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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Jeremiah 4:26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/4-26.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/11/24_Jer_04_26.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Jeremiah 4:26 - Lamentation for Judah" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. 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The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the LORD’s fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/jeremiah/4.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/jeremiah/4.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/jeremiah/4.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place <i>was</i> a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, <i>and</i> by his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/jeremiah/4.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land <i>was</i> a wilderness, And all its cities were broken down At the presence of the LORD, By His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/jeremiah/4.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/jeremiah/4.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/jeremiah/4.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/jeremiah/4.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />I saw, and behold, the fruitful orchard was a wilderness, And all its cities were torn down Before Yahweh, before His burning anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/jeremiah/4.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and behold, the fertile land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the [presence of the] LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/jeremiah/4.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and his burning anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/jeremiah/4.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and His burning anger. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/jeremiah/4.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Jehovah, and before his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/jeremiah/4.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Farmland had become a desert, and towns were in ruins. The LORD's fierce anger had done all of this. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/jeremiah/4.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and before his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/jeremiah/4.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />I see that the fertile land has become a desert, and all its cities are torn down because of the LORD and his burning anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/jeremiah/4.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />The fertile land had become a desert; its cities were in ruins because of the LORD's fierce anger. ( <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/jeremiah/4.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />I looked, and the fruitful land had become a desert. All its towns were broken down because of the LORD, because of his burning anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/jeremiah/4.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/jeremiah/4.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />I looked and saw that the fruitful land had become a desert and that all of the cities had been laid in ruins. The LORD had brought this all about because of his blazing anger. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/jeremiah/4.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />I saw, and look, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD; before his fierce anger they were destroyed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/jeremiah/4.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/jeremiah/4.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />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. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/jeremiah/4.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />I have looked, and behold, "" The fruitful place [is] a wilderness, "" And all its cities have been broken down, "" Because of YHWH, "" Because of the fierceness of His anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/jeremiah/4.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> I have looked, and lo, The fruitful place is a wilderness, And all its cities have been broken down, Because of Jehovah, Because of the fierceness of His anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/jeremiah/4.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />I saw, and behold, Carmel a desert, and all its cities were broken down from the face of Jehovah, from the face of the heat of his anger.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/jeremiah/4.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and behold Carmel was a wilderness: and all its cities were destroyed at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence of the wrath of his indignation. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/jeremiah/4.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />I gazed, and behold, Carmel was a desert, and all its cities were destroyed before the face of the Lord, and before the face of the wrath of his fury.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/jeremiah/4.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />I looked—the garden land was a wilderness, with all its cities destroyed before the LORD, before his blazing anger. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/jeremiah/4.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/jeremiah/4.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />I looked, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all its towns were destroyed at the presence of the LORD and before his fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/jeremiah/4.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />I have seen, and behold, Karmela is desolate as the wilderness, and all her cities have passed away from the presence of LORD JEHOVAH and from the presence of the heat of his anger<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/jeremiah/4.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, And all the cities thereof were broken down At the presence of the LORD, And before His fierce anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/jeremiah/4.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />I saw, and, behold, Carmel was desert, and all the cities were burnt with fire at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence of his fierce anger they were utterly destroyed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5k55c51ZGhs?start=1264" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/jeremiah/4.htm">Lamentation for Judah</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">25</span>I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled. <span class="reftext">26</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/7200.htm" title="7200: rā·’î·ṯî (V-Qal-Perf-1cs) -- To see. A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively.">I looked,</a> <a href="/hebrew/2009.htm" title="2009: wə·hin·nêh (Conj-w:: Interjection) -- Lo! behold! Prolongation for hen; lo!"></a> <a href="/hebrew/3759.htm" title="3759: hak·kar·mel (Art:: N-ms) -- A plantation, garden land, fruit, garden growth. From kerem; a planted field; by implication, garden produce.">and the fruitful land</a> <a href="/hebrew/4057.htm" title="4057: ham·miḏ·bār (Art:: N-ms) -- A pasture, a desert, speech. From dabar in the sense of driving; a pasture; by implication, a desert; also speech.">was a desert.</a> <a href="/hebrew/3605.htm" title="3605: wə·ḵāl (Conj-w:: N-msc) -- The whole, all. Or kowl; from kalal; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every.">All</a> <a href="/hebrew/5892.htm" title="5892: ‘ā·rāw (N-fpc:: 3ms) -- Excitement. Or par; or ayar; from uwr a city in the widest sense.">its cities</a> <a href="/hebrew/5422.htm" title="5422: nit·tə·ṣū (V-Nifal-Perf-3cp) -- To pull down, break down. A primitive root; to tear down.">were torn down</a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: mip·pə·nê (Prep-m:: N-cpc) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition.">before</a> <a href="/hebrew/3068.htm" title="3068: Yah·weh (N-proper-ms) -- The proper name of the God of Israel. From hayah; self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.">the LORD,</a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: mip·pə·nê (Prep-m:: N-cpc) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition.">before</a> <a href="/hebrew/2740.htm" title="2740: ḥă·rō·wn (N-msc) -- (burning of) anger. Or charon; from charah; a burning of anger.">His fierce</a> <a href="/hebrew/639.htm" title="639: ’ap·pōw (N-msc:: 3ms) -- A nostril, nose, face, anger. From 'anaph; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also ire.">anger.</a> </span><span class="reftext">27</span>For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/24-3.htm">Isaiah 24:3-6</a></span><br />The earth will be utterly laid waste and thoroughly plundered. For the LORD has spoken this word. / The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away. / The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/1-7.htm">Isaiah 1:7</a></span><br />Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/6-11.htm">Isaiah 6:11-12</a></span><br />Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged, / until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/32-13.htm">Isaiah 32:13-14</a></span><br />and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers—even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry. / For the palace will be forsaken, the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become caves forever—the delight of wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks—<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/64-10.htm">Isaiah 64:10</a></span><br />Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/36-34.htm">Ezekiel 36:34-35</a></span><br />The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through. / Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/4-3.htm">Hosea 4:3</a></span><br />Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zephaniah/1-2.htm">Zephaniah 1:2-3</a></span><br />“I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. / “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zephaniah/3-6.htm">Zephaniah 3:6</a></span><br />“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/lamentations/1-4.htm">Lamentations 1:4</a></span><br />The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/lamentations/5-18.htm">Lamentations 5:18</a></span><br />because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/micah/3-12.htm">Micah 3:12</a></span><br />Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/23-38.htm">Matthew 23:38</a></span><br />Look, your house is left to you desolate.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/13-35.htm">Luke 13:35</a></span><br />Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-2.htm">Revelation 18:2</a></span><br />And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">I beheld, and, see, 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.</p><p class="hdg">the fruitful.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/12-4.htm">Jeremiah 12:4</a></b></br> How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/14-2.htm">Jeremiah 14:2-6</a></b></br> Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/deuteronomy/29-23.htm">Deuteronomy 29:23-28</a></b></br> <i>And that</i> the whole land thereof <i>is</i> brimstone, and salt, <i>and</i> burning, <i>that</i> it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: … </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/jeremiah/4-8.htm">Anger</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-25.htm">Beheld</a> <a href="/jeremiah/2-31.htm">Broken</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-11.htm">Burning</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-16.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-11.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/jeremiah/2-7.htm">Fertile</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-17.htm">Field</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-8.htm">Fierce</a> <a href="/isaiah/66-15.htm">Fierceness</a> <a href="/jeremiah/2-7.htm">Fruitful</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-20.htm">Laid</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-1.htm">Presence</a> <a href="/isaiah/50-6.htm">Pulled</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-20.htm">Ruins</a> <a href="/jeremiah/2-7.htm">Thereof</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-7.htm">Towns</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-23.htm">Waste</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-11.htm">Wilderness</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-8.htm">Wrath</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/jeremiah/7-18.htm">Anger</a> <a href="/jeremiah/31-26.htm">Beheld</a> <a href="/jeremiah/5-5.htm">Broken</a> <a href="/jeremiah/7-31.htm">Burning</a> <a href="/jeremiah/5-6.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/jeremiah/9-2.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/jeremiah/48-33.htm">Fertile</a> <a href="/jeremiah/6-25.htm">Field</a> <a href="/jeremiah/12-13.htm">Fierce</a> <a href="/jeremiah/25-37.htm">Fierceness</a> <a href="/jeremiah/23-3.htm">Fruitful</a> <a href="/jeremiah/9-12.htm">Laid</a> <a href="/jeremiah/5-22.htm">Presence</a> <a href="/jeremiah/10-20.htm">Pulled</a> <a href="/jeremiah/9-11.htm">Ruins</a> <a href="/jeremiah/5-1.htm">Thereof</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-29.htm">Towns</a> <a href="/jeremiah/4-27.htm">Waste</a> <a href="/jeremiah/9-2.htm">Wilderness</a> <a href="/jeremiah/6-11.htm">Wrath</a><div class="vheading2">Jeremiah 4</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/jeremiah/4-1.htm">God calls Israel by his promise</a></span><br><span class="reftext">3. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/jeremiah/4-3.htm">He exhorts Judah to repentance by fearful judgments</a></span><br><span class="reftext">19. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/jeremiah/4-19.htm">A grievous lamentation for Judah</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/jeremiah/4.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/jeremiah/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/jeremiah/4.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert.</b><br>This phrase reflects the prophet Jeremiah's vision of the devastation that would come upon Judah due to their disobedience and idolatry. The "fruitful land" refers to the land of Judah, known for its agricultural abundance, a blessing from God (<a href="/deuteronomy/8-7.htm">Deuteronomy 8:7-9</a>). The transformation into a "desert" symbolizes the complete desolation and judgment that would result from the people's sins. This imagery is reminiscent of the curses outlined in <a href="/deuteronomy/28-15.htm">Deuteronomy 28:15-68</a>, where disobedience leads to the land's ruin. The desolation serves as a warning and a call to repentance, emphasizing the consequences of turning away from God.<p><b>All its cities were torn down</b><br>The destruction of the cities signifies the comprehensive nature of the judgment. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled during the Babylonian invasion, when cities like Jerusalem were besieged and destroyed (<a href="/2_kings/25.htm">2 Kings 25:1-10</a>). The tearing down of cities also represents the loss of security, community, and identity for the people of Judah. This devastation is a direct result of the people's failure to uphold the covenant with God, as seen in the repeated warnings through the prophets (<a href="/jeremiah/7-5.htm">Jeremiah 7:5-7</a>). The imagery of cities being torn down is also a foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment at the end of times, as described in <a href="/revelation/18.htm">Revelation 18</a>.<p><b>before the LORD, before His fierce anger.</b><br>The phrase underscores that the destruction is not merely a result of human conflict but is a divine act of judgment. "Before the LORD" indicates that the calamity is witnessed and sanctioned by God Himself, highlighting His sovereignty and justice. The "fierce anger" of the LORD reflects His righteous indignation against sin and idolatry, consistent with His character as a holy and just God (<a href="/nahum/1-2.htm">Nahum 1:2-3</a>). This anger is not arbitrary but is a response to the covenant violations by the people of Judah. The concept of God's anger is balanced by His mercy, as He continually calls His people to repentance and offers restoration (<a href="/jeremiah/3-12.htm">Jeremiah 3:12-14</a>). The ultimate expression of God's justice and mercy is found in Jesus Christ, who bore the wrath of God for sin, offering redemption and reconciliation (<a href="/romans/5-9.htm">Romans 5:9</a>).<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/j/jeremiah.htm">Jeremiah</a></b><br>The prophet who conveyed God's messages to the people of Judah, warning them of impending judgment due to their unfaithfulness.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/j/judah.htm">Judah</a></b><br>The southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing God's judgment for its idolatry and disobedience.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_lord.htm">The LORD</a></b><br>The covenant God of Israel, who is depicted as being fiercely angry due to the people's sins.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_fruitful_land.htm">The Fruitful Land</a></b><br>Refers to the land of Judah, which was once prosperous and fertile but is now depicted as a desert due to divine judgment.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/d/destruction_of_cities.htm">Destruction of Cities</a></b><br>Symbolizes the complete devastation that would come upon Judah as a result of God's judgment.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequences_of_sin.htm">The Consequences of Sin</a></b><br>Sin leads to destruction and desolation, both spiritually and physically. Just as Judah's land became a desert, our lives can become barren when we turn away from God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_righteous_anger.htm">God's Righteous Anger</a></b><br>God's anger is not arbitrary but is a response to persistent sin and rebellion. Understanding His righteous anger helps us appreciate His holiness and justice.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_call_to_repentance.htm">The Call to Repentance</a></b><br>The desolation described serves as a warning and a call to repentance. We are urged to turn back to God before facing similar consequences.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/hope_in_restoration.htm">Hope in Restoration</a></b><br>While the passage speaks of judgment, it also implies the possibility of restoration. God’s ultimate desire is for His people to return to Him and be restored.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_obedience.htm">The Importance of Obedience</a></b><br>Obedience to God’s commands is crucial for maintaining a fruitful and blessed life. Disobedience leads to spiritual and sometimes physical ruin.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_jeremiah_4.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 4</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_infidelity_breaking_marriage_vows.htm">What fruit does your life produce?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_babylon's_reuse_contradict_prophecy.htm">Jeremiah 51:26 states no stone from Babylon will ever be used again, yet evidence suggests later civilizations reused its materials--does this contradict the prophecy?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_can_land_be_'formless'_again.htm">Jeremiah 4:23-26: How can the land become 'formless and void' again if there's no scientific or historical record of a second global chaos after creation?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/evidence_of_israelite_cannibalism.htm">(Leviticus 26:29) Do we have any archaeological or recorded history of Israelites resorting to cannibalism precisely as this curse suggests?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/jeremiah/4.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(26) <span class= "bld">The fruitful place.</span>--The Carmel, or vine-land, became as <span class= "ital">"the </span>wilderness." The Hebrew article points probably to the well-known desert of the wanderings.<p><span class= "bld">At the presence of the Lord.</span>--Literally, <span class= "ital">from before Jehovah, from before the heat of his anger. </span>The original has the emphasis of repeating the preposition.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/jeremiah/4.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 26.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The fruitful place</span>; rather, the <span class="accented">garden-land</span> (see on Jeremiah 2:7). Not "the Carmel" (Keil, Payne Smith) for the context refers to the whole of the country, not to any single tract. The article before the two appellatives is the generic. <span class="cmt_word">At the presence of</span>; rather, <span class="accented">by reason of</span>. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">I looked,</span><br /><span class="heb">רָאִ֕יתִי</span> <span class="translit">(rā·’î·ṯî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7200.htm">Strong's 7200: </a> </span><span class="str2">To see</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and the fertile field</span><br /><span class="heb">הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל</span> <span class="translit">(hak·kar·mel)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3759.htm">Strong's 3759: </a> </span><span class="str2">A plantation, garden land, fruit, garden growth</span><br /><br /><span class="word">was a desert.</span><br /><span class="heb">הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר</span> <span class="translit">(ham·miḏ·bār)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4057.htm">Strong's 4057: </a> </span><span class="str2">A pasture, a desert, speech</span><br /><br /><span class="word">All</span><br /><span class="heb">וְכָל־</span> <span class="translit">(wə·ḵāl)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3605.htm">Strong's 3605: </a> </span><span class="str2">The whole, all, any, every</span><br /><br /><span class="word">its cities</span><br /><span class="heb">עָרָ֗יו</span> <span class="translit">(‘ā·rāw)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5892.htm">Strong's 5892: </a> </span><span class="str2">Excitement</span><br /><br /><span class="word">were torn down</span><br /><span class="heb">נִתְּצוּ֙</span> <span class="translit">(nit·tə·ṣū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5422.htm">Strong's 5422: </a> </span><span class="str2">To pull down, break down</span><br /><br /><span class="word">before</span><br /><span class="heb">מִפְּנֵ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(mip·pə·nê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6440.htm">Strong's 6440: </a> </span><span class="str2">The face</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the LORD,</span><br /><span class="heb">יְהוָ֔ה</span> <span class="translit">(Yah·weh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3068.htm">Strong's 3068: </a> </span><span class="str2">LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel</span><br /><br /><span class="word">before</span><br /><span class="heb">מִפְּנֵ֖י</span> <span class="translit">(mip·pə·nê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6440.htm">Strong's 6440: </a> </span><span class="str2">The face</span><br /><br /><span class="word">His fierce</span><br /><span class="heb">חֲר֥וֹן</span> <span class="translit">(ḥă·rō·wn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2740.htm">Strong's 2740: </a> </span><span class="str2">A burning of anger</span><br /><br /><span class="word">anger.</span><br /><span class="heb">אַפּֽוֹ׃</span> <span class="translit">(’ap·pōw)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_639.htm">Strong's 639: </a> </span><span class="str2">The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/jeremiah/4-26.htm">Jeremiah 4:26 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/jeremiah/4-26.htm">OT Prophets: Jeremiah 4:26 I saw and behold the fruitful field (Jer.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/jeremiah/4-25.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Jeremiah 4:25"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Jeremiah 4:25" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/jeremiah/4-27.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Jeremiah 4:27"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Jeremiah 4:27" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>