Jeremiah 12:11 kjv
They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
Jeremiah 12:11 nkjv
They have made it desolate; Desolate, it mourns to Me; The whole land is made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart.
Jeremiah 12:11 niv
It will be made a wasteland, parched and desolate before me; the whole land will be laid waste because there is no one who cares.
Jeremiah 12:11 esv
They have made it a desolation; desolate, it mourns to me. The whole land is made desolate, but no man lays it to heart.
Jeremiah 12:11 nlt
They have made it an empty wasteland;
I hear its mournful cry.
The whole land is desolate,
and no one even cares.
Jeremiah 12 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:33 | "And I will scatter you among the nations…your land shall become a desolation," | Land desolation as covenant curse |
| Lev 26:34-35 | "Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths...for as long as it lies desolate..." | Land enjoys rest during exile/desolation |
| Deut 28:23-24 | "And the heavens over your head shall be bronze...rain will be dust..." | Agricultural ruin due to disobedience |
| Isa 1:7 | "Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire;" | Desolation of Judah due to sin |
| Isa 24:4-6 | "The earth mourns and fades away...for they have transgressed the laws," | Earth mourning because of human sin |
| Hos 4:3 | "Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish..." | Land mourning due to moral corruption |
| Joel 1:10 | "The fields are ruined, the land is mournful, for the grain is destroyed," | Land's suffering mirroring spiritual decline |
| Mic 3:12 | "Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem a heap," | Prophecy of utter destruction and desolation |
| Eze 6:14 | "And I will stretch out my hand against them...and make the land a desolation," | God's hand bringing desolation due to idolatry |
| Hos 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;" | Destruction due to spiritual ignorance/apathy |
| Pro 29:1 | "He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken," | Danger of hardening the heart against correction |
| Isa 5:12-13 | "They do not regard the deeds of the LORD...therefore my people go into exile," | Lack of consideration for God's actions/warnings |
| Zeph 1:12 | "I will search Jerusalem with lamps...men who are getting rich on their dregs and say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.'" | Spiritual complacency and apathy |
| Matt 15:8 | "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;" | Superficial religion without heartfelt devotion |
| Rom 1:21 | "For although they knew God, they did not honor him...nor give thanks," | Failure to acknowledge God, leading to futility |
| Deut 4:39 | "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD is God," | Exhortation to sincerely know and believe God |
| Deut 6:6 | "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." | Command to internalize God's word in the heart |
| Ps 90:12 | "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." | Prayer for wisdom to take life seriously |
| Ps 119:11 | "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." | Value of internalizing God's word |
| Pro 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | Importance of guarding the heart |
| Jer 23:1-2 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep...because you have not attended to them," | Leaders' failure causing harm and judgment |
| Zech 1:3 | "Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD," | Call to repentance and turning of heart |
| Luke 13:3 | "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." | Urgent call for change of heart/repentance |
| Rom 8:22 | "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together," | Creation groans under the impact of sin |
Jeremiah 12 verses
Jeremiah 12 11 Meaning
Jeremiah 12:11 starkly describes the widespread ruin of the land of Judah. It conveys that the land has become utterly waste and desolate, and in its barren state, it actively laments and mourns before God. This pervasive desolation, affecting the entire country, is explicitly attributed to the spiritual apathy and indifference of its inhabitants; no one truly considers, understands, or takes to heart the gravity of their sin and its dire consequences.
Jeremiah 12 11 Context
Jeremiah chapter 12 follows Jeremiah's fervent lament to God, where he questions why the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer and the land groans. God's response (vv. 5-6) assures Jeremiah that greater challenges are ahead, comparing the current situation to a minor difficulty. Then, from verse 7 onwards, God pronounces severe judgment upon Judah. The verses immediately preceding verse 11 (vv. 7-10) depict God's profound grief as He "forsakes His house" and "gives His heritage" to His enemies, explicitly mentioning how "many shepherds" (leaders) have destroyed His vineyard. Against this backdrop of divine lament and a nation under judgment, verse 11 serves as a stark explanation for the impending, already-manifesting desolation: it is a direct result of spiritual blindness and a failure to heed God's warnings.
Jeremiah 12 11 Word analysis
- It is made a desolation: The Hebrew word for "desolation" is shammah (שַׁמָּה), carrying connotations of astonishment, horror, and waste. The verb form implies that the land has become or been made desolate, suggesting either passive state or a direct result of human actions (or God's judgment in response). It's not just emptiness but a profound sense of loss and abandonment.
- and being desolate: Reinforces the state, underscoring the completeness and reality of the devastation. This repetition serves to intensify the emphasis on the utter ruin.
- it mourns to me: The Hebrew ʾāvlah (אֲבֵלָה), derived from a root meaning "to mourn," "to wither," or "to be in sorrow." This is a strong instance of personification, portraying the land as a sentient being that grieves. "To me" (עָלַי - ʿālay) implies the mourning is directly witnessed and felt by God, highlighting His pain over the state of His covenant land. This also ties into the idea that creation itself reacts to the spiritual state of humanity.
- The whole land has been made desolate: Further reiteration, stressing the pervasive nature of the judgment—it's not isolated pockets but the entire inheritance that is affected. The universality of the desolation underscores the depth of the national apostasy.
- because no one lays it to heart: This phrase is critical. The Hebrew ʾên ʾîsh śām ʿal-lēv (אֵין־אִישׁ שָׂם עַל־לֵב) means literally "there is no man putting upon heart." It signifies a complete absence of thoughtful consideration, genuine understanding, serious reflection, or internalizing the implications of their actions and God's words. This identifies spiritual apathy, indifference, and a lack of heartfelt repentance as the ultimate root cause of Judah's catastrophe. It's not a lack of knowledge but a failure to internalize and respond to it.
- Words-group analysis:
- "It is made a desolation...the whole land has been made desolate": This repeated emphasis on "desolation" (Hebrew root šāmēm) conveys absolute and widespread ruin. It’s a divine indictment reflecting broken covenant and resulting judgment, not merely an unfortunate circumstance.
- "and being desolate it mourns to me": This personification is powerful. It paints the land as suffering alongside God, reflecting divine grief. It speaks to the cosmic impact of human sin, where even creation feels the pain and testifies to God about human transgression and neglect.
- "because no one lays it to heart": This phrase pinpoints the root spiritual disease. It’s a profound commentary on the human heart's capacity for indifference, highlighting a society so accustomed to sin and ritual without substance that the covenant warnings and imminent judgment provoke no deep concern or repentance. It signifies a profound lack of spiritual awareness and responsibility.
Jeremiah 12 11 Bonus section
The land in ancient Israelite thought was not merely property but a divine gift deeply intertwined with the covenant. Its fruitfulness and security were contingent upon Israel's obedience (Deut 28). Therefore, its desolation signifies more than agricultural failure; it symbolizes a breakdown of the sacred covenant relationship between God and His people. The "mourning" of the land implies its participation in this covenant—it feels the repercussions of human infidelity. This connection illustrates a broader theological principle found throughout Scripture: human actions, especially in disobedience to God, have ripple effects beyond immediate consequences, impacting even the created order (cf. Rom 8:22). The phrase "no one lays it to heart" resonates as a perpetual challenge to believers across generations, urging a vigilant and responsive spiritual walk rather than complacent or ritualistic adherence.
Jeremiah 12 11 Commentary
Jeremiah 12:11 stands as a powerful and sorrowful summary of Judah's condition and the underlying cause. The land, a physical manifestation of God's covenant blessings and a witness to His faithfulness, is pictured as a desolation that grieves directly to God Himself. This isn't merely a consequence but a profound, emotional response from creation mirroring God's own lament over His wayward people. The "mourning" of the land underscores the organic connection between human spiritual integrity and the health of the physical world. Crucially, the verse unveils the fundamental spiritual flaw: the people's pervasive indifference. The judgment and desolation aren't arbitrary; they are a direct outcome of a spiritual deafness, a collective refusal to seriously consider God's truth, their covenant obligations, and the trajectory of their actions. This neglect of the heart—the core of human intellect, emotion, and will—was their ultimate undoing, proving a far greater peril than external enemies.