English Standard Version
Jeremiah 12:4
4How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, "He will not see our latter end."
Jeremiah 12:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
- New International Version (NIV)How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)How long will the land mourn, And the herbs of every field wither? The beasts and birds are consumed, For the wickedness of those who dwell there, Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)How long must this land mourn? Even the grass in the fields has withered. The wild animals and birds have disappeared because of the evil in the land. For the people have said, “The Lord doesn’t see what’s ahead for us!”
Context of Jeremiah 12:4
2You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart. 3But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, "He will not see our latter end." 5"If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan? 6For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; they are in full cry after you; do not believe them, though they speak friendly words to you."
Read all of Jeremiah 12Jeremiah 12:4 word by word
עַד־מָתַי֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעֵ֥שֶׂב כָּל־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִיבָ֑שׁ מֵרָעַ֣ת יֹֽשְׁבֵי־בָ֗הּ סָפְתָ֤ה בְהֵמוֹת֙ וָע֔וֹף כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה אֶת־אַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- How long shall the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- mournאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
- and the herbsעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
- of every fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- witherיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
- for the wickednessרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- of them that dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- therein? the beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- are consumedסָפָהsâphâh · to snatchH5595
- and the birdsעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
- because they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- He shall not seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- our last endאַחֲרִית'achărîyth · endH319
Cross-references for Jeremiah 12:4
- Jeremiah 9:10"I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are laid waste so that no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard; both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled and are gone.
- Jeremiah 14:2"Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
- Jeremiah 23:10For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right.
- Psalms 107:34a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.
- Joel 1:10The fields are destroyed, the ground mourns, because the grain is destroyed, the wine dries up, the oil languishes.
- Jeremiah 4:24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.
- Jeremiah 7:20Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched."
- Hosea 4:3Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.
- Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,
- Romans 8:22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
- Jeremiah 5:13The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!'"
- Psalms 50:21These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
- Ezekiel 7:2"And you, O son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 12:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4How long shall the land mourn - These hypocrites and open sinners are a curse to the country; pull them out, Lord, that the land may be delivered of that which is the cause of its desolation.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The Hebrew divides this verse differently. “How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of the whole field wither? Because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein cattle and fowl have ceased to be: for he will not see, say they, our latter end.” The people mock the prophet, saying, In spite of all his threatenings we shall outlive him. Jeremiah complained that at a time of great general misery powerful men throve upon the ruin of others: even the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Jeremiah felt helpless because the Lord's plan to destroy the land seemed too harsh. Jeremiah understood that the people were wrong to mockingly say the Lord could not predict the future (compare Isaiah 46:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. land mourn--personification (Jr 14:2; 23:10). for the wickedness--(Psa 107:34). beasts--(Ho 4:3). He shall not see our last end--Jehovah knows not what is about to happen to us (Jr 5:12) [Rosenmuller]. So the Septuagint. (Psa 10:11; Eze 8:12; 9:9). Rather, "The prophet (Jeremiah, to whom the whole context refers) shall not see our last end." We need not trouble ourselves about his boding predictions. We shall not be destroyed as he says (Jr 5:12, 13).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 12:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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