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

This verse describes God's distress and sadness over the sinfulness and actions of His people. It indicates that wickedness and its consequences cause Him deep pain and distress, prompting His judgment.

Jeremiah 12 4 Context

Jeremiah 12:4 describes God's reaction to the pervasive wickedness in the land, particularly among His people, Judah. The surrounding verses show Jeremiah lamenting the prosperity of the wicked and questioning God's justice. God's response in verse 4 reveals that He is grieved by the sin and its negative impact on creation. This verse falls within a larger section where Jeremiah is dealing with his own doubts and God's impending judgment on Judah due to their unfaithfulness and idolatry. The historical context is during the late monarchy of Judah, a time marked by religious corruption and political instability, leading up to the Babylonian exile.

Jeremiah 12 4 Word Analysis

• "For" (כִּי - ki): A conjunction introducing a reason or explanation for God's distress.
• "how long" (עַד־מָתַי - `ad-māTay): Expresses the duration and extent of the ongoing problem.
• "shall the land" (הָאָרֶץ - hā'āreṣ): Refers to the land of Israel, the promised inheritance.
• "mourn" (אֲבָלָה - 'ăḇālāh): Signifies deep grief, sorrow, and desolation, often due to death or disaster.
• "and" (וְ־ wa): A conjunction connecting clauses.
• "the herbs of every field" (דֶּשֶׁא שָׂדַי - deše' śāḏāy): Refers to the green vegetation, grass, and crops of the land.
• "wither" (יִתְיַבְּשׁוּ - yiṯyabəšû): To become dry and unproductive, indicating decay and ruin.
• "For" (כִּי־ kî): Again, a conjunction indicating the reason.
• "because of" (מִפְּנֵי־ mippənê): Signifies the cause or the presence of something.
• "the wickedness" (רִשְׁעַת - riš‘aṯ): Denotes evil, perversity, injustice, and malicious conduct.
• "of those who dwell in it" (יוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ - yôšəḇê ḇāh): Pertains to the inhabitants of the land.
• "the beasts" (בְּהֵמָה - bəhēmāh): Refers to domestic animals, livestock, but can also encompass wild animals.
• "and" (וְ־ wa): Conjunction.
• "the birds" (עוֹף - ‘ôp̄): Denotes flying creatures.
• "are swept away" (נִשְׁמְדוּ - nišməḏû): Signifies to be destroyed, exterminated, or annihilated.

Grouped analysis:

• "how long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither?": This collective phrase evokes an image of ecological distress directly tied to the sin of the inhabitants. It presents creation itself as suffering because of human corruption.
• "For because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it": This explicitly states the direct causal link between human sin and the negative state of the land. "Wickedness" (רִשְׁעַת) implies a deliberate turning away from God and His laws.
• "the beasts and the birds are swept away": This signifies a broader consequence of sin, affecting not just the land but all living creatures within it. Their destruction reflects the totality of the disruption caused by wickedness.

Jeremiah 12 4 Bonus Section

The lament for the land and its creatures in Jeremiah 12:4 echoes the groaning of creation mentioned in Romans 8:22. This highlights a consistent biblical theme that creation itself is affected by the Fall and the subsequent sin of humanity. God's emotional response as described here, expressing sorrow, is consistent with other instances in Scripture where God "regrets" or is "grieved" by man's sin (e.g., Genesis 6:6). It underscores that God’s perspective on sin includes its detrimental impact on the world He has made and His creatures that inhabit it. This verse also provides a prophetic insight into the ecological consequences that can arise from societal unrighteousness.

Jeremiah 12 4 Commentary

God expresses deep sorrow and a rhetorical question about the prolonged suffering of the land. This suffering, manifest in the wilting of vegetation and the perishing of animals and birds, is a direct consequence of the wickedness of the people living there. It illustrates that sin has far-reaching effects, impacting not only human society but the entire created order. God’s grief highlights His care for His creation and His pain when it is marred by human transgression. This implies a connection between the spiritual state of humanity and the physical well-being of the world. The ultimate judgment God brings is meant to restore order, but the present lament reflects the deep pain caused by sin's destructive presence.