John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness." — Jeremiah 12:10 (ASV)
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard
This is a metaphor which is often used of the people of Israel and Judah; see (Psalms 80:8) (Isaiah 5:1–7) (27:2) , the pastors that destroyed them are not their own governors, civil or religious, but Heathen princes, Nebuchadnezzar and his generals. So the Targum paraphrases it, ``many kings slay my people;'' so Kimchi and Ben Melech.
They have trodden my portion under foot ;
the people of the Jews, that were his portion, and before called his heritage; whom the Chaldeans subdued, and reduced to extreme servitude and bondage; and were as the dirt under their feet, greatly oppressed and despised.
They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness ;
by pulling down stately edifices, unwalling of towers, and destroying men; so that there were none to manure the fields, to dress the vineyards, and keep gardens and orchards in good case; but all were come to ruin and what before was a delightful paradise was now like an heath or desert.