Jeremiah 12 4

Jeremiah 12:4 kjv

How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

Jeremiah 12:4 nkjv

How long will the land mourn, And the herbs of every field wither? The beasts and birds are consumed, For the wickedness of those who dwell there, Because they said, "He will not see our final end."

Jeremiah 12:4 niv

How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, "He will not see what happens to us."

Jeremiah 12:4 esv

How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, "He will not see our latter end."

Jeremiah 12:4 nlt

How long must this land mourn?
Even the grass in the fields has withered.
The wild animals and birds have disappeared
because of the evil in the land.
For the people have said,
"The LORD doesn't see what's ahead for us!"

Jeremiah 12 verses

Jeremiah 12 4 Meaning

Jeremiah 12:4 articulates the prophet's lament over the land's suffering, depicting it as mourning and withering, with its animal inhabitants perishing. This widespread desolation is attributed directly to the profound wickedness of its human dwellers. The core reason for this moral decay and subsequent judgment is revealed as the people's defiant and mistaken belief that the Sovereign God is either oblivious to their actions or will not oversee and bring to pass the consequences of their future conduct.

Jeremiah 12 4 Context

Jeremiah 12:4 is part of the prophet Jeremiah's "confessions" or "laments," specifically within a dialogue with God. Immediately preceding this verse (12:1-3), Jeremiah questions God's justice, expressing bewilderment and distress that the wicked prosper while he, God's faithful messenger, suffers. He appeals to God for judgment upon the wicked. This verse shifts from Jeremiah's personal suffering and questioning to highlight the widespread consequence of wickedness on the physical environment. It frames the environmental degradation (land mourning, withered vegetation, perishing animals) as a direct outcome of the inhabitants' moral corruption, whose root cause is their defiant disbelief in God's oversight. This reflects a recurring theme in Jeremiah: the breaking of the covenant not only spiritually corrupts the people but also defiles and devastates the very land promised to them. The passage (Jer 12:1-6) sets the stage for God's challenging response to Jeremiah, where God indicates that far greater struggles are yet to come for the prophet.

Jeremiah 12 4 Word analysis

• "How long" (עַד־מָתַי `‘ad-matai`): This idiomatic Hebrew phrase expresses deep anguish, lament, and an impatient longing for an end to suffering or an intervention. It is a plea for God to act, indicative of Jeremiah's deep distress.
• "land mourn" (תֶּאֱבַל אֶרֶץ `te’eval ’erets`): `’erets` can mean 'land,' 'earth,' or 'ground.' `’aval` (mourn) means to grieve, lament, or pine. The personification of the land mourning vividly conveys its profound distress, groaning under the weight of human sin, implying a desecration that impacts the very fabric of creation.
• "vegetation of every field wither" (וְעֵשֶׂב כָּל־הַשָּׂדֶה יִבָשׁ `wə‘ēsev kol-haśśāḏeh yiḇaš`): `‘esev` refers to plants, grass, or vegetation. `śādeh` denotes a field. `yaḇash` means to dry up, wither, or be shamed. This describes environmental decay, a tangible sign of divine judgment through drought and barrenness, indicating a loss of the land's fruitfulness as a covenant curse.
• "For the wickedness of those who dwell in it" (מֵרָעַת יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ `mēra‘at yōšəḇê vāh`): `rā‘ah` signifies wickedness, evil, or disaster. `yōšəḇê` are its inhabitants. This phrase explicitly states the direct cause-and-effect relationship: human moral corruption is the precise reason for the land's affliction, underscoring human culpability.
• "the beasts and the birds are swept away" (נִסְפּוּ בְּהֵמוֹת וָעוֹף `niśpu bəhēmôt wā‘ôf`): `nāsaf` means to be consumed, brought to an end, or perish, indicating a total destruction. `bəhēmôt` are beasts or cattle, `wā‘ôf` refers to birds. The suffering and demise of innocent animal life highlight the pervasive and indiscriminate nature of the divine judgment, extending beyond just humanity.
• "because people said" (כִּי אָמְרוּ `kî ’āmərû`): This introduces the underlying thought pattern or belief system that fueled their wicked behavior. It points to a deep-seated spiritual error as the root cause.
• "He will not see our latter end" (לֹא יִרְאֶה אֶת־אַחֲרִיתֵנוּ `lō’ yir’eh ’et-’aharîtēnû`): `rā’ah` means to see, observe, or perceive. `’acharît` refers to the latter end, future, outcome, or consequences. This defiant declaration reveals a profound spiritual delusion: the people deny God's omniscience and omnipotence. They believe God is either unaware of their long-term plans and hidden deeds, or that He is indifferent and will not intervene or bring about the final consequences for their wicked ways. This theological error empowers their continued sin.

• "How long will the land mourn...with the beasts and the birds are swept away": This composite lament by Jeremiah vividly portrays the pervasive impact of human sin, depicting it not just as a human problem but a cosmic disruption where even nature suffers alongside, serving as a powerful visual of impending judgment.
• "For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, because people said, 'He will not see our latter end.'": This phrase clarifies the direct chain of causality. The residents' actions, specifically their moral failings (`wickedness`), stem from an arrogant and presumptuous spiritual belief—their conviction that God is either blind or unconcerned about their future deeds and their ultimate destiny. This highlights a self-deceiving justification for their ungodliness.

Jeremiah 12 4 Bonus section

This verse powerfully serves as a polemic against common ancient Near Eastern beliefs that gods might be localized or unaware of human actions, affirming Yahweh's unparalleled omnipresence and perfect knowledge. It also reinforces the covenantal understanding from Deuteronomy (e.g., Deut 28) where the prosperity and desolation of the land were directly tied to Israel's obedience or disobedience. The idea of creation suffering due to human sin, especially evident in the perishing animals, foreshadows later New Testament themes such as Romans 8:20-22, where creation groans in anticipation of its redemption from the futility imposed by human fall. Jeremiah's question "How long?" is not just a personal lament but also an intercessory plea, urging God's divine justice and intervention.

Jeremiah 12 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 12:4 acts as a bridge between the prophet's personal lament regarding the prosperity of the wicked and the broader ecological consequences of sin. It graphically illustrates that the persistent moral depravity of the people of Judah results not only in spiritual decay but also in tangible devastation upon their land and its creatures. The land itself is personified as mourning, and the life it sustains—vegetation, beasts, and birds—is perishing, marking it with divine displeasure. The core and most grievous sin revealed here is not merely the wicked acts themselves, but the underlying theological delusion that God does not "see our latter end." This denial of God's omnipresence, omniscience, and sovereign judgment gives the people license to continue in their rebellion, convinced they can escape accountability. This profound spiritual blindness guarantees their future destruction, confirming that God's sight encompasses their beginning and end, and He will indeed act.