Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 12
"Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?" — Jeremiah 12:1 (ASV)
Yet let me talk ... - Rather, yet I will speak with you on a matter of justice. This sense is well given in the margin. The prophet acknowledges the general righteousness of God’s dealings, but cannot reconcile with it the prosperity of the conspirators of Anathoth. This difficulty was often present to the minds of the saints of the Old Testament (see Job 21:7 and following; Psalms 37; Psalms 73).
Happy - Rather, secure, tranquil.
"Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart." — Jeremiah 12:2 (ASV)
Their veins—that is, their heart. The reins were regarded by the Jews as the seat of the affections.
"But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter." — Jeremiah 12:3 (ASV)
You have seen me ... - Rather, "You see me and try my heart at all times, and know the sincerity of its devotion toward You."
Pull them out - The original is used (Jeremiah 10:20) of the tearing apart of the cords of the tent, and (Ezekiel 17:9) of the tearing up of roots. Jeremiah does not doubt God’s justice, or the ultimate punishment of the wicked, but he wants it administered in a summary way.
Prepare - Literally, "sanctify," that is, devote.
"How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end." — Jeremiah 12:4 (ASV)
The 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 threats, we will outlive him.”
Jeremiah complained that at a time of great general misery, powerful men thrived on the ruin of others: even the innocent cattle and fowl suffered with the rest. To him it seemed that all this might have been cured by some signal display of divine justice. If God, instead of dealing with men by general and slow-working laws, would tear out some of the worst offenders from among the rest, the land might yet be saved.
"If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee." — Jeremiah 12:5-6 (ASV)
Yahweh rebukes Jeremiah’s impatience, showing him by two proverbial sayings that there were still greater trials of faith in store for him. Prosperous wickedness is after all a mere ordinary trial, a mere “running with the footmen;” he will have to exert far greater powers of endurance.
And if in the land ... - Rather, “and in a land of peace thou art secure; but how wilt thou do amid the pride of Jordan?” If you can feel safe only where things are tranquil, what will you do in the hour of danger?
The “pride of Jordan” is taken to mean the luxuriant thickets along its banks, famous as the haunt of lions (Jeremiah 50:44; Zechariah 11:3). What will the prophet do when he has to tread the tangled maze of a jungle with the lions roaring round him?
Jeremiah 12:6. Called a multitude - Rather, “called aloud.” . In all this Jeremiah was the type of Christ (Mark 3:21; John 7:5).
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