Jeremiah 4:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The earth is in ruins, completely desolate, and the habitat has been profoundly affected. My flesh has withered away. In referencing a dwelling, which can also be understood as a tent, it implies a sense of conquest; however, it is not incorrect to interpret this term as encompassing the entire state, any form of residence, since our true existence is likened to a tent. Opponents do not require effort or time; they simply dismantle, as one would a tent, and take over what remains. Notice the prophet's affection—he regards the entire state as his own and describes Jerusalem as his city. My flesh is marred. He refers to various cities, employing a metaphor akin to that of kings and others who erect tents in their encampments.

An urgency arises, where one herald follows another, as previously stated, the prophet witnessed messengers who sequentially delivered news of the Babylonians approaching, heralding their assault on the territory of Judah. The reports they brought caused great anguish and distress to the hearts of the Israelites. Similarly, Ezekiel declared: ‘Woe for woe shall be upon woe, and tidings for tidings shall be tidings (Ezekiel 7:26). My dwelling shall be desolate, my skins shall be thorny, meaning my defenses and strongholds.

In my innermost being, I grieve; my heart is filled with turmoil. I cannot remain silent, for my spirit has heard the sound of the trumpet, the call to arms. Trouble upon trouble has descended, and the entire land lies in devastation. In an instant, my tents are destroyed—my shelters gone. In the place where indignation resides, the Hebrew term homa is used, while the Seventy and Theodotion choose μαιμάσσσει, a term whose precise meaning eludes me. However, Aquila translates it as οχλίζει, signifying confusion. This word is notable, as many engage in fierce debates about its interpretation. Here we witness the sentiments of the prophet, who speaks as an envoy of God Himself—He grieves over the suffering of His people.

His spirit is distressed, he declares, my heart is in turmoil: I shall not remain silent, for my spirit has perceived the sound of a trumpet, the call of conflict and anguish: (Jeremiah 6:20) a gathering is needed. This signifies a trumpet, which announces disasters. He states that the land lies in desolation, the homes are ruined, and the skins have been loosened. In this, he refers to the destruction of the city. He portrays the crowds in flight and speaks on behalf of God: