The Meaning of Jeremiah 4:6 Explained

Jeremiah 4:6

KJV: Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

YLT: Lift up an ensign Zionward, Strengthen yourselves, stand not still, For evil I am bringing in from the north, And a great destruction.

Darby: Set up a banner toward Zion; take to flight, stay not! For I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction.

ASV: Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Set up  the standard  toward Zion:  retire,  stay  not: for I will bring  evil  from the north,  and a great  destruction. 

What does Jeremiah 4:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people were to lift up a flag or light a signal fire (Heb. nes) in Jerusalem as a sign of coming attack (cf. Isaiah 13:2; Isaiah 18:3). They should seek refuge quickly because the Lord was bringing an evil destroying force against them from the north (cf. 2 Kings 16:5-6; Hosea 5:8 : Joel 2:1; Amos 3:6). This was not just a twist of political fate; Yahweh was sending this enemy against His people.

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 4:6 mean?

Set up the standard toward Zion take refuge not do delay for disaster I will bring from the north and destruction great
שְׂאוּ־ נֵ֣ס ! צִיּ֔וֹנָה הָעִ֖יזוּ אַֽל־ תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ כִּ֣י רָעָ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא מִצָּפ֖וֹן וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֽוֹל

שְׂאוּ־  Set  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
נֵ֣ס  the  standard 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵס  
Sense: something lifted up, standard, signal, signal pole, ensign, banner, sign, sail.
! צִיּ֔וֹנָה  toward  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
הָעִ֖יזוּ  take  refuge 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עוּז  
Sense: (Hiphil) to take refuge, bring to refuge, seek refuge.
תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ  do  delay 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
רָעָ֗ה  disaster 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
מֵבִ֥יא  will  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִצָּפ֖וֹן  from  the  north 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָפֹון  
Sense: north (of direction), northward.
וְשֶׁ֥בֶר  and  destruction 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.
גָּדֽוֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.