Jeremías 12:1-10

1 Justo eres tú, oh SEÑOR, aunque yo dispute contigo; hablaré empero juicios contigo. ¿Por qué es prosperado el camino de los impíos? Tienen paz todos los que se rebelan completamente contra ti

2 Los plantaste, y echaron raíces; progresaron, e hicieron fruto; cercano estás tú en sus bocas, mas lejos de sus riñones

3 Y tú, oh SEÑOR, me conoces; me viste, y probaste mi corazón para contigo; arráncalos como a ovejas para el degolladero, y señálalos para el día de la matanza

4 ¿Hasta cuándo estará desierta la tierra, y marchita la hierba de todo el campo por la maldad de los que en ella moran? Faltaron los ganados, y las aves; porque dijeron: No verá él nuestras postrimerías

5 Si corriste con los de a pie, y te cansaron, ¿cómo contenderás con los caballos? Y si en la tierra de paz donde estabas quieto te cansaron, ¿cómo harás en la hinchazón del Jordán

6 Porque aun tus hermanos y la casa de tu padre, aun ellos se levantaron contra ti, aun ellos dieron voces en pos de ti, oh congregación. No les creas, cuando bien te hablaren

7 Dejé mi casa, desamparé mi heredad, entregué lo que amaba mi alma en manos de sus enemigos

8 Fue para mí mi heredad como león en breña; contra mí dio su voz; por tanto la aborrecí

9 ¿Me es por ventura mi heredad ave de muchos colores? ¿No están contra ella aves en derredor? Venid, reuníos, vosotras todas las bestias del campo, venid a devorarla

10 Muchos pastores destruyeron mi viña, hollaron mi heredad, tornaron en desierto y soledad mi heredad preciosa

Jeremías 12:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 12

This chapter contains the prophets complaint of the prosperity of the wicked, and the Lord's answer to it; an account of the deplorable and miserable estate of the Jewish nation; and a threatening to the neighbouring nations that had used them ill; with a promise of deliverance of the Jews from them, and settlement among God's people in case of obedience. The prophet's complaint is in Jer 12:1,2 in which he asserts the justice of God, yet seems at a loss to reconcile it with the prosperity of the wicked; and the rather, because of their hypocrisy; and appeals to the Lord for his own sincerity and uprightness, Jer 12:3 and prays for the destruction of the wicked, and that the time might hasten, for whose wickedness the land was desolate, and herbs, beasts, and birds, consumed, Jer 12:3,4, the Lord's answer, in which he reproves him for his pusillanimity, seeing he had greater trials than those to encounter with, and instructs him how to behave towards his treacherous friends, is in Jer 12:5,6 the account of the miserable condition of the Jewish nation is from Jer 12:7-14, under the simile of a house and heritage left by the Lord, given up to enemies, and compared to a lion and a speckled bird, hateful to God, and hated by those about it, Jer 12:7-9 and of a vineyard destroyed and trodden down by shepherds, and made desolate, Jer 12:10,11 even as a wilderness through the ravage of the sword; so that what is sown upon it comes to nothing, Jer 12:12,13 then follows a threatening to those who had carried the people of Israel captive, with a promise to deliver the Jews out of their hands, and bring them into their own land, and settle them among the Lord's people, in case they use diligence to learn their ways, Jer 12:14-16, but in case of disobedience are threatened to be plucked up and utterly destroyed, Jer 12:17.