6 For even thy brethren, H251 and the house H1004 of thy father, H1 even they have dealt treacherously H898 with thee; yea, they have called H7121 a multitude H4392 after H310 thee: believe H539 them not, though they speak H1696 fair words H2896 unto thee.
And when his brethren H251 saw H7200 that their father H1 loved H157 him more than all his brethren, H251 they hated H8130 him, and could H3201 not speak H1696 peaceably H7965 unto him. And Joseph H3130 dreamed H2492 a dream, H2472 and he told H5046 it his brethren: H251 and they hated H8130 him yet the more. H3254 And he said H559 unto them, Hear, H8085 I pray you, this dream H2472 which I have dreamed: H2492 For, behold, we were binding H481 H8432 sheaves H485 in the field, H7704 and, lo, my sheaf H485 arose, H6965 and also stood upright; H5324 and, behold, your sheaves H485 stood round about, H5437 and made obeisance H7812 to my sheaf. H485 And his brethren H251 said H559 to him, Shalt thou indeed H4427 reign H4427 over us? or shalt thou indeed H4910 have dominion H4910 over us? And they hated H8130 him yet the more H3254 for his dreams, H2472 and for his words. H1697 And he dreamed H2492 yet another H312 dream, H2472 and told H5608 it his brethren, H251 and said, H559 Behold, I have dreamed H2492 a dream H2472 more; and, behold, the sun H8121 and the moon H3394 and the eleven H6240 H259 stars H3556 made obeisance H7812 to me. And he told H5608 it to his father, H1 and to his brethren: H251 and his father H1 rebuked H1605 him, and said H559 unto him, What is this dream H2472 that thou hast dreamed? H2492 Shall I and thy mother H517 and thy brethren H251 indeed H935 come H935 to bow down H7812 ourselves to thee to the earth? H776 And his brethren H251 envied H7065 him; but his father H1 observed H8104 the saying. H1697
Trust H539 ye not in a friend, H7453 put ye not confidence H982 in a guide: H441 keep H8104 the doors H6607 of thy mouth H6310 from her that lieth H7901 in thy bosom. H2436 For the son H1121 dishonoureth H5034 the father, H1 the daughter H1323 riseth up H6965 against her mother, H517 the daughter in law H3618 against her mother in law; H2545 a man's H376 enemies H341 are the men H582 of his own house. H1004
Crying out, G2896 Men G435 of Israel, G2475 help: G997 This G3778 is G2076 the man, G444 that teacheth G1321 all G3956 men every where G3837 against G2596 the people, G2992 and G2532 the law, G3551 and G2532 this G5126 place: G5117 and G5037 further G2089 brought G1521 Greeks G1672 also G2532 into G1519 the temple, G2411 and G2532 hath polluted G2840 this G5127 holy G40 place. G5117 (For G1063 they had G2258 seen before G4308 with G4862 him G846 in G1722 the city G4172 Trophimus G5161 an Ephesian, G2180 whom G3739 they supposed G3543 that G3754 Paul G3972 had brought G1521 into G1519 the temple.) G2411 And G5037 all G3650 the city G4172 was moved, G2795 and G2532 the people G2992 ran together: G1096 G4890 and G2532 they took G1949 Paul, G3972 and drew G1670 him G846 out of G1854 the temple: G2411 and G2532 forthwith G2112 the doors G2374 were shut. G2808
For G1063 a certain G5100 man named G3686 Demetrius, G1216 a silversmith, G695 which made G4160 silver G693 shrines G3485 for Diana, G735 brought G3930 no G3756 small G3641 gain G2039 unto the craftsmen; G5079 Whom G3739 he called together G4867 with the workmen G2040 of G4012 like occupation, G5108 and G2532 said, G2036 Sirs, G435 ye know G1987 that G3754 by G1537 this G5026 craft G2039 we have G2076 our G2257 wealth. G2142 Moreover G2532 ye see G2334 and G2532 hear, G191 that G3754 not G3756 alone G3440 at Ephesus, G2181 but G235 almost G4975 throughout all G3956 Asia, G773 this G3778 Paul G3972 hath persuaded G3982 and turned away G3179 much G2425 people, G3793 saying G3004 that G3754 they be G1526 no G3756 gods, G2316 which G3588 are made G1096 with G1223 hands: G5495 So G1161 that not G3756 only G3440 this G5124 our G2254 craft G3313 is in danger G2793 to be set G2064 at G1519 nought; G557 but G235 also G2532 that the temple G2411 of the great G3173 goddess G2299 Diana G735 should be despised, G1519 G3762 G3049 and G1161 G2532 her G846 magnificence G3168 should G3195 be destroyed, G2507 whom G3739 all G3650 Asia G773 and G2532 the world G3625 worshippeth. G4576 And G1161 when they heard G191 these sayings, they were G1096 full G4134 of wrath, G2372 and G2532 cried out, G2896 saying, G3004 Great G3173 is Diana G735 of the Ephesians. G2180 And G2532 the whole G3650 city G4172 was filled G4130 with confusion: G4799 and G5037 having caught G4884 Gaius G1050 and G2532 Aristarchus, G708 men of Macedonia, G3110 Paul's G3972 companions in travel, G4898 they rushed G3729 with one accord G3661 into G1519 the theatre. G2302
And G2532 they sent out G649 unto him G846 their G846 disciples G3101 with G3326 the Herodians, G2265 saying, G3004 Master, G1320 we know G1492 that G3754 thou art G1488 true, G227 and G2532 teachest G1321 the way G3598 of God G2316 in G1722 truth, G225 G2532 neither G3756 carest G3199 thou G4671 for G4012 any G3762 man: for G1063 thou regardest G991 not G1519 G3756 the person G4383 of men. G444 Tell G2036 us G2254 therefore, G3767 What G5101 thinkest G1380 thou? G4671 Is it lawful G1832 to give G1325 tribute G2778 unto Caesar, G2541 or G2228 not? G3756 But G1161 Jesus G2424 perceived G1097 their G846 wickedness, G4189 and said, G2036 Why G5101 tempt ye G3985 me, G3165 ye hypocrites? G5273
Also, thou son H1121 of man, H120 the children H1121 of thy people H5971 still are talking H1696 against H681 thee by the walls H7023 and in the doors H6607 of the houses, H1004 and speak H1696 one H2297 to another, H259 every one H376 to his brother, H251 saying, H559 Come, H935 I pray you, and hear H8085 what is the word H1697 that cometh forth H3318 from the LORD. H3068 And they come H935 unto thee as the people H5971 cometh, H3996 and they sit H3427 before H6440 thee as my people, H5971 and they hear H8085 thy words, H1697 but they will not do H6213 them: for with their mouth H6310 they shew H6213 much love, H5690 but their heart H3820 goeth H1980 after H310 their covetousness. H1215
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 12
Commentary on Jeremiah 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 12
Jer 12:1-17. Continuation of the Subject at the Close of the Eleventh Chapter.
He ventures to expostulate with Jehovah as to the prosperity of the wicked, who had plotted against his life (Jer 12:1-4); in reply he is told that he will have worse to endure, and that from his own relatives (Jer 12:5, 6). The heaviest judgments, however, would be inflicted on the faithless people (Jer 12:7-13); and then on the nations co-operating with the Chaldeans against Judah, with, however, a promise of mercy on repentance (Jer 12:14-17).
1. (Ps 51:4).
let me talk, &c.—only let me reason the case with Thee: inquire of Thee the causes why such wicked men as these plotters against my life prosper (compare Job 12:6; 21:7; Ps 37:1, 35; 73:3; Mal 3:15). It is right, when hard thoughts of God's providence suggest themselves, to fortify our minds by justifying God beforehand (as did Jeremiah), even before we hear the reasons of His dealings.
2. grow—literally, "go on," "progress." Thou givest them sure dwellings and increasing prosperity.
near in … mouth … far from … reins—(Isa 29:13; Mt 15:8). Hypocrites.
3. knowest me—(Ps 139:1).
tried … heart—(Jer 11:20).
toward thee—rather, "with Thee," that is, entirely devoted to Thee; contrasted with the hypocrites (Jer 12:2), "near in … mouth, and far from … reins." This being so, how is it that I fare so ill, they so well?
pull … out—containing the metaphor, from a "rooted tree" (Jer 12:2).
prepare—literally, "separate," or "set apart as devoted."
day of slaughter—(Jas 5:5).
4. land mourn—personification (Jer 14:2; 23:10).
for the wickedness—(Ps 107:34).
beasts—(Ho 4:3).
He shall not see our last end—Jehovah knows not what is about to happen to us (Jer 5:12) [Rosenmuller]. So the Septuagint. (Ps 10:11; Eze 8:12; 9:9). Rather, "The prophet (Jeremiah, to whom the whole context refers) shall not see our last end." We need not trouble ourselves about his boding predictions. We shall not be destroyed as he says (Jer 5:12, 13).
5. Jehovah's reply to Jeremiah's complaint.
horses—that is, horsemen: the argument a fortiori. A proverbial phrase. The injuries done thee by the men of Anathoth ("the footmen") are small compared with those which the men of Jerusalem ("the horsemen") are about to inflict on thee. If the former weary thee out, how wilt thou contend with the king, the court, and the priests at Jerusalem?
wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee—English Version thus fills up the sentence with the italicized words, to answer to the parallel clause in the first sentence of the verse. The parallelism is, however, sufficiently retained with a less ellipsis: "If (it is only) in a land of peace thou art confident" [Maurer].
swelling of Jordan—In harvest-time and earlier (April and May) it overflows its banks (Jos 3:15), and fills the valley called the Ghor. Or, "the pride of Jordan," namely, its wooded banks abounding in lions and other wild beasts (Jer 49:19; 50:44; Zec 11:3; compare 2Ki 6:2). Maundrell says that between the Sea of Tiberias and Lake Merom the banks are so wooded that the traveller cannot see the river at all without first passing through the woods. If in the champaign country (alone) thou art secure, how wilt thou do when thou fallest into the wooded haunts of wild beasts?
6. even thy brethren—as in Christ's case (Ps 69:8; Joh 1:11; 7:5; compare Jer 9:4; 11:19, 21; Mt 10:36). Godly faithfulness is sure to provoke the ungodly, even of one's own family.
called a multitude after thee—(Isa 31:4). Jerome translates, "cry after thee with a loud (literally, 'full') voice."
believe … not … though … speak fair—(Pr 26:25).
7. I have forsaken—Jehovah will forsake His temple and the people peculiarly His. The mention of God's close tie to them, as heretofore His, aggravates their ingratitude, and shows that their past spiritual privileges will not prevent God from punishing them.
beloved of my soul—image from a wife (Jer 11:15; Isa 54:5).
8. is unto me—is become unto Me: behaves towards Me as a lion which roars against a man, so that he withdraws from the place where he hears it: so I withdrew from My people, once beloved, but now an object of abhorrence because of their rebellious cries against Me.
9. speckled bird—Many translate, "a ravenous beast, the hyena"; the corresponding Arabic word means hyena; so the Septuagint. But the Hebrew always elsewhere means "a bird of prey." The Hebrew for "speckled" is from a root "to color"; answering to the Jewish blending together with paganism the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual. The neighboring nations, birds of prey like herself (for she had sinfully assimilated herself to them), were ready to pounce upon her.
assemble … beasts of … field—The Chaldeans are told to gather the surrounding heathen peoples as allies against Judah (Isa 56:9; Eze 34:5).
10. pastors—the Babylonian leaders (compare Jer 12:12; Jer 6:3).
my vineyard—(Isa 5:1, 5).
trodden my portion—(Isa 63:18).
11. mourneth unto me—that is, before Me. Eichorn translates, "by reason of Me," because I have given it to desolation (Jer 12:7).
because no man layeth it to heart—because none by repentance and prayer seek to deprecate God's wrath. Or, "yet none lays it to heart"; as in Jer 5:3 [Calvin].
12. high places—Before, He had threatened the plains; now, the hills.
wilderness—not an uninhabited desert, but high lands of pasturage, lying between Judea and Chaldea (Jer 4:11).
13. Description in detail of the devastation of the land (Mic 6:15).
they shall be ashamed of your—The change of persons, in passing from indirect to direct address, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, "Ye shall be put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of your produce."
14-17. Prophecy as to the surrounding nations, the Syrians, Ammonites, &c., who helped forward Judah's calamity: they shall share her fall; and, on their conversion, they shall share with her in the future restoration. This is a brief anticipation of the predictions in the forty-seventh, forty-eighth, and forty-ninth chapters.
touch—(Zec 2:8).
pluck them out … pluck out … Judah—(Compare end of Jer 12:16). During the thirteen years that the Babylonians besieged Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar, after subduing Cœlo-Syria, brought Ammon, Moab, &c., and finally Egypt, into subjection [Josephus, Antiquities, 10:9.7]. On the restoration of these nations, they were to exchange places with the Jews. The latter were now in the midst of them, but on their restoration they were to be "in the midst of the Jews," that is, as proselytes to the true God (compare Mic 5:7; Zec 14:16). "Pluck them," namely, the Gentile nations: in a bad sense. "Pluck Judah": in a good sense; used to express the force which was needed to snatch Judah from the tyranny of those nations by whom they had been made captives, or to whom they had fled; otherwise they never would have let Judah go. Previously he had been forbidden to pray for the mass of the Jewish people. But here he speaks consolation to the elect remnant among them. Whatever the Jews might be, God keeps His covenant.
15. A promise, applying to Judah, as well as to the nations specified (Am 9:14). As to Moab, compare Jer 48:47; as to Ammon, Jer 49:6.
16. swear by my name—(Jer 4:2; Isa 19:18; 65:16); that is, confess solemnly the true God.
built—be made spiritually and temporally prosperous: fixed in sure habitations (compare Jer 24:6; 42:10; 45:4; Ps 87:4, 5; Eph 2:20, 21; 1Pe 2:5).
17. (Isa 60:12).