Jeremiah 12:13 kjv
They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
Jeremiah 12:13 nkjv
They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
Jeremiah 12:13 niv
They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. They will bear the shame of their harvest because of the LORD's fierce anger."
Jeremiah 12:13 esv
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
Jeremiah 12:13 nlt
My people have planted wheat
but are harvesting thorns.
They have worn themselves out,
but it has done them no good.
They will harvest a crop of shame
because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
Jeremiah 12 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 12:13 | "You shall sow wheat, but you shall reap thorns;" | Judgment on disobedience |
| Isa 5:3, 7 | Vineyard that yields wild grapes instead of good fruit. | Similar imagery of failed yield |
| Hos 10:12 | "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love;" | Contrast: sowing righteousness yields blessing |
| Gal 6:7-8 | "For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap." | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your own wickedness will chastise you," | Personal consequences of sin |
| Jer 17:5-6 | Curse on those who trust in man vs. blessing for those who trust in LORD | Contrast of cursed and blessed |
| Ps 107:34 | Turning fruitful land into a salt waste for wickedness. | Divine judgment on a land |
| Deut 28:33 | Fruit of your land and all your labor shall be eaten by a people you have not known | Specific curse from the Law |
| Lev 26:16 | You shall sow your seed in vain, and your enemies shall eat it. | Consequences of breaking covenant |
| Mic 6:14-15 | "You shall eat, but not be satisfied;" | Further description of cursed outcomes |
| Prov 22:8 | "He who sows iniquity will reap calamity," | Principle of sowing evil |
| Isa 5:9-10 | Lands of the vineyards will yield no wine; houses will fall. | Consequences of disobedience |
| Jer 15:2 | Those who are destined for death, to death; swords, to swords. | Consequences of divine decree |
| Jer 3:7 | Though you saw faithless Israel betray herself, | Description of unfaithfulness |
| Jer 7:29-30 | God forsaking the generation that provokes Him. | God’s righteous anger against sin |
| Ezek 15:4 | Grapevine for common use, good for nothing. | Symbolism of worthlessness due to judgment |
| Hosea 10:13 | "But you have sown wickedness and reaped injustice;" | Direct parallel in Hosea |
| 1 Cor 3:6-8 | "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." | God's sovereignty in spiritual growth |
| 2 Cor 9:6 | "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly," | Principle of proportionate sowing/reaping |
| James 5:7 | Farmer waiting for the precious crop. | Patience in fruitful labor, contrast to judgment |
| Deut 32:22 | For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the lowest part of Sheol; | God’s anger extending to destruction |
| Jer 4:3 | "Sow for yourselves according to the fortifications of righteousness;" | Exhortation to righteous action |
| Jer 23:39 | "Therefore, behold, I will surely dispossess you..." | Divine pronouncement of removal |
Jeremiah 12 verses
Jeremiah 12 13 Meaning
Jeremiah 12:13 describes a dire consequence for Israel's sin: they will sow wheat but reap thorns, indicating futility and divine judgment. Their efforts will yield distress and shame, as God has declared this outcome due to His fierce anger.
Jeremiah 12 13 Context
This verse is part of a larger oracle of judgment against Judah, specifically following a lament by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12:1-6). God responds to Jeremiah’s complaint about the prosperity of the wicked by explaining the severe consequences that await Judah due to their apostasy and iniquity. The immediate context highlights God's intention to punish and destroy, using agricultural failure as a powerful metaphor for the desolation and fruitlessness that will result from their unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 12 13 Word Analysis
- “Thou”: Refers to the people of Judah, addressed collectively.
- “shalt sow”: Future tense of the verb “to sow,” indicating planting or beginning an action.
- “wheat”: A grain crop, representing potential good harvest and sustenance. The Hebrew word is חִטָּה (chittah).
- “but”: A conjunction showing contrast, signaling the adverse outcome.
- “thou shalt reap”: Future tense of the verb “to reap,” signifying the conclusion or result of an action.
- “thorns”: Thorny plants, symbolizing worthlessness, pain, and unproductive or destructive harvest. The Hebrew word is בַּרְכָּן (barkannim), which refers to a thorny or noxious weed. This word appears only here in the Hebrew Bible.
- “vexation”: Distress, anguish, or trouble, indicating the painful nature of the barren harvest. The Hebrew word is יִגָּר (yigger), often translated as “strife” or “painful sorrow.”
- “own”: Emphasizes that the cause of the affliction is internal to them and their actions.
- “])own sin, /])own sin;”: Possessive pronoun, highlighting their culpability.
- “for”: Indicates the reason or cause for this reaping of thorns.
- “])mine] fierce anger”: The wrath of God, a powerful and destructive force against sin. The Hebrew word is אַף־חֲרוֹן (aph-charon), often translated as "burning anger" or "fierce wrath."
Jeremiah 12 13 Bonus Section
The Hebrew word for "thorns" here, בַּרְכָּן (barkannim), is a rare word unique to this verse in the Old Testament. This linguistic singularity may emphasize the strangeness and utter unsuitability of the crop they will reap, highlighting the unnatural and disastrous outcome of their disobedience. The principle of sowing and reaping is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, emphasizing the moral accountability of individuals and nations. In the New Testament, Paul extends this principle to spiritual sowing, connecting sowing to the Spirit with reaping eternal life (Galatians 6:8). The verse also reflects a broken covenant relationship where obedience would have led to agricultural blessings, but disobedience mandated curses (Deuteronomy 28).
Jeremiah 12 13 Commentary
Jeremiah 12:13 delivers a stark warning about the unavoidable consequences of sin. It illustrates the principle of divine retribution: what one sows, one shall reap. For the people of Judah, their sinful sowing—their idolatry, injustice, and disobedience—will not yield a harvest of blessing, but a harvest of pain, shame, and futility (reaping thorns instead of wheat). This imagery underscores that spiritual disobedience renders human labor unproductive in God's sight, leading to distress and the manifestation of God’s righteous anger. It's a call to recognize that genuine fruitfulness comes only from alignment with God’s will and righteousness.