Jeremiah 8 4

Jeremiah 8:4 kjv

Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

Jeremiah 8:4 nkjv

"Moreover you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Will they fall and not rise? Will one turn away and not return?

Jeremiah 8:4 niv

"Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: "?'When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return?

Jeremiah 8:4 esv

"You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD: When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he not return?

Jeremiah 8:4 nlt

"Jeremiah, say to the people, 'This is what the LORD says: "'When people fall down, don't they get up again?
When they discover they're on the wrong road, don't they turn back?

Jeremiah 8 verses

Jeremiah 8 4 Meaning

Jeremiah 8:4 poses two rhetorical questions from God through Jeremiah, highlighting the inexplicable and unnatural spiritual state of Judah. It draws an analogy between common human experience – that people naturally get up after a fall and return after turning away – and Judah's persistent refusal to repent and return to the LORD after repeatedly falling into sin and turning away from Him. The verse underscores their profound spiritual blindness and stubbornness in defying the most basic instincts for correction and restoration, thereby facing impending judgment.

Jeremiah 8 4 Context

Jeremiah chapter 8 continues the prophet's lament and judgment pronouncements against Judah and Jerusalem for their persistent apostasy. The preceding verses in chapter 8 speak of God's people making themselves at home among foreign gods, displaying utter defiance. The LORD is bewildered by their lack of shame and repentance, especially in light of the natural order: animals know their seasons (Jer 8:7), but Israel does not know God's judgments. Verse 4 serves as a rhetorical climax, emphasizing the extreme unnaturalness of their spiritual condition. It sets the stage for the deep sorrow and lament of Jeremiah in the following verses (e.g., Jer 8:18-22), where he weeps over the incurable wound of his people, as well as the coming disaster due to their hardened hearts and refusal to turn back to the LORD. Historically, this prophecy occurs during the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, leading up to the Babylonian exile, a time marked by widespread idolatry, moral corruption, and a superficial adherence to religious rituals while neglecting the covenant with Yahweh.

Jeremiah 8 4 Word analysis

• Moreover: Hebrew ʿōd (עוֹד), which can mean "again," "further," or "still." It emphasizes that this instruction is a continuation or an additional point in the divine message, underscoring the relentless nature of God's attempts to reach His people.
• thou shalt say unto them: This phrase signifies a direct command from the LORD to Jeremiah, indicating the prophetic mandate to deliver this challenging message unequivocally to the people of Judah.
• Thus saith the LORD: Hebrew kōh 'āmar YHWH (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה). This is a foundational prophetic formula, asserting the divine authority behind the words. It is not Jeremiah's opinion but God's absolute declaration, giving immense weight and incontestable truth to the ensuing questions.
• Shall they fall, and not arise?:
  • fall: Hebrew yippělû (יִפְּלוּ), from nāphal (נָפַל), meaning "to fall down," "collapse," or "fail." In the physical sense, it refers to a stumble or drop. Spiritually, it signifies a fall into sin, apostasy, or disaster.
  • arise: Hebrew yāqūmû (יָקוּמוּ), from qūm (קוּם), meaning "to stand up," "to rise," or "to be established." Naturally, when someone falls, their instinct is to get up. Spiritually, it points to repentance, recovery, and restoration from a fallen state. The rhetorical question highlights the absurdity of staying down after a fall.
• shall he turn away, and not come again?:
  • turn away: Hebrew yāšûv (יָשׁוּב), from shûv (שׁוּב), a multifaceted verb meaning "to turn," "to return," "to repent," or "to restore." Here, it implies turning away from a path, a person, or critically, from God.
  • come again: Hebrew lōʾ yāšûv (לֹא יָשׁוּב), which would literally be "and not return." It implies a full reversal of the previous action. If one deviates or turns from a path, the expectation is to retrace steps or find a way back. Spiritually, this points to turning away from the covenant and refusing to return in repentance to God. The rhetorical force emphasizes the abnormal and contrary-to-nature behavior of Judah.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Shall they fall, and not arise?": This phrase directly appeals to the common human experience. Every person, when they stumble or fall physically, has an inherent desire and usually attempts to rise. Spiritually, this refers to Judah's consistent falling into sin and idolatry, yet exhibiting no corresponding inclination to repent, to "arise" from their spiritual degradation, or to seek God's restoration. This makes their spiritual state unnatural and bewildering from God's perspective.
• "shall he turn away, and not come again?": This second rhetorical question extends the first, drawing on the principle of direction and redirection. If one goes astray, gets lost, or consciously turns away from a chosen path, the natural inclination is to reorient oneself and "come again" or return to the proper course. Judah, having "turned away" from the LORD's commandments and covenant, demonstrates a complete unwillingness to "come again" to Him through repentance and obedience. Both questions highlight their profound spiritual apathy and stiff-necked rebellion, operating against even the most basic human instincts for self-correction.

Jeremiah 8 4 Bonus section

This verse can be understood as an early, profound statement on the nature of spiritual inertia. Unlike physical objects or biological processes that seek equilibrium or correction (a body attempting to right itself, a lost person trying to find their way home), the spiritual condition of Judah is one of active resistance to such natural inclinations. Their refusal to repent is not passive; it's a deliberate choice that goes against the very principle of restoration that God implicitly expects. This theological insight into human depravity suggests that the effects of sin are so profound they can corrupt even fundamental instincts for self-preservation and correction, manifesting as a resolute turning away from the source of life and truth. It also hints at the tragic irony that God, the very author of the natural order that drives correction and return, finds His own creation in deliberate defiance of this most basic principle when it comes to their relationship with Him.

Jeremiah 8 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 8:4 serves as a powerful rhetorical indictment of Judah's spiritual apathy and obstinacy. God presents two questions based on universal human experience, exposing the utter illogicality and unnaturalness of His people's behavior. Just as it is fundamental for a person who falls to seek to stand up, and for one who deviates to attempt to return, so too should Judah, having fallen into idolatry and turned away from God, naturally seek repentance and restoration. However, their consistent failure to do so indicates a severe spiritual deadness and an unyielding will against the Divine. This is not just forgetfulness but a hardened heart, leading them to refuse the very path to life and blessing, sealing their fate for impending judgment. The passage underscores God's frustration and bewilderment at their irrational defiance, even as He continues to extend the logical invitation to return.