Jeremiah 12:9 kjv
Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
Jeremiah 12:9 nkjv
My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture; The vultures all around are against her. Come, assemble all the beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!
Jeremiah 12:9 niv
Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.
Jeremiah 12:9 esv
Is my heritage to me like a hyena's lair? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.
Jeremiah 12:9 nlt
My chosen people act like speckled vultures,
but they themselves are surrounded by vultures.
Bring on the wild animals to pick their corpses clean!
Jeremiah 12 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 12:9 | My inheritance has become to me as a speckled bird... | Jeremiah 12:9 (Original) |
| Psalm 78:61 | And delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy's hand. | Delivered God's strength and glory to captivity |
| Isaiah 5:9 | The LORD of hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely many houses shall become desolate, even grand and beautiful ones, without inhabitant. | Devastation of once-habitation |
| Jeremiah 1:15 | For out of the north calamity shall break forth on all the inhabitants of the land. | Calamity from the north |
| Jeremiah 17:1-2 | Judah's sin is inscribed with a pen of iron... Their altars are like stones on the threshing floor. | Sin leading to desolation |
| Jeremiah 18:15-16 | Yet my people have forgotten me... they have stumbled in their ways... to cause them to stumble... as a witness against them. | Forgotten God, consequences follow |
| Jeremiah 22:6 | For thus says the LORD against the house of the king of Judah: "You are Gilead to Me, the head of Lebanon; yet surely I will make you a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. | King's house as wilderness |
| Jeremiah 23:33-34 | And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest asks you, saying, 'What is the oracle of the LORD?'... I will cast you off,' says the LORD. | Casting off the people |
| Jeremiah 50:17 | Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away... the king of Assyria has devoured him... last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. | Israel scattered and devoured |
| Lamentations 1:1 | How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! | Jerusalem like a widow |
| Lamentations 2:6 | He has done violence to his appointed feast day; he has utterly forgotten the Sabbath in Zion, and he has scorned in his great indignation both king and priests. | God's wrath on feasts and sabbaths |
| Ezekiel 36:20 | But when they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.' | Profaning God's name among nations |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you... | Lack of knowledge and rejection |
| Micah 3:12 | Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the temple a place of overgrown wastes. | Zion plowed like a field |
| Acts 7:42 | Then God turned away and gave them up to worship the host of heaven... | Worshipping celestial bodies |
| Romans 2:24 | For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written. | Blasphemy of God's name |
| 2 Corinthians 5:20 | Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God. | Ambassadors for Christ |
| Revelation 18:21 | Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall be found no more." | Violent destruction of a city |
| Psalm 2:4 | He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. | God's response to earthly kings |
| Jeremiah 9:11 | And I will make Jerusalem’s ruins a heap of rubble, a dwelling place for jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, so that no one lives there. | Jerusalem as jackals' den |
| Ezekiel 19:2 | And say, 'What is your mother? A lioness. She lay down among lions and reared her cubs among young lions. | Metaphor of a lioness mother |
| Nahum 3:2-3 | The crack of the whip and the rumble of the wheels, the galloping horses, the jolting chariots! The cavalry charging, the flashing swords, the gleam of spears, the hordes of slain, the heaps of corpses, the dead bodies without end—they stumble over them! | Depiction of battle aftermath |
| Haggai 2:23 | On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts. | God's choice and sealing |
Jeremiah 12 verses
Jeremiah 12 9 Meaning
My dovecote has become like the places where wild animals prowl. My inheritance has been scattered.
Jeremiah 12 9 Context
This verse is found in Jeremiah chapter 12, a passage where the prophet laments the prosperity of the wicked and questions God’s justice. Specifically, Jeremiah is expressing his pain over the covenant people, Judah, and how their current state is a betrayal of their identity as God’s inheritance. The surrounding verses (12:7-13) paint a picture of severe divine judgment upon the land due to its sinfulness. The "inheritance" (Jerusalem, the Temple, and the land) is described as having become a haunt for wild animals and as being scattered, signifying desolation and abandonment. This imagery reflects the historical context of impending Babylonian conquest and exile, where the land would be ravaged and the people dispersed. The prophet’s cry is also a plea for God to vindicate Him and His people, and to bring justice upon their enemies.
Jeremiah 12 9 Word Analysis
- "My dovecote" ( Hebrew: לְפִרְיוֹתַי – lə-pîryôṯay): This word, often translated as "my dovecote" or "my flock," metaphorically refers to God's people or the sanctuary itself, suggesting a place of peace, tenderness, and divine presence, akin to where doves might gather. The possessive "My" emphasizes God's ownership and relationship with this place. It carries connotations of a cherished dwelling or protected community.
- "has become" ( Hebrew: הָיְתָה – hāyəṯâ): This verb indicates a transformation or change of state, highlighting the degraded condition of what was once sacred or cherished. It points to a reversal from its intended purpose.
- "like the places where wild animals prowl" ( Hebrew: לְאָרִיקוֹת – lə-’ărîqôṯ): This phrase translates to "like a wilderness," "like ruins," or "a desolate place." It evokes images of desolation, neglect, and invasion by untamed forces, starkly contrasting with the original peaceful intent of a "dovecote." The reference is to an empty, wild, and possibly dangerous terrain.
- "My inheritance" ( Hebrew: נַחֲלָתִי – naḥălâṯî): This term, "nahala" (inheritance), carries significant theological weight. It refers to the land God promised and gave to Israel, representing His covenant and His portion among the nations. The possessive "My" reinforces God’s claim and deep connection to His people and land.
- "has been scattered" ( Hebrew: נְפָצָה – nəpāṣâ): This verb signifies dispersal, scattering, or being driven away. It conveys a sense of disarray, loss of unity, and ruin. The nation, once a consolidated entity, is now broken and dispersed, much like flock of sheep scattered by predators.
Words-Group Analysis
- "My dovecote has become like the places where wild animals prowl": This juxtaposition powerfully conveys the desecration and abandonment of what was sacred. The divine sanctuary or the chosen community is no longer a place of peace but a wild, desolate expanse, mirroring the consequences of sin and divine judgment. This is not just physical destruction but also a spiritual and symbolic one.
- "My inheritance has been scattered": This phrase underlines the breaking of the covenant and the loss of God's blessing. The "inheritance"—Israel—is no longer whole or unified; its people are dispersed, implying a profound state of ruin and a removal of divine protection and favor due to their unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 12 9 Bonus Section
The chosen metaphor of the "dovecote" evokes the gentle and vulnerable nature of doves, often symbolizing peace, innocence, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16). Its transformation into a haunt for wild animals signifies the complete subversion of God's intended purpose and the invasion of chaotic, destructive forces into what was meant to be a haven of divine fellowship. The term "dovecote" might also relate to the dwelling of God in the Temple in Jerusalem. The scattering of the "inheritance" (God's people and land) can be linked to God's right to reclaim His possession when it is defiled or neglected, much like a proprietor would deal with a spoiled asset. This verse foreshadows the ultimate scattering of Israel and the future ingathering by God, as seen in prophetic passages pointing to a restored remnant.
Jeremiah 12 9 Commentary
Jeremiah 12:9 is a poignant expression of God's sorrow over the spiritual and physical devastation of His chosen people and land. The imagery of the "dovecote" becoming a haunt for wild animals and the "inheritance" being scattered speaks to the deep wound caused by sin and its consequences. This verse highlights the broken relationship between God and His people due to their disobedience. The transformation from a place of peace and divine dwelling to a desolate ruin signifies the absence of God's blessing and protection. It serves as a stark warning about the gravity of spiritual unfaithfulness and the severe judgment that follows when a people forsake their covenant Lord. The scattering of the inheritance underscores the loss of covenant identity and belonging. This verse isn't merely a historical description but a timeless reminder of the destructive power of sin on any community or individual that strays from God.