Why must there be a warning “to the nations” and an announcement to Jerusalem that “besiegers are coming from a distant land”?
There is a suggestion that the Hebrew text of Jeremiah 4:16a should be amended so that it reads Report these things to the nation
.1 This line is then explained by the second which reads announce to Jerusalem.
In other words, in his vision Jeremiah sees the messenger arriving in Jerusalem to announce the fact that besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.
This invading nation is going to raise a battle cry against all the cities of Judah, not just Jerusalem.
If the text is not amended, then Jeremiah 16:1–21a reads, Warn the nations that he is coming.
This could reflect the fact that Jeremiah is called to be a prophet to the nations
(Jeremiah 1:5). Everything that is about to happen in Judah has implications, not just for the people of Judah but for all nations. If the Lord is about to bring judgment on his own people, then all nations should consider where they stand with the Lord.2
Both readings confirm the message that judgment is coming to Judah, something that certainly has implications for the people of Judah and even the wider world.
16 Dites-le aux nations, faites-le connaître à Jérusalem: Des assiégeants viennent d'une terre lointaine; Ils poussent des cris contre les villes de Juda.