Jeremiah 12:4

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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 have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. 3Yet you know me, Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! 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.” 5“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? 6Your relatives, members of your own family— even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

Jeremiah 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 9:10I will weep and wail for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands. They are desolate and untraveled, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds have all fled and the animals are gone.
• Jeremiah 14:2“Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
• Jeremiah 23:10The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the wilderness are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.
• Psalms 107:34and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
• Joel 1:10The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the olive oil fails.
• Jeremiah 4:24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
• Jeremiah 7:20“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: My anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.
• Hosea 4:3Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.
• Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
• Romans 8:22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
• Jeremiah 5:13The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.”
• Psalms 50:21When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you.
• Ezekiel 7:2“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: “ ‘The 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

• Animals
• Jeremiah

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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