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

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

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

9 Is 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.

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

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

12 Over 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.

13 They 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

Original words

I have forsaken עָזַ֙בְתִּי֙ H5800 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My house בֵּיתִ֔י H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I have abandoned נָטַ֖שְׁתִּי H5203 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My inheritance נַחֲלָתִ֑י H5159 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular I have given נָתַ֛תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the beloved יְדִד֥וּת H3033 Noun - feminine singular construct of My soul נַפְשִׁ֖י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular into the hands בְּכַ֥ף H3709 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of her enemies אֹיְבֶֽיהָ׃ H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

My inheritance נַחֲלָתִ֖י H5159 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular has become הָיְתָה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular to Me לִּ֥י Preposition | first person common singular like a lion כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה H738 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in the forest בַיָּ֑עַר H3293 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular She has roared נָתְנָ֥ה H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . בְּקוֹלָ֖הּ H6963 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular against Me עָלַ֛י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֥ן H3651 Adverb I hate her שְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃ H8130 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Is [not] My inheritance נַחֲלָתִי֙ H5159 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular to Me לִ֔י Preposition | first person common singular like a speckled צָב֤וּעַ H6641 Adjective - masculine singular bird of prey הַעַ֨יִט H5861 Article | Noun - masculine singular with [other] birds of prey הַעַ֖יִט H5861 Article | Noun - masculine singular circling סָבִ֣יב H5439 Adverb against her עָלֶ֑יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular Go לְכ֗וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural gather אִסְפ֛וּ H622 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the beasts חַיַּ֥ת H2416 Noun - feminine singular construct of the field הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה H7704 Article | Noun - masculine singular bring them הֵתָ֥יוּ H857 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural to devour her לְאָכְלָֽה׃ H402 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or like a speckled hyena with birds of prey
Verse 10

Original words

Many רַבִּים֙ H7227 Adjective - masculine plural shepherds רֹעִ֤ים H7462 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural have destroyed שִֽׁחֲת֣וּ H7843 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural My vineyard כַרְמִ֔י H3754 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular they have trampled בֹּסְס֖וּ H947 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My plot of ground חֶלְקָתִ֑י H2513 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular They have turned נָֽתְנ֛וּ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My pleasant חֶמְדָּתִ֖י H2532 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular field חֶלְקַ֥ת H2513 Noun - feminine singular construct into a desolate שְׁמָמָֽה׃ H8077 Noun - feminine singular wasteland לְמִדְבַּ֥ר H4057 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 11

Original words

They have made שָׂמָהּ֙ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular it a desolation שְׁמֵמָ֑ה H8077 Adjective - feminine singular desolate לִשְׁמָמָ֔ה H8076 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular before Me עָלַ֖י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular it mourns אָבְלָ֥ה H56 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular All כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular is laid waste נָשַׁ֙מָּה֙ H8074 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular but כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction no אֵ֥ין H369 Adverb man אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular takes שָׂ֥ם H7760 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular it to עַל־ H5921 Preposition heart לֵֽב׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Over עַֽל־ H5921 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the barren heights שְׁפָיִ֣ם H8205 Noun - masculine plural in the wilderness בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר H4057 Preposition, Article | Noun - masculine singular the destroyers שֹֽׁדְדִ֔ים H7703 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural have come בָּ֚אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the sword חֶ֤רֶב H2719 Noun - feminine singular of the LORD לַֽיהוָה֙ H3068 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular devours אֹֽכְלָ֔ה H398 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular from [one] end מִקְצֵה־ H7097 Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct of the earth אֶ֖רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular to וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the other קְצֵ֣ה H7097 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הָאָ֑רֶץ H776 Adverb No אֵ֥ין H369 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct flesh בָּשָֽׂר׃ס H1320 Noun - masculine singular has peace שָׁל֖וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

They have sown זָרְע֤וּ H2232 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural wheat חִטִּים֙ H2406 Noun - feminine plural but harvested קָצָ֔רוּ H7114 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural thorns וְקֹצִ֣ים H6975 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural They have exhausted themselves נֶחְל֖וּ H2470 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural to no לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle avail יוֹעִ֑לוּ H3276 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Bear the shame וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ H954 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural of your harvest מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם H8393 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural because of the fierce מֵחֲר֖וֹן H2740 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct anger אַף־ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.