John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 4:11-12

"At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse; a full wind from these shall come for me: now will I also utter judgments against them." — Jeremiah 4:11-12 (ASV)

Jeremiah proceeds with the same prediction: he says that a terrible wind was coming, which would not only disperse or clear away, but also dissipate and overthrow all things. He then expresses how great and grievous the calamity would be which he had previously mentioned. He compares it to a dry or arid wind; for צח, tsach, sometimes means “clear” and sometimes “arid,” as the greatest dryness is found on high places.

He means here, no doubt, the wind which is violent and disturbs the whole atmosphere when there are no clouds and where no trees impede its course. Hence, he speaks of high and desert places. It is the same as though he had said that the violence of God’s vengeance would be so great, and the eruption so irresistible, that it would be like a violent wind when it passes through high regions and through dry land or desert places. He says, Towards the way of the daughter of my people; as though he had said—that the course of the wind would be such as to bear directly on Judea. The mode of speaking used here is well known to all who are in any degree acquainted with the writings of the prophets. “The daughter of my people” means the people themselves. Come, then, wind shall move towards Judea.

He then adds, Not to scatter nor to cleanse. Farmers are accustomed to winnow the corn when taken from the threshing floor, so that the chaff may be carried away by the wind. But the Prophet says that this wind would not be to clear away or scatter the chaff, for it will be, he says, a very vehement wind. He means, in short, that God would show so much displeasure towards the Jews that he would no longer chastise them in a moderate degree or use any moderation, as he had done previously. For God had already often punished the Jews but had until now acted the part of a physician, having endeavored to heal the vices of the people.

As, then, these corrections had been without fruit, the Prophet now says that God’s wrath would now come, not to cleanse as before, nor to scatter the chaff, but to consume everything among the people. Hence he adds (for the two verses are connected together) a fuller wind, or one more complete, shall come to them.

Some read, “from these places,” so they render מ; but it is rather to be taken as noting the comparative degree—that this wind would be much rougher and more violent than other winds which usually clear the land or scatter away the chaff and separate it from the corn. Come, then, a much more violent wind shall blow.

And come, he says, unto me. God, I doubt not, speaks here. Some think that the Prophet here represents the whole body of the people, and they consider them as saying that a wind would come which would rush on themselves. But this is too strained; and further, this explanation is disproved by the context. Nor can what follows be applied to the Prophet: I will now pronounce judgments against them. Here then God, in his office as a judge, declares that a wind was near, by which he would dissipate and overthrow the whole of Judea, and would no more cleanse it. And thus he shows that the Chaldeans would not come of themselves but would be sent to execute his orders; as though he had said—that he would be the author of those calamities which were impending over the Jews. Come, then, wind shall come unto me; that is, it will be ready to obey my orders.

And he adds at last, by way of an exposition, I will then speak judgments with them. To speak judgments is to execute the office of a judge, or to call to judgment, or to summon men to declare their cause, as kings are said to speak judgments when they constrain the guilty to render an account of themselves. God briefly intimates that he had until then exercised great forbearance towards the Jews; but that as he found that his indulgence availed nothing, except that they became more and more ferocious, he declares that he would now become their judge to punish their wickedness. He afterwards adds—