Jeremiah 12:5

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 12:1-17

CHAPTER VIITHE BROKEN COVENANTJeremiah 11:1-23 and Jeremiah 12:1-17THERE is no visible break between these two chapters. They seem to summarise the history of a particular episode in the prophet’s career. At the same time, the style is so peculiar that it is not so easy as it might appear at a first glance to determine exactly what it is that the section has to tell us. When we come to take a closer look at it, we find a thoroughly characteristic mixture of direct narrative and soliloquy, of... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Jeremiah 12:1-17

CHAPTER 12 The Prophet’s Prayer and the House Forsaken, Yet Compassion 1. The prophet’s prayer (Jeremiah 12:1-6 ) 2. The house forsaken, yet compassion (Jeremiah 12:7-17 ) Jeremiah 12:1-6 . In his outburst of grief and in great mental perplexity Jeremiah states the old question, why does the righteous man suffer, why does the wicked prosper? And then the prayer for His intervention. Such will be again the case with the godly remnant in the end of this present age. They will suffer and be... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Jeremiah 12:5

12:5 If thou hast run with the {f} footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and [if] in the land of peace, [in which] thou didst trust, [they wearied thee], then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?(f) Some think that God reproves Jeremiah, in that he would reason with him, saying that if he was not able to march with men, then he was far unable to dispute with God. Others, by the footmen mean them of Anathoth: and by the horsemen, them of Jerusalem... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 12:1-17

PERSECUTED IN HIS HOME TOWN The length of this lesson may alarm, but preparation for it only requires the reading of the chapters two or three times. One who has gone through Isaiah will soon catch the drift of the Spirit’s teaching and be able to break up the chapters into separate discourses and the discourses into their various themes. The main object of the lesson is to dwell on the prophet’s personal experience in his home town which is reached in the closing chapters. It is thought... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Jeremiah 12:4-6

I venture to look far beyond Jeremiah and all his personal troubles, in what is here said. Who indeed, but must eye Jesus, in what is here said of his brethren. John 7:3-5 . And with respect to Jesus, what were the swellings of Jordan, and the contention of horses, compared to the billows of divine wrath, which overwhelmed his precious soul, when he made his soul an offering for sin. Psalms 42:7 ; Song of Solomon 8:7 ; Psalms 69:1-3 , etc. read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 12:5

Horses. If thou hast been terrified at the threats of thy fellow-citizens, how wilt thou withstand those of Jerusalem? (Menochius) or he speaks to Juda, who would not be able to resist the Chaldeans, since the Philistines, &c., had routed the Jews, though destitute of cavalry. --- Jordan, or the nations of Ammon, &c., on that side. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt," &c. (Haydock) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 12:1-6

1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning God's dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of God, believing that he never did the least wrong to any of his creatures. When we find it hard to understand any of his dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and abide by them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do, knows how our hearts are toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerity of the upright. Divine... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Jeremiah 12:1-6

The Conspiracy in the Prophet's own Family v. 1. Righteous art Thou, O Lord, maintaining justice, when I plead with Thee, when he brings his case to the Lord's attention; yet let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments, reasoning with Jehovah concerning a matter which seems incompatible with divine righteousness: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Why is it that they seem to be fortunate in all their dealings? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? How may the... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Jeremiah 12:1-17

5. THIRD STAGE OF THE CONSPIRACY: THE PLOT IN THE PROPHET’S OWN FAMILYJeremiah 12:1-61 Thou maintainest justice, O Jehovah, when I plead with thee.Only on matters of judgment will I speak with thee.Why is the way of the wicked prosperous?Why do all live in peace, who practise knavery?2 Thou hast planted them and they have taken root;They grow up, they also bear fruit:Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.3 But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me,Regard me and prove my... read more

Alexander MacLaren

Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture - Jeremiah 12:5

Jeremiah CALMS AND CRISES Jer_12:5 The prophet has been complaining of his persecutors. The divine answer is here, reproving his impatience, and giving him to understand that harder trials are in store for him. Both clauses mean substantially the same thing, and are of a parabolic nature. The one adduces the metaphor of a race: ‘Footmen have beaten you, have they? Then how will you run with cavalry?’ The other is more clear in the Revised Version rendering: ‘Though in a land of peace you... read more