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 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.”

Context of Jeremiah 12:4

2You have planted them, and they have taken root and prospered. Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts. 3But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts. Drag these people away like sheep to be butchered! Set them aside to be slaughtered! 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!” 5“If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? 6Even your brothers, members of your own family, have turned against you. They plot and raise complaints against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak.

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 for the mountains and wail for the wilderness pastures. For they are desolate and empty of life; the lowing of cattle is heard no more; the birds and wild animals have all fled.
• Jeremiah 14:2“Judah wilts; commerce at the city gates grinds to a halt. All the people sit on the ground in mourning, and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.
• Jeremiah 23:10For the land is full of adultery, and it lies under a curse. The land itself is in mourning— its wilderness pastures are dried up. For they all do evil and abuse what power they have.
• Psalms 107:34He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there.
• Joel 1:10The fields are ruined, the land is stripped bare. The grain is destroyed, the grapes have shriveled, and the olive oil is gone.
• Jeremiah 4:24I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook.
• Jeremiah 7:20So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.”
• Hosea 4:3That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing.
• Habakkuk 3:17Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
• Romans 8:22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
• Jeremiah 5:13God’s prophets are all windbags who don’t really speak for him. Let their predictions of disaster fall on themselves!’”
• Psalms 50:21While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you.
• Ezekiel 7:2“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel: “The end is here! Wherever you look— east, west, north, or south— your land is finished.

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

In the dictionaries

• Pluck
• Talk
• Covenant, the New
• Crime; Crimes

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