Jeremiah 12:6

6 For even your own brothers and your father's family are betraying you; they are in full cry after you. Despite all their nice speech, don't believe them.

Jeremiah 12:6 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 12:6

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father
The men of Anathoth; even they have dealt treacherously with thee;
by laying schemes, and consulting methods, to take away his life privately; his enemies were those of his own house; which is oftentimes the case of good men, and especially of such that are in public office: yea, they have called a multitude after thee;
a multitude of men, which they gathered together, and instigated to call after him in a clamorous and reproachful way: or, they called after thee with a full voice,
as the Vulgate Latin F26 version renders it; and which De Dieu approves of; they not only gathered a mob about him, and drew men after him, but they hooted him as he went along, and called aloud after him, giving him the most reproachful names they could think of: believe them not, though they speak fair words to thee;
this must be understood of some of them, who did not appear so openly against him, as to call after him, or gather a mob about him; but of such who pretended to be his friends, and to have respect for him, and yet had evil designs against him, and therefore were not to be trusted; their words were not to be believed; their company to be shunned; nor was he safe in their houses; nor was it safe for him to be with them, to eat with them, or converse with them.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (alm Kyrxa warq hmh) "illi clamarunt post te plena voce", V. L. Tigurine version, Calvin; "pleno gutture", Piscator, Cosceius.

Jeremiah 12:6 In-Context

4 How long must the land mourn and the grass in all the fields wither? The wild animals and birds are consumed because of the wickedness of those who live there; for they say, "He will not see how we end up."
5 If racing men on foot exhausts you, how will you compete against horses? You may feel secure in a land at peace, but how will you do in the Yarden's thick brush?
6 For even your own brothers and your father's family are betraying you; they are in full cry after you. Despite all their nice speech, don't believe them.
7 "I have abandoned my house, I have rejected my heritage, I have given my heart's beloved over to the hands of her foes.
8 For me, my heritage has become like a lion in the forest - she roared out against me; so now I hate her.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.