Focused Passage

Jeremiah 12:7-13

When the Wicked Prosper and the LORD’s Inheritance Is Trampled

The chapter moves from Jeremiah's complaint about the prosperity of the wicked, to the LORD's answer that greater trials are coming, to the painful declaration that the LORD has forsaken his house and abandoned his inheritance, to the indictment of destructive shepherds who ruin the vineyard, and finally to a surprising promise of future compassion for both Judah and her neighboring nations if they learn the ways of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul into the hands of her enemies.

8My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me; therefore I hate her.

9Is not My inheritance to Me like a speckled bird of prey with other birds of prey circling against her? Go, gather all the beasts of the field; bring them to devour her.

10Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of ground. They have turned My pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.

11They have made it a desolation; desolate before Me, it mourns. All the land is laid waste, but no man takes it to heart.

12Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace.

13They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Cross-references

Isaiah 2:6Classic cross-references Psalms 78:59Classic cross-references Jeremiah 11:15Classic cross-references Hosea 9:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:33Classic cross-references

Original words

I have forsakenעָזַ֙בְתִּי֙H5800Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy houseבֵּיתִ֔יH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI have abandonedנָטַ֖שְׁתִּיH5203Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy inheritanceנַחֲלָתִ֑יH5159Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularI have givenנָתַ֛תִּיH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe belovedיְדִד֥וּתH3033Noun - feminine singular constructof My soulנַפְשִׁ֖יH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularinto the handsבְּכַ֥ףH3709Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof her enemiesאֹיְבֶֽיהָ׃H341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

Verse 8

Cross-references

Amos 6:8Classic cross-references Ezekiel 23:18Classic cross-references Hosea 9:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 14:19Classic cross-references Jeremiah 20:12Classic cross-references

Original words

My inheritanceנַחֲלָתִ֖יH5159Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularhas becomeהָיְתָה־H1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularto Meלִּ֥יPreposition | first person common singularlike a lionכְּאַרְיֵ֣הH738Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularin the forestבַיָּ֑עַרH3293Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularShe has roaredנָתְנָ֥הH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular. . .בְּקוֹלָ֖הּH6963Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularagainst Meעָלַ֛יH5921Preposition | first person common singularthereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֥ןH3651AdverbI hate herשְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃H8130Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Ezekiel 39:17Classic cross-references Isaiah 56:9Classic cross-references Jeremiah 7:33Classic cross-references Revelation 19:17Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Is [not] My inheritanceנַחֲלָתִי֙H5159Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularto Meלִ֔יPreposition | first person common singularlike a speckledצָב֤וּעַH6641Adjective - masculine singularbird of preyהַעַ֨יִטH5861Article | Noun - masculine singularwith [other] birds of preyהַעַ֖יִטH5861Article | Noun - masculine singularcirclingסָבִ֣יבH5439Adverbagainst herעָלֶ֑יהָH5921Preposition | third person feminine singularGoלְכ֗וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralgatherאִסְפ֛וּH622Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe beastsחַיַּ֥תH2416Noun - feminine singular constructof the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֖הH7704Article | Noun - masculine singularbring themהֵתָ֥יוּH857Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralto devour herלְאָכְלָֽה׃H402Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

Or like a speckled hyena with birds of prey

Verse 10

Cross-references

John 15:1Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:1Classic cross-references Ezekiel 34:2Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:21Classic cross-references Psalms 80:8Classic cross-references

Original words

Manyרַבִּים֙H7227Adjective - masculine pluralshepherdsרֹעִ֤יםH7462Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralhave destroyedשִֽׁחֲת֣וּH7843Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluralMy vineyardכַרְמִ֔יH3754Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthey have trampledבֹּסְס֖וּH947Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy plot of groundחֶלְקָתִ֑יH2513Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularThey have turnedנָֽתְנ֛וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy pleasantחֶמְדָּתִ֖יH2532Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularfieldחֶלְקַ֥תH2513Noun - feminine singular constructinto a desolateשְׁמָמָֽה׃H8077Noun - feminine singularwastelandלְמִדְבַּ֥רH4057Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct

Verse 11

Cross-references

Romans 8:22Classic cross-references Isaiah 42:25Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:10Classic cross-references Jeremiah 25:11Classic cross-references Joel 1:10Classic cross-references

Original words

They have madeשָׂמָהּ֙H7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularit a desolationשְׁמֵמָ֑הH8077Adjective - feminine singulardesolateלִשְׁמָמָ֔הH8076Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularbefore Meעָלַ֖יH5921Preposition | first person common singularit mournsאָבְלָ֥הH56Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularAllכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularis laid wasteנָשַׁ֙מָּה֙H8074Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singularbutכִּ֛יH3588Conjunctionnoאֵ֥יןH369Adverbmanאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singulartakesשָׂ֥םH7760Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularit toעַל־H5921Prepositionheartלֵֽב׃H3820Noun - masculine singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

Jeremiah 47:6Classic cross-references Amos 9:4Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 33:29Classic cross-references Ezekiel 14:17Classic cross-references Isaiah 34:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Overעַֽל־H5921Prepositionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe barren heightsשְׁפָיִ֣םH8205Noun - masculine pluralin the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּ֗רH4057Preposition, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe destroyersשֹֽׁדְדִ֔יםH7703Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralhave comeבָּ֚אוּH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthe swordחֶ֤רֶבH2719Noun - feminine singularof the LORDלַֽיהוָה֙H3068Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singulardevoursאֹֽכְלָ֔הH398Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularfrom [one] endמִקְצֵה־H7097Preposition | Noun - masculine singular constructof the earthאֶ֖רֶץH776Noun - feminine singulartoוְעַד־H5704Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe otherקְצֵ֣הH7097Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הָאָ֑רֶץH776AdverbNoאֵ֥יןH369Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .לְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructfleshבָּשָֽׂר׃סH1320Noun - masculine singularhas peaceשָׁל֖וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

Galatians 6:8Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:38Classic cross-references Haggai 1:6Classic cross-references Micah 6:15Classic cross-references Isaiah 55:2Classic cross-references

Original words

They have sownזָרְע֤וּH2232Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwheatחִטִּים֙H2406Noun - feminine pluralbut harvestedקָצָ֔רוּH7114Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthornsוְקֹצִ֣יםH6975Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralThey have exhausted themselvesנֶחְל֖וּH2470Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralto noלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleavailיוֹעִ֑לוּH3276Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralBear the shameוּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙H954Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralof your harvestמִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔םH8393Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine pluralbecause of the fierceמֵחֲר֖וֹןH2740Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructangerאַף־H639Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Read full chapter context All Jeremiah chapters

<- Jeremiah 11 Jeremiah 12 Jeremiah 13 ->