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Jeremiah 4:6

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jeremiah 4:6 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
Jeremiah 4:6 — American Standard Version

Context — Jeremiah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
3For thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
4Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry aloud and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.
6Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
7A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Jehovah is not turned back from us.
9And it shall come to pass at that day, saith Jehovah, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
← Jeremiah 4:5Jeremiah 4:7 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Set up the standard toward Zion, etc.] Not on the tower of Zion, as Kimchi interprets it; but on some high place, pointing to Zion, and directing the country people to flee thither for safety; for the setting up of the standard here is not for enlisting of soldiers in order to fight, but as a sign of danger, and a direction where to flee from it: retire; gather yourselves together in order to flee, as the wordf87 is rendered in (<231031>Isaiah 10:31), though some render it, “be ye strengthened”f88; take heart, and play the man; but this does not seem so agreeable to the context: stay not; or, “stand not”; stand not in the place ye are in, but move from it in all haste, because of present…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Zion--The standard toward Zion intimated that the people of the surrounding country were to fly to it, as being the strongest of their fortresses.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The standard - A flag or signal, to which the people were to rally.Retire, stay not - Rather, gather your goods together: linger not; “for I” (emphatic, Yahweh) am bringing at this very time etc. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Retire - Make haste away. Jeremiah 4:7”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the standard: Jer 4:21, Jer 50:2, Jer 51:12, Jer 51:27; Isa 62:10 retire: or, strengthen for I will: Jer 1:13-15, Jer 6:1, Jer 6:22, Jer 21:7, Jer 25:9 and a great: Jer 50:22, Jer 51:54 destruction: Heb. breaking, Zep 1:10 Jeremiah 4:7”
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Related study paths

Read Jeremiah 4 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification