Jeremiah 4:26

“I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, etc.] Or, “I beheld, and, lo, Carmel was a wilderness”; which was a particular part of the land of Israel, and was very fertile, and abounded in pastures and fruit trees, and yet this, as the rest, became desolate as a wilderness; (see <233215> Isaiah 32:15 35:2) though it may be put for the whole land, which was very fruitful; and so the Targum, “I saw, and, lo, the land of Israel, which was planted as Carmel, was turned to be as a wilderness:” and all the cities thereof; not of Carmel only, but of the whole land: were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger; for though this was done by the Chaldeans, yet it…”

“fruitful place--Hebrew, Carmel. a wilderness--Hebrew, "the wilderness," in contrast to "the fruitful place"; the great desert, where Carmel was, there is now the desert of Arabia [MAURER]. cities--in contrast to the fruitful place or field.”

“In four verses each beginning with “I beheld,” the prophet sees in vision the desolate condition of Judaea during the Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah 4:23 Without form, and void - Desolate and void (see Genesis 1:2 note). The land has returned to a state of chaos (marginal reference note). And the heavens - And upward to the heavens. The imagery is that of the last day of judgment. To Jeremiah’s vision all was as though the day of the Lord had come, and earth returned to the state in which it was before the first creative word (see 2 Peter 3:10). Jeremiah 4:24 Moved lightly - “Reeled to and fro,” from the violence of the earthquake. Jeremiah 4:26 The fruitful place - The Carmel Jeremiah 2:7,…”

“the fruitful: Jer 12:4, Jer 14:2-6; Deu 29:23-28; Psa 76:7, Psa 107:34; Isa 5:9, Isa 5:10, Isa 7:20-25; Mic 3:12 Jeremiah 4:27”