The Meaning of Jeremiah 4:20 Explained

Jeremiah 4:20

KJV: Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

YLT: Destruction on destruction is proclaimed, For spoiled hath been all the land, Suddenly spoiled have been my tents, In a moment -- my curtains.

Darby: Destruction upon destruction is proclaimed; for the whole land is wasted: suddenly are my tents laid waste, my curtains, in a moment.

ASV: Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is laid waste: suddenly are my tents destroyed, and my curtains in a moment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Destruction  upon destruction  is cried;  for the whole land  is spoiled:  suddenly  are my tents  spoiled,  [and] my curtains  in a moment. 

What does Jeremiah 4:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet understood that this announcement meant sudden and complete devastation for Judah.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 4

1  God calls Israel by his promise
3  He exhorts Judah to repentance by fearful judgments
19  A grievous lamentation for Judah

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 4:20 mean?

Destruction upon destruction is cried for is plundered all the land suddenly are plundered my tents in a moment [And] my curtains
שֶׁ֤בֶר עַל־ שֶׁ֙בֶר֙ נִקְרָ֔א כִּ֥י שֻׁדְּדָ֖ה כָּל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ פִּתְאֹם֙ שֻׁדְּד֣וּ אֹהָלַ֔י רֶ֖גַע יְרִיעֹתָֽי

שֶׁ֤בֶר  Destruction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שֶׁ֙בֶר֙  destruction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.
נִקְרָ֔א  is  cried 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שֻׁדְּדָ֖ה  is  plundered 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁדַד  
Sense: to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
פִּתְאֹם֙  suddenly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: פִּתְאֹם  
Sense: suddenly, surprisingly subst.
שֻׁדְּד֣וּ  are  plundered 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁדַד  
Sense: to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil.
אֹהָלַ֔י  my  tents 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
רֶ֖גַע  in  a  moment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶגַע  
Sense: a moment adv.
יְרִיעֹתָֽי  [And]  my  curtains 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: יְרִיעָה  
Sense: curtain, drape.