Jeremiah 12 5

Jeremiah 12:5 kjv

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5 nkjv

"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5 niv

"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5 esv

"If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5 nlt

"If racing against mere men makes you tired,
how will you race against horses?
If you stumble and fall on open ground,
what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12 verses

Jeremiah 12 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 12:5 is a rhetorical challenge from God to His prophet Jeremiah, responding to Jeremiah's complaint about the prosperity of the wicked. It metaphorically questions Jeremiah's preparedness for more severe trials if he is already overwhelmed by lesser difficulties. The verse implies that the current struggles, though challenging, are only a warm-up for much greater afflictions and dangers that lie ahead for Jeremiah in his prophetic ministry and for the nation of Judah. God calls Jeremiah to spiritual stamina and deeper resilience, hinting at future divine judgments that will far exceed his present distress.

Jeremiah 12 5 Context

Jeremiah chapter 12 follows Jeremiah's first lament to God in 11:18-12:6. In Jeremiah 12:1-4, Jeremiah pours out his heart to God, questioning divine justice: "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?" He observes that the wicked live in ease, grow old, and prosper, leading him to doubt God's active involvement or righteousness in judgment. Jeremiah, as a prophet, expected immediate divine retribution for evil. In verse 5, God responds not with a direct explanation of the wicked's prosperity, but with a counter-question that reorients Jeremiah's perspective towards the future and the scale of the coming trials. God essentially says, "If you find this hard, just wait until what's coming next." This shifts Jeremiah's focus from his personal complaint to the grander, more arduous mission ahead and the impending, far greater judgments on Judah, which would require immense endurance.

Jeremiah 12 5 Word analysis

• If you have raced with men on foot, (כִּי־רַצְתָּ אֶת־רַגְלִים, ki-ratsta et-raglim)

  • כי (ki): A particle meaning "if," "for," "when," introducing a conditional premise.
  • רַצְתָּ (ratsta): From the root רוּץ (ruts), meaning "to run," "to rush," "to move quickly." In the context of "raced with men on foot," it denotes strenuous exertion and competition, not merely a leisurely stroll. It implies putting forth effort in a struggle.
  • אֶת־רַגְלִים (et-raglim): Literally "with feet-men" or "with men on foot." This signifies a contest with ordinary human opponents, implying challenges that are common, human-scale, and within expected limitations. It represents relatively 'easier' struggles.

• and they have wearied you, (וַיַּלְאֻךָ, vayyal'ukha)

  • וַיַּלְאֻךָ (vayyal'ukha): From the root יָלְאָה (yala), "to be weary," "to be exhausted," "to be tired." The form here shows that they (the footmen, or the struggle itself) have caused Jeremiah to become weary or exhausted. It emphasizes his current state of being overwhelmed and disheartened.

• how will you compete with horses? (וְאֵיךְ תְּתַחֲרֶה אֶת־הַסּוּסִים, v'eikh t'takharéh et-hassusim)

  • וְאֵיךְ (v'eikh): "And how?" Introduces a rhetorical question that highlights the vast difference and challenge of the subsequent scenario.
  • תְּתַחֲרֶה (t'takharéh): From the root חָרָה (kharah), meaning "to burn," "to be hot." In the Hithpael stem, as here, it means "to contend with," "to strive against," "to be jealous of," "to compete fiercely." It suggests a rivalry of significant intensity.
  • אֶת־הַסּוּסִים (et-hassusim): "With the horses." Horses in ancient Near Eastern culture symbolize speed, power, strength, and warfare (cf. Psa 33:17, Isa 31:1, Job 39:19-25). Competing with horses represents facing challenges that are far greater, more overwhelming, and formidable than human-level opposition. It signifies disproportionate odds.

• And if in a safe land you are so easily winded/secure, (וְאִם בְּאֶרֶץ שָׁלוֹם אַתָּה בוֹטֵחַ, v'im b'erets shalom attah botéakh)

  • וְאִם (v'im): "And if." Introduces a second, parallel conditional clause, reinforcing the preceding comparison.
  • בְּאֶרֶץ שָׁלוֹם (b'erets shalom): "In a land of peace/safety." This phrase depicts an environment of relative calm, security, or freedom from immediate threat. It represents easier, more stable circumstances.
  • אַתָּה בוֹטֵחַ (attah botéakh): "You are secure" or "you trust/are confident." This verb בָּטַח (batach) usually means "to trust," "to be confident," "to be secure." The rendering "easily winded" (e.g., NIV, NLT) interprets this in the context of the race metaphor – that even in secure conditions, one becomes complacent or quickly exhausted by trials. Scholarly consensus varies: some see it as Jeremiah's presumption of security making him less prepared, others see it implying that even being secure has somehow weakened him, causing him to tire quickly in this 'safe' environment. It often highlights an internal spiritual state more than physical exertion directly.

• how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan? (וְאֵיךְ תַּעֲשֶׂה בִּגְאוֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן, v'eikh ta'aséh big'on hayYarden)

  • וְאֵיךְ (v'eikh): "And how?" Another rhetorical question.
  • תַּעֲשֶׂה (ta'aséh): From the root עָשָׂה ('asah), "to do," "to make." A general verb for action or coping, meaning "how will you manage/fare?"
  • בִּגְאוֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן (big'on hayYarden): "In the pride/exaltation/thickets of the Jordan." גָּאוֹן (ga'on) means "majesty," "pride," "excellency," often associated with natural features (Psa 47:4, Amos 6:8). Here, "the pride of the Jordan" refers to the lush, dense, and often dangerous jungle-like thickets that lined the Jordan River's banks (cf. Jer 49:19, 50:44; Zech 11:3). These thickets were notorious as the habitat of wild beasts, especially lions, and were difficult to navigate. They represent an environment of extreme peril, chaos, and overwhelming danger – a metaphor for future, much graver trials or God's coming judgments.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • The verse employs parallelism and rhetorical questions to build a powerful argument. Each clause sets up a challenging but manageable scenario, then dramatically escalates the stakes, implying an insurmountable future challenge.
  • "Raced with men... weariness" vs. "compete with horses": This forms a progressive challenge based on physical exertion. Human speed and endurance are dwarfed by that of horses, signifying an increase in magnitude of struggle and opposition.
  • "Safe land... easily winded/secure" vs. "thickets of the Jordan": This parallel moves from environmental comfort to natural peril. The Jordan's thickets represent the opposite of safety and peace – a place of wild, untamed, life-threatening danger, symbolic of an all-encompassing, severe judgment or trial.
  • The contrast from man on foot to horses and safe land to Jordan's thickets effectively conveys a spectrum of difficulty, urging Jeremiah to prepare for ultimate trials far beyond his present experience. It's an indictment of his current spiritual unpreparedness, even in relatively milder circumstances.

Jeremiah 12 5 Bonus section

This verse beautifully encapsulates the divine principle of progressive revelation of difficulty in the lives of God's chosen servants. It suggests that God does not necessarily ease the burdens but rather strengthens His people through the burdens. Jeremiah's call to prophesy brought him into direct conflict with societal norms and spiritual complacency. His initial struggles were painful, but God was essentially saying, "Brace yourself; it will get worse before it gets better, and you need to grow in faith to withstand what's coming." The "thickets of the Jordan" in prophetic literature often represent places where formidable enemies (like lions) emerged, symbolizing chaotic and destructive forces. Therefore, the challenge is not just personal perseverance but a preparation for witnessing and announcing overwhelming national catastrophe and navigating intense opposition. This perspective helps in understanding that God allows various trials as a divine pedagogy, forging endurance, wisdom, and greater dependence on Him for the formidable challenges inherent in following His will fully.

Jeremiah 12 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 12:5 serves as God's divine counsel and stern challenge to His struggling prophet. When Jeremiah laments the prosperity of the wicked (Jer 12:1-4), God's response isn't to justify the wicked but to prepare His servant for the harsher realities of his calling and the future. The rhetorical questions demand that Jeremiah move beyond his present level of faith and endurance. The imagery of a footrace transitioning to a contest with horses signifies an escalation from human-scale problems to overwhelming, divinely appointed, and potentially devastating challenges. Similarly, the "safe land" versus "thickets of the Jordan" underscores the shift from relatively comfortable circumstances to perilous environments rife with mortal danger, representing the intense period of Judah's judgment that Jeremiah was prophesying. This verse is not a rebuke for his questioning but a call to deeper resilience, reminding him that the path of faithful service to God often involves trials far exceeding what is immediately apparent. It emphasizes that present difficulties are often God's way of strengthening His servants for future, greater tasks, preparing them for spiritual "heavy lifting" by first developing their "muscles" with lesser weights.