Jeremiah 4:20 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Destruction upon destruction; a further expression of his bitter lamentation, redoubling his complaint; the end of one, but the beginning of another; q.d. worse and worse, Deuteronomy 32:23 Ezekiel 7:26; good Josiah slain, and four of his successors carried away or slain, or both, 2Ch 36. The whole-land is spoiled: this is more particularly described Jeremiah 4:23-26. Suddenly are my tents spoiled; the enemy makes no more of overthrowing my stately cities and magnificent palaces, sometimes described by tents, Isaiah 54:2, than if he were plundering of a camp, or overturning of tents made of curtains, Jeremiah 49:29; either alluding to their ancient way of living, Numbers 24:2,5, or their wilderness condition, when they abode in tents: q.d. We are reduced to as mean a condition as then, and that suddenly, ere we are aware, and it is done with as much ease as overturning a poor shepherd's cottage, Lamentations 2:5,6. Jeremiah possibly personating a shepherd, speaks in the shepherd's style, and may here signify the destruction of their whole country, even all those places and fields where shepherds were wont to pitch their tents.