Jeremiah 12:7 kjv
I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
Jeremiah 12:7 nkjv
"I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
Jeremiah 12:7 niv
"I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies.
Jeremiah 12:7 esv
"I have forsaken my house; I have abandoned my heritage; I have given the beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies.
Jeremiah 12:7 nlt
"I have abandoned my people, my special possession.
I have surrendered my dearest ones to their enemies.
Jeremiah 12 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hos 1:9 | Then the Lord said, "Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people..." | God rejects His people due to unfaithfulness. |
| Deut 31:17 | Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake | God's foretold abandonment due to sin. |
| Lev 26:33 | I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you. | Consequences of breaking covenant; scattering. |
| 2 Kgs 21:14 | I will abandon the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them... | God giving up the remaining portion of His people. |
| Lam 2:1 | How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger! | God's active role in bringing calamity/judgment. |
| Ps 74:7 | They have set Your sanctuary on fire; they have profaned the dwelling... | Destruction of God's dwelling place. |
| Isa 64:11 | Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised You, has been... | Lament over the Temple's destruction. |
| Jer 7:4 | Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, "This is the temple of the LORD" | False security in the Temple. |
| Ezek 8:6 | Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations... | Abominations in the Temple provoke God's wrath. |
| Deut 32:9 | For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the share of His inheritance | Israel as God's heritage. |
| Ex 19:5 | If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be | Israel as God's treasured possession. |
| Isa 5:7 | For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel... | Israel depicted as God's carefully tended possession |
| Jer 3:19 | I said, "How I would set you among My sons... call Me, 'My Father!'" | God's original loving intention for His people. |
| Hos 11:8 | How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? | God's internal struggle and sorrow over judgment. |
| Isa 63:9 | In all their distress He was distressed... But they rebelled and grieved | God's shared suffering and eventual grieving. |
| Rom 1:24 | Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity... | God giving over to sin's consequences (NT echo). |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells... | New Testament concept of God's "house" (believers). |
| Ps 76:10 | For the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath... | God uses enemies as instruments of His judgment. |
| Hab 1:6 | For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that fierce and impetuous nation | God's active selection of Babylon for judgment. |
| Jer 11:17 | The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced disaster against you... | God bringing disaster against His own people. |
| Jer 30:14 | All your lovers have forgotten you; they seek you not; for I have wounded.. | God allowing external affliction. |
| Isa 49:15 | Can a woman forget her nursing child... Even these may forget, yet I will | God's deep and unwavering love for His people. |
| Jer 31:3 | I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness... | Enduring love and promise of future restoration. |
Jeremiah 12 verses
Jeremiah 12 7 Meaning
Jeremiah 12:7 declares God's solemn and sorrowful decision to withdraw His protection and relinquish His treasured people and dwelling to the power of their adversaries. This pronouncement signifies divine judgment resulting from Judah's pervasive apostasy and unfaithfulness, portraying God's pain at the necessity of this action against "the beloved of My soul."
Jeremiah 12 7 Context
Jeremiah 12:7 follows Jeremiah's personal complaint to God (vv. 1-4) concerning the prosperity of the wicked and God's apparent inaction. In response, God challenges Jeremiah to prepare for even greater difficulties (vv. 5-6), foreshadowing the national crisis to come. This verse then opens God's lament and severe pronouncement against Judah (vv. 7-13). It directly addresses the impending Babylonian invasion and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, acting as divine justification for allowing such calamity. The historical context is Judah on the brink of exile, having repeatedly violated the covenant through idolatry, injustice, and disobedience, despite prophetic warnings. This pronouncement shatters the false security derived from the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem and the belief in unconditional divine protection.
Jeremiah 12 7 Word analysis
- I have forsaken (עָזַב,
azav): Signifies a deliberate, painful act of letting go or withdrawing help. It implies God's previous protection and intimacy are being consciously rescinded. This is not passive neglect but an active turning away. - My house (בֵיתִי,
beiti): Refers primarily to the Temple in Jerusalem, God's dwelling place. Symbolically, it extends to the nation of Judah, the place where God's presence was manifest among His people. The "My" underscores divine ownership. - I have abandoned (נָטַשׁ,
natash): A stronger term thanazav, suggesting a final relinquishment or casting off. It denotes surrendering something precious, a definite and conclusive removal of care and oversight. It intensifies the gravity of God's action. - My heritage (נַחֲלָתִי,
nachalati): This is Israel/Judah, described as God's special possession and inheritance, given to Him by covenant. It highlights their unique, treasured status, making the abandonment particularly grievous for God. - I have given (נָתַתִּי,
natatti): Emphasizes God's active, sovereign agency in orchestrating judgment. He is not merely allowing events to unfold but purposefully delivering His people to their fate. It underscores divine control over the instruments of judgment. - the beloved of My soul (יְדִידוּת נַפְשִׁי,
yedidut nafshi): "Beloved" (yedidut) speaks of deep affection, endearment, and a cherished status. "My soul" (nafshi) attributes intense personal emotion to God, conveying His profound agony and sorrow in having to pass judgment on that which He holds most dear. This is Judah, deeply loved, despite their rebellion. - into the hand of her enemies (בְּיַד אֹיְבֶיהָ,
b'yad oy'veyha): "Hand" (yad) denotes power, control, and authority. God is actively giving Judah over to the dominion and destructive power of their adversaries, confirming the enemies (Babylon) are instruments in God's sovereign plan.
Jeremiah 12 7 Bonus section
The Hebrew word yedidut for "beloved" in "the beloved of My soul" is rare, appearing only twice in the Old Testament (here and in Psalms 45:1 as yadid). Its use here magnifies the intense affection God had for Judah, making His act of judgment all the more heart-wrenching. The polemical undertone challenges the pervasive false doctrine that God would never allow His Temple or chosen people to fall, a belief system fostered by corrupt prophets. God, through Jeremiah, declares His personal involvement in this calamity, thereby directly refuting any notion of national invincibility due to the mere presence of His sanctuary. This act of judgment, though severe, aligns with the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy, fulfilling ancient prophecies about the consequences of persistent disobedience.
Jeremiah 12 7 Commentary
Jeremiah 12:7 is a profoundly sorrowful and severe declaration from God, revealing His broken heart over Judah's rebellion and His just yet painful necessity to bring judgment. The threefold repetition of relinquishing terms—"forsaken," "abandoned," "given"—underscores the decisiveness and complete nature of God's withdrawal of protection. "My house" (the Temple and nation) and "My heritage" (His specially chosen people) confirm the magnitude of this judgment, as these were pillars of their identity and security. The phrase "the beloved of My soul" is exceptionally poignant; it conveys divine anthropopathism, revealing God's deep, personal pain in acting against those He so intensely cherished. This is not arbitrary anger but righteous grief, a lament from the ultimate Father who must discipline a beloved, wayward child. God is not merely reacting but actively, sorrowfully, giving His own over to judgment as a direct consequence of their covenant breaking, specifically to external adversaries who serve as His instruments. The verse offers a theological explanation for the imminent suffering of Judah, grounding it in God's justice while simultaneously highlighting His profound love even amidst judgment.