Jeremiah 4:26
רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְכָל־עָרָ֗יו נִתְּצוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י חֲרֹ֥ון אַפֹּֽו׃
Vision Report: רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה
רָאִיתִי (“I saw”) is a Qal perfect 1cs of ר־א־ה (“to see”), indicating a complete visionary act. וְהִנֵּה (“and behold”) introduces the object of the vision, creating dramatic immediacy typical of prophetic revelations.
Desolate Landscape: הַכַּרְמֶל הַמִּדְבָּר
הַכַּרְמֶל (“the fertile land” or “vineyard”) is used here ironically. Paired with הַמִּדְבָּר (“the desert”), the phrase describes a shocking reversal: once fruitful land now turned into wilderness. Both nouns are determined by the definite article הַ (“the”), emphasizing the total collapse.
Collective Destruction: וְכָל־עָרָיו נִתְּצוּ
כָּל־עָרָיו (“all its cities”) shows a construct chain: כָּל (“all”) governing עָרִים (“cities”) with the 3ms pronominal suffix ־ו (“its”), referring to the land. נִתְּצוּ (Niphal perfect 3mp of נ־ת־ץ, “to be torn down”) describes the cities’ passive destruction — “they were demolished.”
Cause of Destruction: מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה מִפְּנֵי חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ
Two prepositional phrases explain the cause:
- מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה — “from before YHWH”
- מִפְּנֵי חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ — “from before the burning of His anger”
חֲרוֹן (“burning, wrath”) paired with אַף (“nose, anger”) metaphorically portrays fierce divine rage. The repetition of מִפְּנֵי intensifies the overwhelming source of judgment.
Parsing Table: Key Forms in Jeremiah 4:26
| Hebrew Word | Root | Form | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| רָאִיתִי | ר־א־ה | Qal perfect (1cs) | “I saw” — introduces prophetic vision |
| נִתְּצוּ | נ־ת־ץ | Niphal perfect (3mp) | “They were torn down” — passive action of destruction |
| חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ | ח־ר־ה / א־פ | Construct chain | “Burning of His anger” — divine wrath |
The Grammar of Collapse
Jeremiah 4:26 embodies devastation through compact, vivid syntax. Perfect verbs convey completed ruin; participial markers frame ironic reversals; and prepositional phrases trace destruction directly to divine wrath. Here, Hebrew grammar doesn’t just describe judgment — it enacts it, allowing readers to feel the suddenness, thoroughness, and inescapability of divine fury upon the land.
