New English Translation
Jeremiah 12:9
9The people I call my own attack me like birds of prey or like hyenas. But other birds of prey are all around them. Let all the nations gather together like wild beasts. Let them come and destroy these people I call my own.
Jeremiah 12:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
- New International Version (NIV)Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Is my heritage to me like a hyena's lair? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.
- New King James Version (NKJV)My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture; The vultures all around are against her. Come, assemble all the beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!
Context of Jeremiah 12:9
7“I will abandon my nation. I will forsake the people I call my own. I will turn my beloved people over to the power of their enemies. 8The people I call my own have turned on me like a lion in the forest. They have roared defiantly at me. So I will treat them as though I hate them. The people I call my own attack me like birds of prey or like hyenas. But other birds of prey are all around them. Let all the nations gather together like wild beasts. Let them come and destroy these people I call my own. 10Many foreign rulers will ruin the land where I planted my people. They will trample all over my chosen land. They will turn my beautiful land into a desolate wasteland. 11They will lay it waste. It will lie parched and empty before me. The whole land will be laid waste. But no one living in it will pay any heed.
Read all of Jeremiah 12Jeremiah 12:9 word by word
הַעַ֨יִט צָב֤וּעַ נַחֲלָתִי֙ לִ֔י הַעַ֖יִט סָבִ֣יב עָלֶ֑יהָ לְכ֗וּ אִסְפ֛וּ כָּל־חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה הֵתָ֥יוּ לְאָכְלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Mine heritageנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- a speckledצָבוּעַtsâbûa‛ · variegatedH6641
- birdעַ֫יִט‛ayiţ · bird of preyH5861
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- against her; comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- ye, assembleאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- all the beastsחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- comeאָתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH857
- to devourאׇכְלָה'ôklâh · foodH402
Cross-references for Jeremiah 12:9
- Jeremiah 2:15Like lions his enemies roar victoriously over him; they raise their voices in triumph. They have laid his land waste; his cities have been burned down and deserted.
- 2 Kings 24:2The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets.
- Ezekiel 16:36This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them,
- Ezekiel 23:22“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side:
- Revelation 17:16The ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.
- Jeremiah 7:33Then the dead bodies of these people will be left on the ground for the birds and wild animals to eat. There will not be any survivors to scare them away.
- Isaiah 56:9All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour, all you wild animals in the forest!
- Ezekiel 39:17“As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood.
- Revelation 19:17Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God,
Commentaries on Jeremiah 12:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Is unto me as a speckled bird - A bird of divers colors. This is a people who have corrupted the worship of the true God with heathenish rites and ceremonies; therefore, the different nations, (see Jeremiah 12:10; whose gods and forms of worship they have adopted shall come and spoil them. As far as you have followed the surrounding nations in their worship, so far shall they prevail over your state. Every one shall take that which is his own; and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Yahweh shows that the downfall of the nation was occasioned by no want of love on His part, but by the nation‘s conduct. Left - More correctly, cast away. Jeremiah 12:8 Judah has not merely refused obedience, but become intractable and fierce, like an untamed lion. It has roared against God with open blasphemy. As His favor is life, so is His hatred death, i. e., Jerusalem‘s punishment shall be as if inflicted by one that hated her. Jeremiah…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. 9Large flocks of speckled vultures would prey on the people of Judah. Soon, wild animals would pick their bodies clean.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. speckled bird--Many translate, "a ravenous beast, the hyena"; the corresponding Arabic word means hyena; so the Septuagint. But the Hebrew always elsewhere means "a bird of prey." The Hebrew for "speckled" is from a root "to color"; answering to the Jewish blending together with paganism the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual. The neighboring nations, birds of prey like herself (for she had sinfully assimilated herself to them), were ready to pounce upon…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 12:9
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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