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,

JEREMIAH 4:11KJV
Know the Bible

Jeremiah 4:11 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 4:11 mean?

Jeremiah 4:11 describes a time when people in Jerusalem will be warned about a harsh, dry wind coming from the wilderness, a wind that is not meant to help by winnowing grain or cleansing, but rather brings trouble or judgment. The verse uses the image of this wind to signal coming hardship for the people.

The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, warning them of coming disaster because they have turned away from God. The “dry wind” is a reference to the hot, destructive winds from the desert that could ruin crops and bring discomfort, not the gentle wind used for separating grain (winnowing) or for cleaning. This image sets the stage for the seriousness of the warning and the kind of judgment that is coming.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 4:11

  • The word for “dry” is צַח (tsaḥ), which means “parched” or “scorching.” This highlights that the wind is not refreshing or useful, but harsh and damaging.
  • The word for “wind” is רוּחַ (ruaḥ), which can mean wind, spirit, or breath. Here, it clearly refers to a literal, physical wind, emphasizing its force and effect.
  • The word for “fan” is זָרָה (zarah), which refers to the process of winnowing—tossing grain into the air so the wind separates the chaff. The verse points out that this wind is not helpful for such a purpose.
  • The word for “cleanse” is בָּרַר (barar), meaning to purify or make clean. The wind is not coming to purify or benefit, but to bring harm.

Why Jeremiah 4:11 matters

  • Jeremiah 4:11 clarifies that the coming trouble is not just a natural event, but a sign of judgment—using the image of a destructive wind instead of a helpful one.
  • The verse helps the reader understand the seriousness of the warning: this is not a gentle correction, but a forceful and uncomfortable intervention.
  • In the wider context, this verse sets up the following verses, which describe the consequences of the people’s actions and the certainty of coming judgment.

Where else these words appear

“dry” Hebrew H6703 · used in 4 verses

  • Song of Solomon 5:10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
  • Isaiah 18:4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
  • Isaiah 32:4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

“places” Hebrew H8205 · used in 10 verses

  • Numbers 23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
  • Isaiah 49:9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
  • Jeremiah 7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

“cleanse” Hebrew H1305 · used in 16 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
  • Job 33:3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
  • Jeremiah 51:11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

“fan” Hebrew H2219 · used in 38 verses

  • Exodus 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
  • Proverbs 20:26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
  • Ezekiel 6:5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.