Jeremiah 12:8 - Exposition

The reason why Jehovah has given up his people. Israel (or, more strictly, Judah) has proceeded to open hostility against his God . He is unto me —or rather, has become unto me— as a lion in the forest ; a familiar circumstance (comp. on Jeremiah 12:5 and Jeremiah 4:7 ). Therefore have I hated it . "To hate" is a strong expression for the withdrawal of love, shown by the giving up of Israel into the power of his enemies, as Malachi 1:3 (Keil).