֶה - v'na'aleh): A cohortative form meaning "let us ascend" or "let us advance." In a military context against a fortified city, it implies moving to assault higher ground, a common characteristic of ancient cities like Jerusalem.
- "at noon" (בַצָּהֳרָיִם - vatzohorayim): This is a crucial detail. Traditionally, armies avoided intense fighting during the midday heat. The choice of "noon" here highlights the enemies' fierce impatience, audacity, and desire for swift, overwhelming conquest, defying conventional tactics. It portrays a relentless drive for victory without delay.
- "Woe to us!" (הוֹי לָנוּ - hoy lanu): An interjection of lament or grief, typical in prophetic literature. Here, it is most commonly understood as the frustrated cry of the invading soldiers. Their eagerness to attack "at noon" is thwarted by the rapid passage of time, making them bemoan the delay.
- "for the day declines" (כִּי פָּנָה הַיּוֹם - ki panah hayom): "Panah" (פָּנָה) means "to turn" or "to turn away." Here, it signifies the turning of the day towards evening, its progression towards a close. It suggests the perceived dwindling of opportunity.
- "for the shadows of evening lengthen" (כִּי יִמְטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב - ki yim'tu tzilelei arev): A vivid poetic image describing the approaching dusk. "Yim'tu" (יִמְטוּ) means "are stretched out" or "are prolonged." This confirms the light is fading, enforcing the idea of time running out and delaying their zealous plans for an immediate attack.
- "Prepare war against her; Up, and let us go up at noon": This phrase captures the immense, almost uncontrollable zeal of the invading forces. It presents a stark image of an enemy so driven by their mission that they reject traditional military prudence (avoiding midday heat) for immediate action. Their 'consecration' underscores their single-minded purpose.
- "Woe to us! for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen.": This lament reveals the depth of the enemy's aggressive intent. The cry of "woe" is not of fear, but of frustrated impatience. They regret the passage of time that impedes their immediate assault, emphasizing their ravenous hunger for conquest and the unyielding nature of the judgment unleashed against Judah.
Jeremiah 6 4 Bonus section
The dramatic dialogue in Jeremiah 6:4 is widely considered to be spoken by the Chaldean (Babylonian) soldiers. This interpretation highlights the rhetorical power of Jeremiah, who effectively gives voice to the enemy, allowing their relentless drive and overwhelming desire for conquest to be heard directly. This literary device emphasizes the human instruments of God's judgment and their unyielding momentum. The very structure of the verse, alternating between aggressive intent and frustrated lament over time, magnifies the sense of urgency and inescapable fate awaiting Jerusalem. The detail of attacking "at noon" can also signify that the attack would come when least expected, catching the defenders off guard in a period generally considered unsuitable for major military operations. It amplifies the message of Judah's unpreparedness, not just militarily, but spiritually.
Jeremiah 6 4 Commentary
Jeremiah 6:4 paints a chilling and immediate picture of Jerusalem's impending doom through the eyes of its impatient invaders. The call to "prepare war" using the word qadd'shu (to sanctify/consecrate) implies a dedicated, almost sacred commitment to the task of destruction, even for these pagan armies who are unwitting instruments of divine wrath. Their zealous cry, "Up, and let us go up at noon!", highlights an aggressive, break-the-rules approach to battle. To attack at midday, when heat is most oppressive, demonstrates an exceptional urgency, audacity, and determination to overcome the city swiftly and decisively, possibly seeking a quick rout rather than a prolonged siege. However, this fervent determination meets with the practical reality of time, expressed in their lament: "Woe to us! for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen." This is not a cry of fear, but of extreme frustration. It showcases their intense, almost ravenous desire to begin the attack now, lamenting every moment lost. This imagery powerfully underscores the relentless, overwhelming, and imminent nature of God's judgment upon unrepentant Judah.
This passage serves as a stark reminder of the swift and unwelcome approach of judgment when repentance is continually ignored. It challenges believers to consider their own zeal: are we as zealous for God's purposes as the enemies were for their destructive mission? It also warns against complacency, showing how quickly opportunities (the day) can fade, leading to a "woe" for neglected spiritual preparation.