Jeremiah 6:4

Jeremiah 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (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.
• English Standard Version (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!
• New King James Version (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.

Context of Jeremiah 6:4

2I will destroy the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem), the lovely and delicate one [so like a luxurious pasture]. 3Shepherds with their flocks will come against her; They will pitch their tents all around her; They will pasture, each one in his place [eating up all her rich grasses]. [They shout], ‘Prepare for war against her; Arise, let us [take her by surprise and] attack her at noon. But alas, the daylight pales, The evening shadows grow long. 5Arise, let us [awaken to] attack her at night And destroy her [fortified] palaces!’ ” 6For the Lord of hosts has said, “Cut down her trees And build a siege [mound] against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; There is nothing but oppression inside her [walls].

Jeremiah 6:4 word by word

קַדְּשׁ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה ק֖וּמוּ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה בַֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם א֥וֹי לָ֙נוּ֙ כִּי־פָנָ֣ה הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י יִנָּט֖וּ צִלְלֵי־עָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Prepareקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: prepareH6942
• ye warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• against her; ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and let us go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: attackH5927
• at noonצֹ֫הַרtsôhar · middayH6672
• Woeאוֹי'ôy · woe!H188
• unto us! for the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• goeth awayפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• for the shadowsצֵלֶלtsêlel · shadowH6752
• of the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
• are stretched outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186

Cross-references for Jeremiah 6:4

• Jeremiah 5:10“Go up through the rows of Jerusalem’s vineyards and destroy [them], But do not completely destroy everything. Strip away her branches and the tendrils [of her vines], For they are not the Lord’s.
• Jeremiah 51:27Lift up a signal in the land [to spread the news]! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Dedicate the nations [for war] against her; Call against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; Cause the horses to come up like bristly locusts [with their wings not yet released from their cases].
• Isaiah 5:26He will lift up a flag to [call] the distant nations [to bring His judgment on Judah], And will whistle for them from the ends of the earth; And indeed, they will come with great speed swiftly.
• Isaiah 13:2Lift up a signal banner on the bare mountain, Summon them [the Medes and Persians] with a loud voice, Wave the [beckoning] hand so that they may enter the doorways of the [Babylonian] nobles.
• Joel 3:9Proclaim this among the [pagan] nations: Prepare a war! Stir up the mighty men! Let all the men of war come near, let them come up!
• Jeremiah 15:8I will make their widows more numerous before Me Than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, against the mother of the young men, A destroyer at noonday; I will suddenly cause anguish and terror To fall on her.
• Zephaniah 2:4For [this is the fate of the Philistines:] Gaza will be abandoned And Ashkelon a desolation; [The people of] Ashdod will be driven out at noon [in broad daylight] And Ekron will be uprooted and destroyed.
• Jeremiah 8:20“The harvest is past, the summer has ended and the gathering of fruit is over, But we are not saved,” [comes the voice of the people again].

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Prepare ye war against her - The words of the invaders exciting each other to the assault, and impatient lest any time should be lost; lest the besieged should have time to strengthen themselves, or get in supplies.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Prepare ye war - Rather, Sanctify ye war against her. War in ancient times was never undertaken without religions solemnities (see Deuteronomy 20:2 note). For some of these compare Ezekiel 21:21-23. At noon - The mid-day heat is so great in the East as to be usually passed under shelter 2 Samuel 4:5; Song of Song of Solomon 1:7 . The morning-march of an army was made fasting, and was usually over by eight or nine. But so great is the impatience of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-5Jeremiah described the commanding officers of the invading army as shepherds leading their soldiers to camp around the city. The initial plan was to strike the city walls at noon, when the attackers could see their work. However, the people in the city were so weakened that a night attack was just as effective (see 2 Kings 25:1–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. The invading soldiers encourage one another to the attack on Jerusalem. Prepare--literally, "Sanctify" war, that is, Proclaim it formally with solemn rites; the invasion was solemnly ordered by God (compare Is 13:3). at noon--the hottest part of the day when attacks were rarely made (Jr 15:8; 20:16). Even at this time they wished to attack, such is their eagerness. Woe unto us--The words of the invaders, mourning the approach of night which would…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Cruel
• Mount
• Reprobate
• Wallow
• Army
• Decline
• Even; Evening; Eventide
• Jeremiah (2)
• Sheshach
• War; Warfare

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings