Jeremiah 4

“If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD , return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD , and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of…” Naming Circumcise and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.” Naming Set and Zion keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD , that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD ! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out…” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD .” The line’s distinctive content terms include field, keepers, LORD. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it…” Naming Thy keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because…” The line’s distinctive content terms include bowels, heart, alarm. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains…” Naming Destruction keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.” The line’s distinctive content terms include beheld, earth, form. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.” The line’s distinctive content terms include beheld, hills, lightly. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.” The line’s distinctive content terms include beheld, birds, fled. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include anger, beheld, broken. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.