God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 12:13
13My people planted wheat, but they harvested thorns. They worked until they became sick, but they gained nothing by it. They were disappointed by their harvests because of the burning anger of the Lord.
Jeremiah 12:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. They will bear the shame of their harvest because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord."
- New King James Version (NKJV)They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
Context of Jeremiah 12:13
11They’ve left it a wasteland. Devastated, it mourns in my presence. The whole land is destroyed, but no one takes this to heart. 12Looters swarm all over the bare hills in the desert. The Lord’s sword destroys them from one end of the land to the other. No one will be safe. My people planted wheat, but they harvested thorns. They worked until they became sick, but they gained nothing by it. They were disappointed by their harvests because of the burning anger of the Lord. 14“This is what I, the Lord, say about all my evil neighbors who take the inheritance that I gave my people Israel: I am going to uproot those neighbors from their lands. I will also uproot the people of Judah from among them. 15After I’ve uprooted them, I will have compassion on them again. I will return them to their inheritance and to their lands.
Read all of Jeremiah 12Jeremiah 12:13 word by word
זָרְע֤וּ חִטִּים֙ וְקֹצִ֣ים קָצָ֔רוּ נֶחְל֖וּ לֹ֣א יוֹעִ֑לוּ וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם מֵחֲר֖וֹן אַף־יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They have sownזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
- wheatחִטָּהchiţţâh · wheatH2406
- but shall reapקָצַרqâtsar · to reapH7114
- thornsקוֹץqôts qôts · thornH6975
- they have put themselves to painחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: weakH2470
- shall not profitיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276
- and they shall be ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
- of your revenuesתְּבוּאָהtebû'âh · produceH8393
- because of the fierceחָרוֹןchârôn chârôn · burning angerH2740
- angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 12:13
- Leviticus 26:16then this is what I will do to you: I will terrorize you with disease and fever. You will suffer from eye problems and depression. You will plant your crops and get nothing because your enemies will eat them.
- Deuteronomy 28:38You will plant many crops in your fields, but harvest little because locusts will destroy your crops.
- Micah 6:15You will plant, but you won’t harvest. You will crush olives, but you won’t rub the oil on your skin. You will make new wine, but you won’t drink it.
- Haggai 1:6You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you’re never full. You drink, but you’re still thirsty. You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it.
- Haggai 2:16When anyone came to a pile of grain ⌞to get⌟ 20 measures, there would be only 10. And when anyone came to a wine vat to draw out 50 measures, there would be only 20 in it.
- Jeremiah 3:23Truly, the noise from the hills, from the mountains, is the noise of false worship. Truly, the Lord our God will rescue us.
- Isaiah 30:1The Lord declares, “How horrible it will be for those rebellious children. They carry out plans, but not mine. They make alliances against my will. They pile sin on top of sin.
- Isaiah 31:1How horrible it will be for those who go to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who depend on many chariots, who depend on very strong war horses. They don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t seek the Lord.
- Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money on what cannot nourish you and your wages on what does not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me: Eat what is good, and enjoy the best foods.
- Habakkuk 2:13Isn’t it from the Lord of Armies that people grow tired only to feed the flames and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
- Romans 6:21What did you gain by doing those things? You’re ashamed of what you used to do because it ended in death.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 12:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns - All their projects shall fail: none of their enterprises shall succeed. They are enemies to God, and therefore cannot have his blessing.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Shall reap shall not profit - Rather, have reaped have profited nothing. The force of the proverb is that all their labors had ended only in disappointment. And they shall be ashamed of your revenues - Or, yea, be ashamed of your produce - the produce of the fields.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13The Lord felt no joy when invaders ate his people's crops, leaving only thorns. However, the people of Judah turned away from their faith, which deserved the Lord's fierce anger (see Ezekiel 16:36–39), leading to their shame.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Description in detail of the devastation of the land (Mi 6:15). they shall be ashamed of your--The change of persons, in passing from indirect to direct address, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, "Ye shall be put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of your produce."Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 12:13
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries