Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 4:3-6

"For thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise 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. Declare 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. Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction." — Jeremiah 4:3-6 (ASV)

1. Here, the prophet addresses the topic of their turning from punishment.

1. He threatens punishments if they do not return.
2. He excludes false remedies: go through the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 5:1).

Concerning the first point, two things are noted.

1. He shows the manner of return regarding the fruit of good work: fallow land, or land newly tilled, break up. This means to take away the thorns of vice so that clean-plowed land may receive clean seed. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns that sprouted at the same time choked it (Matthew 13:7).
2. He also shows the manner of return regarding the practice of true religion: be circumcised, so that you may remove the religion of the nations from your heart. Circumcise the foreskin of your heart (Deuteronomy 10:16).

Second, he shows the impending danger:

1. In general: lest my indignation blaze forth like fire. Both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish them (Isaiah 1:31).
2. In particular: announce it in Judah, and make it heard in Jerusalem.

Concerning this, he makes three points.

1. He predicts the arrival of the enemy.
2. He describes the hardship of the siege, beginning at a voice of one announcing (Jeremiah 4:15).
3. He foretells the resulting destruction: my stomach, I am in pain (Jeremiah 4:19).

Concerning the first of these points, there are two sub-points.

1. He describes the preparation of the citizens.
2. He announces the arrival of the enemy: the lion has come up from his den (Jeremiah 4:7).

Concerning the preparation of the citizens, there are three things.

1. The command to announce the preparation is given: announce it. He then specifies the place: in Judah, that is, in that tribe, and in Jerusalem, which is the city of the king. The manner is specified: openly, sound a trumpet so that all may hear, and constantly, loudly. Cry, do not stop; lift up your voice in strength (Isaiah 58:1).
2. He describes the preparation itself: gather together. As it says later: be strengthened, O sons of Benjamin, in the midst of Jerusalem; and sound the trumpet in Tekoa (Jeremiah 6:1).
3. He gives the reason: because I am bringing evil from the north. As we saw earlier: from the north every evil will spread (Jeremiah 1:14).