Jeremiah 9:12

Jeremiah 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
• New International Version (NIV)Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?

Context of Jeremiah 9:12

10“I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a lair for jackals. I will make the cities of Judah a wasteland without inhabitant. 11Who is the one wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of Adonai spoken that he may explain it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?” Adonai said “It is because they have forsaken My Torah that I set before them. They have neither obeyed My voice nor walked according to it, 13but have walked after the stubbornness of their heart, and after the Baalim that their fathers taught them. 14Therefore, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, “look, I will make this people eat wormwood and drink poisoned water.

Jeremiah 9:12 word by word

מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הֶֽחָכָם֙ וְיָבֵ֣ן אֶת־זֹ֔את וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר פִּֽי־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ עַל־מָה֙ אָבְדָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ נִצְּתָ֥ה כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר מִבְּלִ֖י עֹבֵֽר׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• that may understandבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• to whom the mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• that he may declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• it, for what the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• perishethאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• is burned upיָצַתyâtsath · to kindleH3341
• like a wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• that none passeth throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674

Cross-references for Jeremiah 9:12

• Deuteronomy 32:29“If they were wise, they would discern this, they would understand their hereafter.
• Psalms 107:43Who is wise? Let him observe these things, and consider Adonai’s lovingkindness.
• Hosea 14:9Ephraim: “What more are idols to me? I have responded and observed Him. I will be like a luxuriant cypress tree. From me will be found Your fruit.”
• Matthew 24:15“So when you see ‘the abomination of desolation,’ which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader understand),
• Revelation 1:3How fortunate is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and those who hear and keep what has been written in it—for the time is near.
• Jeremiah 5:19So it will come to pass that when you ask, ‘Why has Adonai Eloheinu done all these things to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
• Jeremiah 16:10“Now it will come to pass, when You will tell this people all these words, they will say to you: ‘Why has Adonai pronounced all this great evil against us? So what is our iniquity? So what is our sin that we have committed against Adonai our God?’
• Jeremiah 22:8Many nations will pass by this city, and they will say, each to his neighbor, ‘Why has Adonai done such a thing to this great city?’
• Deuteronomy 29:22‘Sulfur and salt, the whole land burnt! It cannot be planted, it cannot sprout, no grass can grow up on it—like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Adonai overturned in His anger and in His wrath!’
• 1 Kings 9:8This House, now so exalted—everyone passing by it will gasp in shock and hiss, saying: ‘Why has Adonai done thus to this land and to this House?’
• Psalms 107:34and a fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.
• Ezekiel 14:23They would comfort you when you see their ways and their deeds. So you will know that I had not done all that I had done without cause.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Ezekiel 22:25There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing prey. They have devoured lives, they take wealth and valuables, they multiply widows in her midst.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Who is the wise man - To whom has God revealed these things? He is the truly wise man. But it is to his prophet alone that God has revealed these things, and the speedy fulfillment of the predictions will show that the prophet has not spoken of himself.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 The punishment described in general terms in the preceding three verses is now detailed at great length. Jeremiah 9:10 The habitations i. e - the temporary encampments of the shepherds (see Jeremiah 6:3). So that none can … - Or, “They are parched up, with no man to pass through them; neither do they hear the voice of cattle; from the birds of the heaven even to the beasts they “are fled, they are gone.” Jeremiah 9:11 Dragons - Rather…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 In Zion the voice of joy and praise used to be heard, while the people kept close to God; but sin has altered the sound, it is now the voice of lamentation. Unhumbled hearts lament their calamity, but not their sin, which is the cause of it. Let the doors be shut ever so fast, death steals upon us. It enters the palaces of princes and great men, though stately, strongly built, and guarded. Nor are those more safe that are abroad; death cuts…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12It is unclear who asks these three questions. It could be the people or Jeremiah. The first two questions show frustration because the Lord's message about the religious and political situation seemed confusing. The Lord's words appeared too harsh and extreme. The third question shows anger about the land being desolated. The questioner seems to ask where to find the Lord's wisdom and goodness in these events.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Rather, "Who is a wise man? (that is, Whosoever has inspired wisdom, 2Pe 3:15); let him understand this (weigh well the evils impending, and the causes of their being sent); and he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken (that is, whosoever is prophetically inspired), let him declare it to his fellow countrymen," if haply they may be roused to repentance, the only hope of safety.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 9:12

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• War

In the dictionaries

• Wise, Man
• Adulterer
• Arrow
• Desolate
• Heaven
• Perish
• Teach
• Wait
• Covenant, the New
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Jeremiah 9

• 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