Jeremiah 12:1-6 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Problem of Unrighteous Prosperity. Jeremiah raises (for the first time in Hebrew literature) the problem of the prosperity of the unrighteous, apparently in connexion with his experiences at Anathoth. He ventures to complain (rather than plead) unto Yahweh, since He should award adversity to the evildoers who dishonour Him in their inner man (reins, see on Jeremiah 11:20), and he appeals for their punishment. God answers Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12:5) with the warning that he has worse trials to face than the troubles at Anathoth

Jeremiah 12:4 has little point in this context except for its close, He shall not see our latter end, which apparently means that Jeremiah will not live to see the vengeance desired. For this, however, LXX reads, God will not see our ways.

Jeremiah 12:5. thou art secure: the change of one letter gives the much better sense, thou fleest. the pride of Jordan denotes the semi-tropical jungle of the Jordan valley, marking the breadth of the river in flood, still the haunt of wild beasts; cf. Jeremiah 49:19; Zechariah 11:3. This was visible from Jeremiah's home, Anathoth.

Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 12:1

Jeremiah 12:1-6

1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talka with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow,b yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

4 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.

5 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?

6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have calledc a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.