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.
• 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.”
• 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 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, yes, they have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth But far from their mind. 3But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter. 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.” 5“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? 6For even your brothers, the house of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you; Yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, Even though they speak smooth words to 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 take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, So that no one can pass through; Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; They are gone.
• Jeremiah 14:2“Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They mourn for the land, And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
• Jeremiah 23:10For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right.
• Psalms 107:34A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
• Joel 1:10The field is wasted, The land mourns; For the grain is ruined, The new wine is dried up, The oil fails.
• Jeremiah 4:24I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth.
• Jeremiah 7:20Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place—on man and on beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground. And it will burn and not be quenched.”
• Hosea 4:3Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.
• Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
• Romans 8:22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
• Jeremiah 5:13And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.”
• Psalms 50:21These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
• Ezekiel 7:2“And you, 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

• 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