Jeremiah 4 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Jeremiah 4 (WEBP)

[1] “If you will return, Israel,” says Yahweh, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
[2] and you will swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
[3] For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns.
[4] Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
[5] Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
[6] Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
[7] A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
[8] For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn’t turned back from us.
[9] “It will happen at that day,” says Yahweh, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
[10] Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace;’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
[11] At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind blows from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
[12] A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgments against them.”
[13] Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
[14] Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
[15] For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
[16] “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
[17] As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh.
[18] “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.”
[19] My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
[20] Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
[21] How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
[22] “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
[23] I saw the earth and, behold, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
[24] I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
[25] I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
[26] I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of Yahweh, before his fierce anger.
[27] For Yahweh says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
[28] For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it. I have planned it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.”
[29] Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers. They go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.
[30] You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
[31] For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Jeremiah 4 (KJVS)

[1] If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
[2] And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
[3] For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
[4] Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
[5] Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
[6] Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
[7] 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.
[8] For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from us.
[9] And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the Lord, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
[10] Then said I, Ah, Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
[11] At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
[12] even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.
[13] Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
[14] O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
[15] For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.
[16] Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
[17] As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the Lord.
[18] Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.
[19] My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
[20] Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
[21] How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
[22] For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
[23] I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
[24] I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
[25] I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
[26] I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.
[27] For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
[28] For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
[29] The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
[30] And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
[31] For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Jeremiah 4:6a Or, strengthen
Jeremiah 4:6b Heb. breaking
Jeremiah 4:12a Or, a fuller wind then those
Jeremiah 4:12b Heb. utter judgments
Jeremiah 4:19 Heb. the walls of my heart [symbol in wrong place]
Jeremiah 4:30 Heb. eyes

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Jeremiah 4 (BYZ)

[1] Ἐὰν () ἐπιστραφῇ () Ισραηλ, () λέγει () κύριος, () πρός () με () ἐπιστραφήσεται· () ἐὰν () περιέλῃ () τὰ () βδελύγματα () αὐτοῦ () ἐκ () στόματος () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () ἀπὸ () τοῦ () προσώπου () μου () εὐλαβηθῇ ()
[2] καὶ () ὀμόσῃ () Ζῇ () κύριος () μετὰ () ἀληθείας () καὶ () ἐν () κρίσει () καὶ () ἐν () δικαιοσύνῃ, () καὶ () εὐλογήσουσιν () ἐν () αὐτῇ () ἔθνη () καὶ () ἐν () αὐτῷ () αἰνέσουσιν () τῷ () θεῷ () ἐν () Ιερουσαλημ. ()
[3] Ὅτι () τάδε () λέγει () κύριος () τοῖς () ἀνδράσιν () Ιουδα καὶ () τοῖς () κατοικοῦσιν () Ιερουσαλημ () Νεώσατε ἑαυτοῖς () νεώματα καὶ () μὴ () σπείρητε () ἐπ’ () ἀκάνθαις. ()
[4] Περιτμήθητε () τῷ () θεῷ () ὑμῶν () καὶ () περιτέμεσθε () τὴν () σκληροκαρδίαν () ὑμῶν, () ἄνδρες () Ιουδα καὶ () οἱ () κατοικοῦντες () Ιερουσαλημ, () μὴ () ἐξέλθῃ () ὡς () πῦρ () ὁ () θυμός () μου () καὶ () ἐκκαυθήσεται, () καὶ () οὐκ () ἔσται () ὁ () σβέσων () ἀπὸ () προσώπου () πονηρίας () ἐπιτηδευμάτων ὑμῶν. ()
[5] Ἀναγγείλατε () ἐν () τῷ () Ιουδα, καὶ () ἀκουσθήτω () ἐν () Ιερουσαλημ· () εἴπατε () Σημάνατε () ἐπὶ () τῆς () γῆς () σάλπιγγι () καὶ () κεκράξατε () μέγα· () εἴπατε () Συνάχθητε () καὶ () εἰσέλθωμεν () εἰς () τὰς () πόλεις () τὰς () τειχήρεις.
[6] Ἀναλαβόντες () φεύγετε () εἰς () Σιων· () σπεύσατε () μὴ () στῆτε, () ὅτι () κακὰ () ἐγὼ () ἐπάγω () ἀπὸ () βορρᾶ () καὶ () συντριβὴν μεγάλην. ()
[7] Ἀνέβη () λέων () ἐκ () τῆς () μάνδρας αὐτοῦ, () ἐξολεθρεύων () ἔθνη () ἐξῆρεν () καὶ () ἐξῆλθεν () ἐκ () τοῦ () τόπου () αὐτοῦ () τοῦ () θεῖναι () τὴν () γῆν () εἰς () ἐρήμωσιν, () καὶ () πόλεις () καθαιρεθήσονται () παρὰ () τὸ () μὴ () κατοικεῖσθαι () αὐτάς. ()
[8] Ἐπὶ () τούτοις () περιζώσασθε () σάκκους () καὶ () κόπτεσθε () καὶ () ἀλαλάξατε, () διότι () οὐκ () ἀπεστράφη () ὁ () θυμὸς () κυρίου () ἀφ’ () ὑμῶν. ()
[9] Καὶ () ἔσται () ἐν () ἐκείνῃ () τῇ () ἡμέρᾳ, () λέγει () κύριος, () ἀπολεῖται () ἡ () καρδία () τοῦ () βασιλέως () καὶ () ἡ () καρδία () τῶν () ἀρχόντων, () καὶ () οἱ () ἱερεῖς () ἐκστήσονται, () καὶ () οἱ () προφῆται () θαυμάσονται. ()
[10] Καὶ () εἶπα () Ὦ () δέσποτα () κύριε, () ἄρα () γε () ἀπατῶν () ἠπάτησας () τὸν () λαὸν () τοῦτον () καὶ () τὴν () Ιερουσαλημ () λέγων () Εἰρήνη () ἔσται () ὑμῖν, () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () ἥψατο () ἡ () μάχαιρα () ἕως () τῆς () ψυχῆς () αὐτῶν. ()
[11] Ἐν () τῷ () καιρῷ () ἐκείνῳ () ἐροῦσιν () τῷ () λαῷ () τούτῳ () καὶ () τῇ () Ιερουσαλημ () Πνεῦμα () πλανήσεως ἐν () τῇ () ἐρήμῳ, () ὁδὸς () τῆς () θυγατρὸς () τοῦ () λαοῦ () μου () οὐκ () εἰς () καθαρὸν () οὐδ’ () εἰς () ἅγιον. ()
[12] Πνεῦμα () πληρώσεως ἥξει () μοι· () νῦν () δὲ () ἐγὼ () λαλῶ () κρίματα () πρὸς () αὐτούς. ()
[13] Ἰδοὺ () ὡς () νεφέλη () ἀναβήσεται, () καὶ () ὡς () καταιγὶς τὰ () ἅρματα () αὐτοῦ, () κουφότεροι ἀετῶν () οἱ () ἵπποι () αὐτοῦ· () οὐαὶ () ἡμῖν, () ὅτι () ταλαιπωροῦμεν. ()
[14] Ἀπόπλυνε () ἀπὸ () κακίας () τὴν () καρδίαν () σου, () Ιερουσαλημ, () ἵνα () σωθῇς· () ἕως () πότε () ὑπάρξουσιν ἐν () σοὶ () διαλογισμοὶ () πόνων () σου; ()
[15] Διότι () φωνὴ () ἀναγγέλλοντος () ἐκ () Δαν ἥξει, () καὶ () ἀκουσθήσεται () πόνος () ἐξ () ὄρους () Εφραιμ. ()
[16] Ἀναμνήσατε () ἔθνη () Ἰδοὺ () ἥκασιν· () ἀναγγείλατε () ἐν () Ιερουσαλημ () Συστροφαὶ () ἔρχονται () ἐκ () γῆς () μακρόθεν () καὶ () ἔδωκαν () ἐπὶ () τὰς () πόλεις () Ιουδα φωνὴν () αὐτῶν. ()
[17] Ὡς () φυλάσσοντες () ἀγρὸν () ἐγένοντο () ἐπ’ () αὐτὴν () κύκλῳ, () ὅτι () ἐμοῦ () ἠμέλησας, () λέγει () κύριος. ()
[18] Αἱ () ὁδοί () σου () καὶ () τὰ () ἐπιτηδεύματά σου () ἐποίησαν () ταῦτά () σοι· () αὕτη () ἡ () κακία () σου, () ὅτι () πικρά, () ὅτι () ἥψατο () ἕως () τῆς () καρδίας () σου. ()
[19] Τὴν () κοιλίαν () μου () τὴν () κοιλίαν () μου () ἀλγῶ, καὶ () τὰ () αἰσθητήρια () τῆς () καρδίας () μου· () μαιμάσσει ἡ () ψυχή () μου, () σπαράσσεται () ἡ () καρδία () μου, () οὐ () σιωπήσομαι, () ὅτι () φωνὴν () σάλπιγγος () ἤκουσεν () ἡ () ψυχή () μου, () κραυγὴν () πολέμου. ()
[20] Καὶ () ταλαιπωρίαν () συντριμμὸν ἐπικαλεῖται, () ὅτι () τεταλαιπώρηκεν () πᾶσα () ἡ () γῆ· () ἄφνω () τεταλαιπώρηκεν () ἡ () σκηνή, () διεσπάσθησαν () αἱ () δέρρεις μου. ()
[21] Ἕως () πότε () ὄψομαι () φεύγοντας () ἀκούων () φωνὴν () σαλπίγγων; ()
[22] Διότι () οἱ () ἡγούμενοι () τοῦ () λαοῦ () μου () ἐμὲ () οὐκ () ᾔδεισαν, () υἱοὶ () ἄφρονές () εἰσιν () καὶ () οὐ () συνετοί· () σοφοί () εἰσιν () τοῦ () κακοποιῆσαι, () τὸ () δὲ () καλῶς () ποιῆσαι () οὐκ () ἐπέγνωσαν. ()
[23] Ἐπέβλεψα () ἐπὶ () τὴν () γῆν, () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () οὐθέν, () καὶ () εἰς () τὸν () οὐρανόν, () καὶ () οὐκ () ἦν () τὰ () φῶτα () αὐτοῦ· ()
[24] εἶδον () τὰ () ὄρη, () καὶ () ἦν () τρέμοντα, () καὶ () πάντας () τοὺς () βουνοὺς () ταρασσομένους· ()
[25] ἐπέβλεψα, () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () οὐκ () ἦν () ἄνθρωπος, () καὶ () πάντα () τὰ () πετεινὰ τοῦ () οὐρανοῦ () ἐπτοεῖτο· ()
[26] εἶδον, () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () ὁ () Κάρμηλος ἔρημος, () καὶ () πᾶσαι () αἱ () πόλεις () ἐμπεπυρισμέναι πυρὶ () ἀπὸ () προσώπου () κυρίου, () καὶ () ἀπὸ () προσώπου () ὀργῆς () θυμοῦ () αὐτοῦ () ἠφανίσθησαν. ()
[27] Τάδε () λέγει () κύριος () Ἔρημος () ἔσται () πᾶσα () ἡ () γῆ, () συντέλειαν () δὲ () οὐ () μὴ () ποιήσω. ()
[28] Ἐπὶ () τούτοις () πενθείτω () ἡ () γῆ, () καὶ () συσκοτασάτω ὁ () οὐρανὸς () ἄνωθεν, () διότι () ἐλάλησα () καὶ () οὐ () μετανοήσω, () ὥρμησα () καὶ () οὐκ () ἀποστρέψω () ἀπ’ () αὐτῆς. ()
[29] Ἀπὸ () φωνῆς () ἱππέως () καὶ () ἐντεταμένου τόξου () ἀνεχώρησεν () πᾶσα () χώρα· () εἰσέδυσαν εἰς () τὰ () σπήλαια () καὶ () εἰς () τὰ () ἄλση ἐκρύβησαν () καὶ () ἐπὶ () τὰς () πέτρας () ἀνέβησαν· () πᾶσα () πόλις () ἐγκατελείφθη, () οὐ () κατοικεῖ () ἐν () αὐταῖς () ἄνθρωπος. ()
[30] Καὶ () σὺ () τί () ποιήσεις, () ἐὰν () περιβάλῃ () κόκκινον () καὶ () κοσμήσῃ () κόσμῳ () χρυσῷ () καὶ () ἐὰν () ἐγχρίσῃ () στίβι τοὺς () ὀφθαλμούς () σου; () Εἰς () μάτην () ὁ () ὡραισμός σου· () ἀπώσαντό () σε () οἱ () ἐρασταί σου, () τὴν () ψυχήν () σου () ζητοῦσιν. ()
[31] Ὅτι () φωνὴν () ὡς () ὠδινούσης () ἤκουσα, () τοῦ () στεναγμοῦ () σου () ὡς () πρωτοτοκούσης, φωνὴ () θυγατρὸς () Σιων· () ἐκλυθήσεται () καὶ () παρήσει () τὰς () χεῖρας () αὐτῆς () Οἴμμοι ἐγώ, () ὅτι () ἐκλείπει () ἡ () ψυχή () μου () ἐπὶ () τοῖς () ἀνῃρημένοις. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.