Jeremiah12
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?
2Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
3But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
5If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan?
6For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her.
9Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.
10Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace.
13They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.
14Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
15And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
17But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith Jehovah.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked. (1-6). The heavy judgments to come upon the nation. (7-13). Divine mercy to them, and even to the nations around. (14-17).
vv1-6
When we are most in the dark concerning God's dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of God, believing that he never did the least wrong to any of his creatures. When we find it hard to understand any of his dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and abide by them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do, knows how our hearts are toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerity of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lord reproved the prophet. The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not so formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grief that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness on account of the trials it occasions us. And in this our favoured day, and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we should behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
vv7-13
God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul, precious in his sight, but they acted so, that he gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds, presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions, pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are as men wondered at, as a speckled bird; but this people had by their own folly made themselves so; and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them. The whole land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actually inflicted, none of the people would lay the warning to heart. When God's hand is lifted up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel. Silver and gold shall not profit in the day of the Lord's anger. And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance and works answerable thereto, will end in confusion.
vv14-17
The Lord would plead the cause of his people against their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to those nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to look forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in. Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end like theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them.
Key Words
צַדִּיק: just
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אַךְ: a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only
מַעַן: properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
דֶּרֶךְ: a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
רָשָׁע: morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
צָלַח: to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
בָּגַד: to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage
Cross References
Jeremiah 12Classic parallel on the agonizing problem of the prosperity of the wicked versus suffering of the righteous.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Declaring God's absolute righteousness and justice before bringing one's case or plea before Him.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel to hypocrites who draw near with their mouth but are far from Him in heart.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Explains the geographical metaphor of the dangerous, seasonal overflowing 'swelling of Jordan'.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Warning not to believe treacherous family members or neighbors even when they speak fair words.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
God's intimate search, testing, and absolute knowledge of the prophet's heart.
Supported by JFB
Repeats Jeremiah's plea to see God's vengeance on his enemies who try his heart.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbal and thematic parallel of a fruitful land turned to barrenness for its inhabitants' wickedness.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Typological parallel of being rejected and dealt with treacherously by one's own brethren.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates Israel as the 'beloved of my soul' who has committed lewdness.
Supported by JFB
Sparsely cited invitation calling the beasts of the field to assemble and devour.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Habakkuk's similar perplexity at why God permits treacherous men to swallow up the righteous.
Supported by John Calvin
New Testament echo of the wicked being nourished and prepared for a day of slaughter.
Supported by JFB
Jeremiah's earlier warning to take heed of every brother and neighbor's treachery.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the destructive 'pastors' metaphorically as invading military leaders pitching tents.
Supported by JFB
Mosaic promise of God returning, having compassion, and gathering His exiled inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole