Jeremiah 4 · Verse 3

Jeremiah 4:3

For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
Jeremiah 4:3, King James Version

Jeremiah 4:3 in other translations

BSBFor this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
WEBFor the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns.
ASVFor thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
YLTFor thus said Jehovah, To the man of Judah, and to Jerusalem: Till for yourselves tillage, And do not sow unto the thorns.
DARBYFor thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up for you a fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
BBEFor this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Get your unworked land ploughed up, do not put in your seeds among thorns.
WebsterFor thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

What does Jeremiah 4:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Transition to Judah. Supply mentally. All which (the foregoing declaration as to Israel) applies to Judah. and Jerusalem--that is, and especially the men of Jerusalem, as being the most prominent in Judea. Break ... fallow ground--that is, Repent of your idolatry, and so be prepared to serve the Lord in truth (Ho 10:12; Mt 13:7). The unhumbled heart is like ground which may be improved, being let out to us for that purpose, but which is as yet fallow, overgrown with weeds, its natural product.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Break up your fallow ground - Fallow ground is either that which, having been once tilled, has lain long uncultivated; or, ground slightly ploughed, in order to be ploughed again previously to its being sown. Ye have been long uncultivated in righteousness; let true repentance break up your fruitless and hardened hearts; and when the seed of the word of life is sown in them, take heed that worldly cares and concerns do not arise, and, like thorns, choke the good seed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
,4 An unhumbled heart is like ground untilled. It is ground which may be improved; it is our ground let out to us; but it is fallow; it is over-grown with thorns and weeds, the natural product of the corrupt heart. Let us entreat the Lord to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us; for except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Jeremiah 4:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּי\־ki-forH3588
כֹ֣ה\׀khohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהֹוָ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְאִ֤ישׁle.'Ishto [the] man ofH376
יְהוּדָה֙ye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םve.li.Ru.sha.Limand to JerusalemH3389
נִ֥ירוּNi.ruplowH5214
לָכֶ֖םla.Khemof you
נִ֑ירNirunplowed groundH5215
וְאַֽל\־ve.'al-and may notH408
תִּזְרְע֖וּtiz.re.'Uyou sowH2232
אֶל\־'el-toH413
קוֹצִֽים\׃ko.TzimthornsH6975

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 4:3

  • Hosea 10:12

    Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

  • Luke 8:14

    And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

  • Luke 8:7

    And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

  • Galatians 6:7-8

    Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

  • Mark 4:18-19

    And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

  • Matthew 13:7

    And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

  • Mark 4:7

    And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

  • Matthew 13:22

    He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

  • Genesis 3:18

    Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Break.
Ge 3:18; Ho 10:12; Mt 13:7,22; Mr 4:7,18,19; Lu 8:7,14; Ga 6:7,8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 4:2

    And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

  • Jeremiah 4:3

    For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

  • Jeremiah 4:4

    Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Read all of Jeremiah 4

Jeremiah 4:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque así dice Jehová á todo varón de Judá y de Jerusalem: Haced barbecho para vosotros, y no sembréis sobre espinas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car ainsi dit l’ Éternel aux hommes de Juda et à Jérusalem: Défrichez pour vous un terrain neuf, et ne semez pas au milieu des épines.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn so spricht Jehova zu den Männern von Juda und zu Jerusalem: Pflüget euch einen Neubruch, und säet nicht unter die Dornen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc enim dicit Dominus viro Juda et Jerusalem: Novate vobis novale, et nolite serere super spinas.