Jeremiah 4:14

Jeremiah 4:14

O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

a. YLT: Wash from evil thy heart, O Jerusalem, That thou mayest be saved, Till when dost thou lodge in thy heart Thoughts of thy strength?

b. ASV: O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thine evil thoughts lodge within thee?

c.  Amplified Classic: O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved! How long shall your iniquitous and grossly offensive thoughts lodge within you?

d. Septuagint: Cleanse thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved: how long will thy grievous thoughts be within thee?

e. Stone Edition, Torah, Prophets, Writings: Cleanse your heart of evil, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved; how long will you lodge your iniquitous thoughts within yourself?

1. “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved…”

a. [O] Jerusalem [Strong: 3389 Yᵉrûwshâlaim, yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im; rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yᵉrûwshâlayim; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 and H7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine:—Jerusalem.]

b. wash [Strong: 3526 kâbaç, kaw-bas'; a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative:—fuller, wash(-ing).]

c. [thine] heart [Strong: 3820 lêb, labe; a form of H3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything:—care for, comfortably, consent, × considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), × heed, × I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), × regard(-ed), × themselves, × unawares, understanding, × well, willingly, wisdom.]

d. from wickedness [Strong: 7451 raʻ, rah; from H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):—adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, × great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Including feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.)]

1). Jeremiah is speaking of an Old Covenant conversion from a whorish life of idolatry. Notice the following passage in light of this part of the verse.

a). Isaiah 1:16 Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.

b). Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto thy word.

c). Psalm 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

2). Similar to the New Covenant where obedience to the word is a washing of our bodies.

a). Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

b). Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

c). James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  

e. that [Strong: 4616 ma`an mah'-an from 6030; properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that:--because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), + lest, that, to.]

f. [thou mayest be] saved [Strong: 3467 yâshaʻ, yaw-shah'; a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor:—× at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory.]

1). Jerusalem, because of their idolatry and other sins had become apostate, they were outside of the Covenant. If the people addressed in this rebuke had died in the state they were in, they would not have made it to Abraham’s bosom. They would have gone to hell. Hence their salvation was hinged on their repentance.

2. “…How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?”

a. How long [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

b [shall thy] vain [Strong: 205 ʼâven, aw-ven'; from an unused root perhaps meaning properly, to pant (hence, to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol:—affliction, evil, false, idol, iniquity, mischief, mourners(-ing), naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain, vanity, wicked(-ness).]

1). The King James translates the word is “vain” but the majority of other translations including the Jewish translate the word as the other definitions of the word, “wickedness or iniquity”. The Amplified Classic says,  “iniquitous and grossly offensive thoughts”

c. thoughts [Strong: 4284 machăshâbâh, makh-ash-aw-baw'; or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת machăshebeth; from H2803; a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice):—cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.]

c. lodge [Strong: 3885 lûwn, loon; or לִין lîyn; a primitive root; to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain):—abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night).]

d. within [thee] [Strong: 7130 qereb, keh'-reb; from H7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition):—× among, × before, bowels, × unto charge, eat (up), × heart, × him, × in, inward (× -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, out of, purtenance, × therein, × through, × within self.]

1). What we allow in our minds is key to how much victory we will have. Under the Old Covenant they were commanded to control their thoughts to not allow any wicked thoughts that would undermine the word of God. The Hebrew definition of the word “vain” establishes the standard.

a). Psalm119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

b). Psalm 37:31 The law of God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

2). Under the New Covenant it is spelled out a little clearer for us Gentiles.

a). 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

b). See notes on 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.