Jeremiah 4:3

Jeremiah 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
• New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.

Context of Jeremiah 4:3

1“O Israel,” says the Lord, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. 2Then when you swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.” This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. 4O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins. 5“Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem! Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land: ‘Run for your lives! Flee to the fortified cities!’

Jeremiah 4:3 word by word

כִּי־כֹ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לְאִ֤ישׁ יְהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְאַֽל־תִּזְרְע֖וּ אֶל־קוֹצִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• Break upנִירnîyr · to breakH5214
• your fallow groundנִירnîyr nir · fallow groundH5215
• and sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
• not among thornsקוֹץqôts qôts · thornH6975

Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:3

• Genesis 3:18It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.
• Hosea 10:12I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
• Matthew 13:7Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
• Mark 4:7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
• Luke 8:7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.
• Galatians 6:7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Break up your fallow ground - Fallow ground is either that which, having been once tilled, has lain long uncultivated; or, ground slightly ploughed, in order to be ploughed again previously to its being sown. Ye have been long uncultivated in righteousness; let true repentance break up your fruitless and hardened hearts; and when the seed of the word of life is sown in them, take heed that worldly cares and concerns do not arise, and, like thorns, choke…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3To the men - To each man “of Judah.” They are summoned individually to repentance. Break up - literally, Fallow for you a fallow ground, i. e., do not sow the seeds of repentance in unfit soil, but just as the farmer prepares the ground, by clearing it of weeds, and exposing it to the sun and air, before entrusting to it the seed, so must you regard repentance as a serious matter, requiring forethought, and anxious labor. To sow in unfallowed ground was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3Verse 3 ,4 An unhumbled heart is like ground untilled. It is ground which may be improved; it is our ground let out to us; but it is fallow; it is over-grown with thorns and weeds, the natural product of the corrupt heart. Let us entreat the Lord to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us; for except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Sinners need to recognize their wrong actions and change by admitting their mistakes and seeking forgiveness (Hosea 10:12; see also Matthew 13:1–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Transition to Judah. Supply mentally. All which (the foregoing declaration as to Israel) applies to Judah. and Jerusalem--that is, and especially the men of Jerusalem, as being the most prominent in Judea. Break ... fallow ground--that is, Repent of your idolatry, and so be prepared to serve the Lord in truth (Ho 10:12; Mt 13:7). The unhumbled heart is like ground which may be improved, being let out to us for that purpose, but which is as yet fallow…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 4:3

• Agriculture
• Condescension of God
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Bless
• Fallow
• Fallowground
• Pain
• Wise
• Backslide

Commentaries on Jeremiah 4

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings