Introduction to Jeremiah 6:1: Sounding the Alarm Before Judgment
Jeremiah 6:1 is part of a prophetic warning addressed to the southern kingdom of Yehudah, vividly calling the people to flee danger and sound the alarm. At the heart of this call is the imperative verb תִּקְע֣וּ, commanding the blowing of the שׁוֹפָר in the town of תְּקֹועַ. This action symbolizes military alert and divine judgment. This article will explore the grammar, syntax, and theological-literary force of תִּקְע֣וּ in its immediate prophetic context.
הָעִ֣זוּ בְּנֵ֣י בִניָמִ֗ן מִקֶּ֨רֶב֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וּבִתְקֹ֨ועַ֙ תִּקְע֣וּ שֹׁופָ֔ר וְעַל־בֵּ֥ית הַכֶּ֖רֶם שְׂא֣וּ מַשְׂאֵ֑ת כִּ֥י רָעָ֛ה נִשְׁקְפָ֥ה מִצָּפֹ֖ון וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹֽול׃
Grammatical Analysis of תִּקְע֣וּ
The verb תִּקְע֣וּ comes from the root תָּקַע (t-q-ʿ), meaning “to blow,” “to thrust,” or “to strike.” In prophetic and military contexts, it commonly refers to blowing a horn or shofar as a warning signal.
- Root: תָּקַע – “to blow, to thrust, to sound”
- Form: Qal imperative, 2nd person masculine plural
- Parsing: Addressed to multiple addressees—likely the people of Yehudah or inhabitants of Tekoa
- Direct object: שׁוֹפָר – “shofar” or ram’s horn
The imperative form signals urgency and command. In ancient Israelite culture, the sounding of the shofar was associated with military mobilization, sacred assembly, or divine intervention. Here, it serves as a public signal of imminent destruction.
Phrase-by-Phrase Commentary
הָעִ֣זוּ בְּנֵ֣י בִניָמִ֗ן מִקֶּ֨רֶב֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
- הָעִ֣זוּ – “Flee!” – Hifil imperative of עָזַז or עָזָה, “strengthen / take refuge / escape”
- בְּנֵ֣י בִניָמִן – “O sons of Binyamin” – direct address to the tribe north of Yehudah, possibly symbolic of Judahites broadly
- מִקֶּ֨רֶב יְרוּשָׁלִַם – “from the midst of Yerushalayim” – signaling a call to evacuate before destruction
וּבִתְקֹ֨ועַ תִּקְע֣וּ שֹׁופָ֔ר
- בִּתְקֹועַ – “in Tekoa” – a city south of Yerushalayim in the Judean hills; known as the home of the prophet Amos
- תִּקְע֣וּ – “Blow!” – Qal imperative, 2mp from תָּקַע
- שׁוֹפָר – “shofar” – ram’s horn, blown in alarm or religious ceremony
The verb-object pair תִּקְע֣וּ שׁוֹפָר forms a strong military-prophetic image. It signals impending invasion and the need for immediate mobilization or flight.
וְעַל־בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם שְׂאוּ מַשְׂאֵת
- בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם – “Beit-HaKerem” – lit. “house of the vineyard,” a district between Yerushalayim and Tekoa
- שְׂאוּ – “Raise!” – Qal imperative of נָשָׂא, “to lift, raise”
- מַשְׂאֵת – “a signal” or “banner” – a warning sign raised on high ground for public visibility
The dual imperative structure—תִּקְע֣וּ and שְׂאוּ—indicates a system of emergency communication: sound the alarm and raise a visual warning. This demonstrates the prophet’s strategic use of military imagery to call for national alertness.
כִּ֥י רָעָ֛ה נִשְׁקְפָ֥ה מִצָּפֹ֖ון וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹֽול
- רָעָה – “evil” – impending disaster or calamity
- נִשְׁקְפָה – “is looking down / is looming” – Niphal perfect of שָׁקַף, suggests a threat appearing on the horizon
- מִצָּפֹון – “from the north” – traditional direction of danger in prophetic literature (esp. Babylonian threat)
- וְשֶׁבֶר גָּדֹול – “and great destruction” – compound phrase amplifying the scale of the judgment
Theological and Literary Function of תִּקְע֣וּ
1. Prophetic Use of Military Language
The verb תִּקְע֣וּ transforms the message from poetic metaphor to realistic wartime urgency. Jeremiah employs the language of alarm to awaken a complacent people who do not perceive the gravity of their national situation.
2. Shofar as Symbol of Divine Intervention
In biblical tradition, the shofar signals both human battle and divine activity (cf. Exod 19:16, Joel 2:1). Here, the shofar is an invitation to recognize that what is coming is not merely military—but judgment from YHWH.
3. Tekoa as a Symbolic Site
The mention of Tekoa, home of the prophet Amos, reinforces a prophetic echo: Amos too warned of judgment. Thus, Tekoa becomes both a geographical signal point and a symbolic location of divine speech.
The Role of תִּקְע֣וּ in Jeremiah 6:1
The imperative תִּקְע֣וּ is the linguistic centerpiece of a national alert. Its grammar, context, and theological weight signal:
- Grammatically: Qal imperative 2mp – commanding immediate communal action
- Literarily: Central to the structure of the verse’s triple warning system (flee, blow, lift)
- Theologically: Shofar imagery amplifies the divine urgency of repentance and forewarns of imminent judgment from the north
In Jeremiah 6:1, תִּקְע֣וּ is not just a call to blow a horn—it is a wake-up blast from the prophet, piercing through social denial and spiritual apathy with a sound that echoes judgment and a last chance to act.
