At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse uses the imagery of a destructive "dry wind" from the wilderness, but the crucial detail is that this wind is not for winnowing or cleansing. Unlike a farmer's wind that separates the useful grain from the chaff, this divine wind is meant to obliterate everything, signifying that God's judgment would not be a gentle correction but a thorough, consuming destruction.
At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just described a devastating "lion" emerging from the north, signifying an imminent invasion that will utterly destroy Judah. Now, the prophet shifts to a powerful metaphor of a destructive "dry wind" sweeping in from the desert heights, directly targeting Jerusalem and its people. This wind isn't meant for gentle separation or cleansing, like winnowing grain, but signifies an overwhelming, destructive force that will leave nothing behind.
Imagine a wind so hot and dry it withers everything in its path. Jeremiah uses this powerful image to describe an invading army.
Jeremiah describes a "dry wind from the bare heights in the desert." This isn't just any wind; it likely refers to the simoom, a scorching, dust-laden wind common in the Middle East.
A Symbol of Destruction
The verse contrasts this destructive wind with the beneficial work of winnowing. What does this difference reveal about God's judgment in this instance?
The prophet emphasizes that this wind is "not to winnow or cleanse." This is a crucial distinction.
The Purpose of Divine Action
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Understand the original words
Yeru-shalaim · Hebrew Noun
The administrative, religious, and political center of Judah, often used in Scripture to represent the people of God as a whole. It serves as the place where God chose to place His name and is frequently the focus of His judgment and restoration.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
A common biblical metaphor for divine judgment, representing a swift, destructive, and uncontrollable force sent by God to sweep away the wicked. It is contrasted here with a winnowing wind that separates wheat from chaff; this wind is strictly punitive.
bat-ammi · Hebrew Noun phrase
An anthropomorphic expression denoting the people of God, emphasizing His covenantal love, tenderness, and protective relationship toward Israel, even when they are under His discipline.
The 'hot wind' described in Jeremiah 4:11 is a powerful metaphor for the devastating Babylonian invasion. The imagery of a dry, searing wind from the desert, not for cleansing but for destruction, vividly portrays the judgment God brought upon Judah for its unfaithfulness.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Judah, beginning a series of deportations. The prophet Daniel is among those taken captive. This marks the start of Babylonian dominance.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Jerusalem's temple is plundered.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, exiling the majority of the population to Babylon. This event fulfills Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Jewish people live in exile in Babylon, maintaining their identity but longing for their homeland. This period shapes their theology and future hope.
This passage describes an invading army with similar imagery of speed and destructive power, comparing them to swift horses and chariots, mirroring the unstoppable 'wind' of judgment described in Jeremiah.
Ezekiel 17:10Here, a great east wind is used as a metaphor for divine judgment and destruction coming upon a nation, echoing Jeremiah's use of a destructive wind to symbolize an invading force.
Hosea 13:15This verse also uses the imagery of a destructive wind from the wilderness to signify judgment and devastation, highlighting the theme of God's wrath bringing ruin.
Joel 2:20Joel speaks of the 'northern army' (often interpreted as the Assyrians or Babylonians) as a destructive force, akin to a wind that sweeps the land, aligning with Jeremiah's depiction of a judgment-bringing wind.
pulpitJeremiah 4:11: "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 daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,"
Verse 11. - Shall it be said to this people; i.e. words like these may be used with reference to this people. A dry wind, etc.; literally, a clear wind (but the notions of dryness and heat are closely connected with that of heat; comp. Isaiah 18:4). The prophet doubtless means the east wind, which is very vi…
calvinJeremiah 4:11-12: "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 daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,"
In tempore illo dicetur populo huic (hoc est, de populo hoc; l enim hic accipitur pro v,) et de Jerusalem, ventus siccus (alii transferunt, vehementem) in excelsis deserti (in deserto, ad verbum,) versus viam filiae populi mei, non ad spargendum, neque ad purgandum;
Even a full wind from those pl…
This verse uses the imagery of a destructive "dry wind" from the wilderness, but the crucial detail is that this wind is not for winnowing or cleansing. Unlike a farmer's wind that separates the useful grain from the chaff, this divine wind is meant to obliterate everything, signifying that God's judgment would not be a gentle correction but a thorough, consuming destruction.
Jeremiah has just described a devastating "lion" emerging from the north, signifying an imminent invasion that will utterly destroy Judah. Now, the prophet shifts to a powerful metaphor of a destructive "dry wind" sweeping in from the desert heights, directly targeting Jerusalem and its people. This wind isn't meant for gentle separation or cleansing, like winnowing grain, but signifies an overwhelming, destructive force that will leave nothing behind.
Jeremiah has just described a devastating "lion" emerging from the north, signifying an imminent invasion that will utterly destroy Judah. Now, the prophet shifts to a powerful metaphor of a destructive "dry wind" sweeping in from the desert heights, directly targeting Jerusalem and its people. This wind isn't meant for gentle separation or cleansing, like winnowing grain, but signifies an overwhelming, destructive force that will leave nothing behind.
"At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse," — This verse uses the imagery of a destructive "dry wind" from the wilderness, but the crucial detail is that this wind is not for winnowing or cleansing. Unlike a farmer's wind that separates the us…
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Last reviewed October 2026