Jeremiah 12:6

6 "For even your 1brothers and the household of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you, Even they have cried aloud after you. Do not believe them, although they may say 2nice things to you."

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 is the land to mourn And the vegetation of the countryside to wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, Animals and birds have been snatched away, Because men have said, "He will not see our latter ending."
5 "If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
6 "For even your brothers and the household of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you, Even they have cried aloud after you. Do not believe them, although they may say nice things to you."
7 "I have forsaken My house, I have abandoned My inheritance; I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.
8 "My inheritance has become to Me Like a lion in the forest; She has roared against Me; Therefore I have come to hate her.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Genesis 37:4-11; Job 6:15; Psalms 69:8; Jeremiah 9:4, 5
  • 2. Psalms 12:2; Proverbs 26:25
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