Jeremiah 4:26

²⁴ I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.

²⁵ I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.

I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.

²⁷ For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.

²⁸ Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
KJV: I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
WEB: I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, before his fierce anger.
ASV: I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Jehovah, [and] before his fierce anger.
DARBY: I beheld, and lo, the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down, before Jehovah, before his fierce anger.
BLB: I looked, and behold—the fertile land [was] a desert, and all its cities were torn down, before YHWH, before the face of the fury of his nose!

ÅB: Jeg så, og se, den fruktbare mark var en ørken, og alle dens byer var brutt ned av Herren, av hans brennende vrede.
OTB: Jeg så, og det fruktbare landet var en ørken; alle byene lå i ruiner foran Herren, i møte med Hans voldsomme vrede.
B1930: Jeg så, og se, den fruktbare mark var en ørken, og alle dens byer var brutt ned av Herren, av hans brennende vrede.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 107:34
and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.
Read in context
Micah 3:12
Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.
Read in context
Jeremiah 14:2–6
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
Read in context
Isaiah 7:20–25
On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates —the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well.
Read in context
Jeremiah 12:4
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”
Read in context
Deuteronomy 29:23–28
All its soil will be a burning waste of sulfur and salt, unsown and unproductive, with no plant growing on it, just like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His fierce anger.
Read in context
Isaiah 5:9–10
I heard the LORD of Hosts declare: “Surely many houses will become desolate, great mansions left unoccupied.
Read in context
Psalms 76:7
You alone are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?
Read in context