A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse uses a powerful military term: "has broken up his encampment." This isn't just a vague threat; it signifies the enemy has already started their march from their distant hiding place, making the impending destruction feel terrifyingly imminent and unstoppable.
A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet has just declared God will bring an enemy from the north, and now he vividly describes this impending doom. He compares the approaching enemy, identified as the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, to a lion emerging from its hiding place, emphasizing his ferocity and the shock his distant advance will bring. This powerful invader is not just a threat to Judah but a "destroyer of nations," and his march is now underway with the sole purpose of utterly devastating the land, leaving its cities empty ruins.
Imagine hearing that a terrifying predator has emerged from its hidden lair, heading straight for your home. That’s the chilling imagery Jeremiah uses here.
Jeremiah vividly portrays the impending invasion of Judah by comparing the enemy leader to a lion.
Sometimes, bad news is delivered as if it's already happened. Why would a prophet do that? To shake people awake!
Jeremiah uses past tense verbs when describing the invasion, not because it's already occurred, but to underscore the absolute certainty of God's judgment.
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Jeremiah's prophecy vividly portrays the Babylonian invasion as a fearsome 'lion' emerging from its 'thicket' – a distant and unexpected threat. This imagery underscores the shock and terror experienced by Judah as Nebuchadnezzar's unstoppable military might turned their land into a desolate ruin.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Rise to Power
Nebuchadnezzar II becomes king of Babylon, marking the beginning of the Neo-Babylonian Empire's dominance. This formidable empire would soon turn its attention towards Judah.
605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Babylonian army, under Nebuchadnezzar, decisively defeats the Egyptian and Assyrian forces. This victory solidifies Babylonian control over the region, including Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar campaigns in Judah and carries off many of its prominent citizens, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event signals the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar again besieges Jerusalem and deports more of its population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Judah's sovereignty is further eroded.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
After a prolonged siege and another rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar's forces conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This marks the end of Judah as an independent kingdom.
c. 582 BC
Third Deportation from Judah
Nebuchadnezzar conducts a final deportation from the devastated land of Judah, further scattering its people and leaving the territory largely uninhabited.
This passage also uses the imagery of a lion, roaring and seizing its prey, to describe a powerful and destructive force, mirroring the imagery used for Nebuchadnezzar in Jeremiah. It speaks of a terrifying, unstoppable invasion that leaves destruction in its wake.
Jeremiah 50:17This verse explicitly identifies Israel as a 'scattered sheep' that has been preyed upon by lions (referring to the kings of Assyria and Babylon), directly linking the lion metaphor to the historical oppressors and the devastation they brought upon God's people.
Daniel 7:4The vision of the first beast in Daniel 7 describes a creature like a lion with eagle's wings, symbolizing powerful, conquering empires like Babylon. This echoes the 'lion' imagery in Jeremiah, representing a divinely appointed, fearsome instrument of judgment against nations.
Isaiah 14:16-17This passage describes the 'morning star, son of the dawn' (often interpreted as a powerful ruler like Nebuchadnezzar) as someone who made nations tremble and laid waste to kingdoms, aligning with the description of the 'destroyer of nations' in Jeremiah 4:7.
clarkeJeremiah 4:7: "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 to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant."
The lion is come up - Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. "The king (Nebuchadnezzar) is come up from his tower." - Targum. The destroyer of the Gentiles - Of the nations: of all the people who resisted his authority. He destroyed them all.
calvinJeremiah 4:7: "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 to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant."
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 to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
Ascendit leo ex densitate sua (hoc est, ex oculto loco,) et vastat…
The verse uses a powerful military term: "has broken up his encampment." This isn't just a vague threat; it signifies the enemy has already started their march from their distant hiding place, making the impending destruction feel terrifyingly imminent and unstoppable.
The prophet has just declared God will bring an enemy from the north, and now he vividly describes this impending doom. He compares the approaching enemy, identified as the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, to a lion emerging from its hiding place, emphasizing his ferocity and the shock his distant advance will bring. This powerful invader is not just a threat to Judah but a "destroyer of nations," and his march is now underway with the sole purpose of utterly devastating the land, leaving its cities empty ruins.
The prophet has just declared God will bring an enemy from the north, and now he vividly describes this impending doom. He compares the approaching enemy, identified as the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, to a lion emerging from its hiding place, emphasizing his ferocity and the shock his distant advance will bring. This powerful invader is not just a threat to Judah but a "destroyer of nations," and his march is now underway with the sole purpose of utterly devastating the land, leaving its cities empty ruins.
"A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant." — The verse uses a powerful military term: "has broken up his encampment." This isn't just a vague threat; it signifies the enemy has already started their march from their distant hiding place, maki…
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Last reviewed October 2026