Jeremiah 9 12

Jeremiah 9:12 kjv

Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

Jeremiah 9:12 nkjv

Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?

Jeremiah 9:12 niv

Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?

Jeremiah 9:12 esv

Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Jeremiah 9:12 nlt

Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it?

Jeremiah 9 verses

Jeremiah 9 12 Meaning

Jeremiah 9:12 poses a profound question, asking who possesses the divine wisdom and understanding to comprehend why the land of Judah faces utter desolation, lying waste like a wilderness, utterly abandoned and uninhabitable. It points to a deep spiritual failure and the severe consequences of rejecting God, emphasizing that only those with insight from God could truly discern the true cause behind the impending national catastrophe.

Jeremiah 9 12 Context

Jeremiah chapter 9 serves as a lament and an oracle of judgment. The prophet expresses deep anguish over the pervasive sin of Judah (lying, treachery, slander, false worship, stubbornness) and God's inevitable response. Chapter 9 describes the complete breakdown of moral and spiritual fabric in society, lamenting the corruption from the common people to the leaders and priests. Verse 11 details the specific judgment—making Jerusalem a heap of ruins and the towns of Judah a desolation. Verse 12 then raises the rhetorical question, emphasizing that the reasons for such severe judgment are not obvious to the spiritually blind but are clear to those who discern God's ways and righteousness. Historically, Jeremiah prophesied during the decline of Judah, warning about the impending Babylonian invasion (605-586 BC) that would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and exile, precisely the desolation described.

Jeremiah 9 12 Word analysis

• וְמִ֤י (ve·mî): "And who" / "Who then." The "ve-" is a conjunction "and." "mî" is an interrogative pronoun. This sets up a rhetorical question, implying very few, if any, possess this knowledge on their own. It underscores human ignorance in contrast to divine wisdom.
• הָאִישׁ֙ (hā·’îš): "is the man" / "the person." The definite article "hā-" means "the." "’îš" (man, individual, person) emphasizes that a specific type of discerning person is sought, one endowed with a particular quality or insight.
• הֶֽחָכָ֔ם (he·ḥā·ḵām): "who is wise" / "the wise." "ḥā·ḵām" refers to someone possessing wisdom (חָכְמָה - ḥokhmâ), not merely intelligence, but often moral and spiritual understanding, especially in biblical contexts, aligning with living in accordance with God's ways.
• וְיָבֵ֣ן (ve·yā·ḇên): "and will understand" / "that he may understand." The "ve-" (and) connects to the wise man. "yā·ḇên" comes from the root בִּין (bin), meaning "to discern, perceive, distinguish, understand." It denotes not just superficial knowledge but deep insight into the true meaning or cause.
• אֶת־ (’eṯ-): Untranslated direct object marker.
• זֹאת֙ (zōṯ): "this" / "this thing." Refers to the desolation described in the preceding verse (9:11).
• וְעַל־מַה֙ (ve·‘al-maH): "And for what" / "And on account of what." "ve-" (and), "‘al" (upon, for, because of), "maH" (what). This phrase directly asks for the cause or reason.
• אִבְּדָ֣ה (’ib·beḏāH): "has been destroyed" / "is ruined." From אָבַד (’avad), "to perish, be lost, destroy." In this context, it speaks of complete and utter destruction or desolation. The verb implies divine agency or allowance.
• הָאָ֗רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ): "the land." Refers specifically to the land of Judah/Israel.
• נִצְתָ֤ה (niṣ·ṯāH): "has become waste" / "lies desolate." From נָשַׁם (nasham), meaning "to lie desolate, be waste." It paints a picture of emptiness and ruin, devoid of life or inhabitants.
• כַּמִּדְבָּר֙ (kham·miḏ·bār): "like a desert" / "like the wilderness." "kha-" (like, as) and "miḏ·bār" (wilderness, desert). This simile emphasizes the extreme barrenness, dryness, and uninhabitable nature of the desolation.
• מִבְּלִ֖י (mib·be·lî): "without" / "so that none." "min" (from) + "bəlî" (without, nothingness). This denotes the complete absence of something.
• עוֹבֵֽר׃ (‘ô·ḇêr): "passing through" / "one passing through" / "an inhabitant." From עָבַר (‘avar), "to pass over, pass through." It signifies that the land is so utterly waste that no one even traverses it, let alone inhabits it. It's a land completely forsaken.

Words-Group Analysis:

• וּמִֽי הָאִישׁ֙ הֶֽחָכָ֔ם וְיָבֵ֣ן אֶת־זֹאת֙: "Who is the wise man that can understand this?" This is a rhetorical challenge. It implies that true wisdom (spiritual insight, not just worldly knowledge) is required to comprehend God's actions and the depth of the nation's sin. It is not merely intellectual curiosity but a call for spiritual discernment.
• וְעַל־מַה֙ אִבְּדָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ נִצְתָ֤ה כַּמִּדְבָּר֙ מִבְּלִ֖י עוֹבֵֽר׃: "And for what reason has the land been destroyed and laid waste like a wilderness, with no one passing through?" This expands the central question. The comprehensive description of desolation—destroyed, laid waste, like a desert, uninhabited—highlights the extremity of God's judgment and prompts the search for its ultimate cause, which is ultimately linked to their abandonment of the covenant.

Jeremiah 9 12 Bonus section

The rhetorical question structure of Jer 9:12 is a wisdom-literature device. It functions not to seek an answer from man, but to affirm that the true answer lies with God, and only those whom God enlightens or those truly attuned to His covenant would know it. This pattern can be found in other prophetic books when addressing the deep mysteries of God's ways or humanity's ultimate ignorance. The verse challenges any pretense of understanding among the unfaithful, who might have attributed their suffering to other gods, fate, or mere chance. Instead, the prophet forces them to confront that their destruction is a divinely ordained consequence of their national spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to Yahweh. The concept of "knowledge of God" is pivotal in Jeremiah; often, it is not merely intellectual knowledge but intimate, covenantal relationship. This verse laments the lack of this true knowledge that prevents them from understanding the consequences of their actions.

Jeremiah 9 12 Commentary

Jeremiah 9:12 is a crucial pivot, moving from lamenting Judah's internal corruption to questioning the rationale behind God's judgment. The rhetorical "Who is wise enough to understand this?" reveals the spiritual blindness of the people, who, despite their catastrophic situation, still fail to grasp the divine justice at play. The implied answer, as the subsequent verses and other prophets clarify, is that their suffering stems directly from their pervasive disobedience, idolatry, covenant-breaking, and rejection of God's law (Jer 9:13-14). The desolation, vivid with imagery of a wasteland "without an inhabitant," is a stark reminder of the gravity of turning away from the living God. It is God who "causes to pass over" this judgment, reflecting His righteousness in punishing sin. True wisdom here is not intellectual prowess but spiritual discernment granted by God to understand His will and ways. The question is aimed at revealing that only one who fears the Lord and walks in His statutes would grasp such truth, indicating a lament on the profound ignorance of Judah about its own plight and its divine origins.