Jeremiah 12:6

6 Even your own family has turned against you. They have shouted loudly at you. They might say nice things about you. But do not trust 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 will the land be thirsty for water? How long will the grass in every field be dry? The people who live in the land are evil. So the animals and birds have died. And that's not all. The people are saying, "The LORD won't see what happens to us."
5 The LORD says, "Suppose you have run in a race with other men. And suppose they have worn you out. Then how would you be able to race against horses? Suppose you feel safe only in open country. Then how would you get along in the bushes near the Jordan River?
6 Even your own family has turned against you. They have shouted loudly at you. They might say nice things about you. But do not trust them.
7 "I will turn my back on my people. I will desert my land. I love the people of Judah. In spite of that, I will hand them over to their enemies.
8 My land has become to me like a lion in the forest. It roars at me. So I hate it.
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