Jeremiah 15:12

Jeremiah 15:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
• New International Version (NIV)“Can a man break iron— iron from the north—or bronze?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Can anyone break iron, The northern iron and the bronze?

Context of Jeremiah 15:12

10I said, “Oh, mother, how I regret that you ever gave birth to me! I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land. I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone. Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.” 11The Lord said, “Jerusalem, I will surely send you away for your own good. I will surely bring the enemy upon you in a time of trouble and distress. Can you people who are like iron and bronze break that iron fist from the north? 13I will give away your wealth and your treasures as plunder. I will give it away free of charge for the sins you have committed throughout your land. 14I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about. For my anger is like a fire that will burn against you.”

Jeremiah 15:12 word by word

הֲיָרֹ֨עַ בַּרְזֶ֧ל׀ בַּרְזֶ֛ל מִצָּפ֖וֹן וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Shall ironבַּרְזֶלbarzel · ironH1270
• breakרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · to shatterH7489
• the northernצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
• and the steelנְחֹ֫שֶׁתnechôsheth · bronzeH5178

Cross-references for Jeremiah 15:12

• Jeremiah 1:18I, the Lord, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land.
• Jeremiah 21:4that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The forces at your disposal are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city.
• Job 40:9Do you have an arm as powerful as God’s, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
• Isaiah 45:9One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”
• Habakkuk 1:5“Look at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 15:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel? - Shall our weak forces be able to oppose and overcome the powers of the Chaldeans? נחשת nechasheth, which we here translate steel, property signifies brass or copper united with tin, which gives it much hardness, and enables it to bear a good edge.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The steel - “brass,” i. e., bronze. By the “iron” is meant Jeremiah‘s intercession; but this cannot alter the divine purpose to send Judah into exile, which is firm as steel and brass. For “brass” see Exodus 25:3 note. The alloy of copper and zinc now called brass was entirely unknown to the ancients.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 Jeremiah met with much contempt and reproach, when they ought to have blessed him, and God for him. It is a great and sufficient support to the people of God, that however troublesome their way may be, it shall be well with them in their latter end. God turns to the people. Shall the most hardy and vigorous of their efforts be able to contend with the counsel of God, or with the army of the Chaldeans? Let them hear their doom. The enemy will…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Iron and bronze symbolize the strong will that the Lord would give to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. steel--rather, brass or copper, which mixed with "iron" (by the Chalybes near the Euxine Pontus, far north of Palestine), formed the hardest metal, like our steel. Can the Jews, hardy like common iron though they be, break the still hardier Chaldees of the north (Jr 1:14), who resemble the Chalybian iron hardened with copper? Certainly not [Calvin]. Henderson translates. "Can one break iron, (even) the northern iron, and brass," on the ground that…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 15:12

• Backsliders
• Iron
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Steel

In the dictionaries

• Copper
• Languish
• Rebuke
• Residue
• Revenge
• Steel
• Break
• Iron (1)
• Metals

Commentaries on Jeremiah 15

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings