The Meaning of Jeremiah 4:11 Explained

Jeremiah 4:11

KJV: 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,

YLT: At that time it is said of this people, And of Jerusalem: 'A dry wind of high places in the wilderness,' The way of the daughter of My people, (Not for winnowing, nor for cleansing,)

Darby: At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind cometh from the heights in the wilderness, on the way of the daughter of my people, not for fanning, nor for cleansing.

ASV: At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Jeremiah 4:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 4

1  God calls Israel by his promise
3  He exhorts Judah to repentance by fearful judgments
19  A grievous lamentation for Judah

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 4:11 mean?

At time that it will be said to people this and to Jerusalem a wind of dry the desolate heights [blows] in the wilderness toward Toward the daughter of My people Not to fan or to cleanse
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא יֵאָמֵ֤ר לָֽעָם־ הַזֶּה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם ר֣וּחַ צַ֤ח שְׁפָיִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּת־ עַמִּ֑י ל֥וֹא לִזְר֖וֹת וְל֥וֹא לְהָבַֽר

בָּעֵ֣ת  At  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֗יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יֵאָמֵ֤ר  it  will  be  said 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָֽעָם־  to  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם  and  to  Jerusalem 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
ר֣וּחַ  a  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
צַ֤ח  of  dry 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: צַח  
Sense: dazzling, glowing, clear, bright.
שְׁפָיִים֙  the  desolate  heights 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שְׁפִי  
Sense: bareness, smooth or bare height, bare place, high places, barren height.
בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר  [blows]  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
דֶּ֖רֶךְ  toward 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
בַּת־  Toward  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
עַמִּ֑י  of  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לִזְר֖וֹת  to  fan 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: זָרָה 
Sense: to scatter, fan, cast away, winnow, disperse, compass, spread, be scattered, be dispersed.
לְהָבַֽר  to  cleanse 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּרוּר 
Sense: to purify, select, polish, choose, purge, cleanse or make bright, test or prove.