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Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Jeremiah 12:1-6

The Problem of Unrighteous Prosperity. Jeremiah raises (for the first time in Hebrew literature) the problem of the prosperity of the unrighteous, apparently in connexion with his experiences at Anathoth. He ventures to complain (rather than plead) unto Yahweh, since He should award adversity to the evildoers who dishonour Him in their inner man (reins, see on Jeremiah 11:20), and he appeals for their punishment. God answers Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12:5) with the warning that he has worse trials to face than the troubles at Anathoth

Jeremiah 12:4 has little point in this context except for its close, He shall not see our latter end, which apparently means that Jeremiah will not live to see the vengeance desired. For this, however, LXX reads, God will not see our ways.

Jeremiah 12:5. thou art secure: the change of one letter gives the much better sense, thou fleest. the pride of Jordan denotes the semi-tropical jungle of the Jordan valley, marking the breadth of the river in flood, still the haunt of wild beasts; cf. Jeremiah 49:19; Zechariah 11:3. This was visible from Jeremiah's home, Anathoth.

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See also Jeremiah 12:1-6 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XII _This chapter is connected with the foregoing. The prophet_ _expostulates with God concerning the ways of Providence in_ _permitting the wicked to prosper_, 1-4. _It is intimated to hi...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    YET LET ME TALK ... - Rather, yet will I speak with thee on a matter of right. This sense is well given in the margin. The prophet acknowledges the general righteousness of God’s dealings, but cannot...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 The Prophet's Prayer and the House Forsaken, Yet Compassion _ 1. The prophet's prayer (Jeremiah 12:1) 2. The house forsaken, yet compassion (Jeremiah 12:7) _ Jeremiah 12:1. In his outburs...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    RIGHTEOUS, &C. Figure of speech _Synchoresis._ App-6. LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. "Wherefore... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ WICKED. lawless. Hebrew. _rasha'._ App-44. deal very treacherously....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Righteous art thou_ God's justice is established as the result of every enquiry into His ways. Jeremiah, while admitting this, yet asks how it can be reconciled with (i) the prosperity of the wicked,...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jeremiah 12:1. See summary at commencement of section. Pe. points out that this passage is very important in religious history, since it is probably the first expression we have in Hebrew literature o...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    RIGHTEOUS ART THOU, O LORD— _Righteous,_ &c. _therefore will I plead with thee: but I will speak nothing but what is just with thee. Wherefore,_ &c. Jeremiah speaks this concerning those same wicked p...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. The Prophet's Complaint Jeremiah 12:1-4 TRANSLATION (1) Righteous are you, O LORD, when I present my case unto You; yet I will speak to You with regard to matters of judgment. Why does the way of...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WHEREFORE, etc.] The question was one which much exercised men of pre-Christian times who had no clear view of any but temporal rewards and punishments. See Psalms 37:39, 49, 73, and Job (specially Je...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1-4. The prosperity of the wicked perplexes Jeremiah....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    YET LET ME TALK WITH THEE. — The soul of the prophet is vexed, as had been the soul of Job (Jeremiah 21:7), of Asaph (Psalms 73), and others, by the apparent anomalies of the divine government. He own...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    צַדִּ֤יק אַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אָרִ֖יב אֵלֶ֑יךָ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VII THE BROKEN COVENANT Jeremiah 11:1 and Jeremiah 12:1 THERE is no visible break between these two Chapter s. They seem to summarise the history of a particular episode in the prophet's car...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Now we hear the prophet as he appealed to Jehovah to be his Defender, and. finally, we hear the divine determination. concerning his evil neighbors. This peril was revealed to him by Jehovah. It was...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (a) Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me speak with thee of [thy] judgments: Why doth the way of the wicked (b) prosper? [why] are they all happy that deal very treacherous...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Is just. Hebrew, "judgment." Septuagint, "I will make my apology to thee." Jeremias had been grievously persecuted by his countrymen: he therefore mentions a subject which has been the source of much...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This Chapter contains the humble application to the Lord, in beholding the prosperity of the wicked. Towards the close of the Chapter we have some sweet promises of God to his people....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If the Reader will turn to Psalms 73:1, and remark the complaints of Asaph, on the same subject, he will find the best comment to what Jeremiah here speaks of in his experience. He will find also the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    The minds of the faithful, we know, have often been greatly tried and even shaken, on seeing all things happening successfully and prosperously to the despisers of God. We find this complaint expresse...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 11 AND 12. Chapter 11 suggests some observations. God addresses Himself again to Israel on the ground of their responsibility, reminding them of the call to o...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    RIGHTEOUS ART THOU, O LORD, WHEN I PLEAD WITH THEE,.... The six first verses of this chapter properly belong to the preceding, being of the same argument, and in strict connection with the latter part...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of [thy] judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? [wherefore] are all they happy that deal very treacher...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Righteous art thou, O Lord_ The prophet, being about to inquire into the reasons and meaning of some of the divine dispensations, first recognises a truth of unquestionable certainty, namely, that Go...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE CONSPIRACY IN THE PROPHET'S OWN FAMILY...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    YET LET ME TALK WITH THEE: Or, let me reason the case with thee...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 un...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    JEREMIAH CHAPTER 12 The prophet complaineth of the wicked's prosperity; by faith seeth their ruin, JEREMIAH 12:1. God admonisheth him of his brethren's treachery against him, and lamenteth his heritag...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous H6662 LORD H3068 plead H7378 (H8799) talk H1696 (H8762) judgments H4941 way H1870 wicked...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JEREMIAH QUESTIONS THE DELAY IN THE PUNISHMENT AND ASKS WHY THE WICKED CONTINUE TO PROSPER, SEEKING GOD'S JUDGMENT ON THEM (JEREMIAH 12:1). Jeremiah 12:1 ‘You are righteous, O YHWH, when I contend w...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Message on the broken covenant, concluded. Jeremiah's complaint to God and God's rebuke. CHARACTERS: God, Jeremiah. CONCLUSION: When we find it hard to understand God's providences toward w...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Jeremiah 12:4. _He shall not see our last end._ This is sadducean language, as Psalms 104:5. “The Lord will not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard.” This species of atheism blunts the edge of t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee._ COMMUNION WITH GOD IN AFFLICTION I. Why God sees fit to afflict His children by the dispensations of His providence. 1. God sometimes afflicts...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 12:1 RIGHTEOUS. God defines and does what is fair and correct. COMPLAIN. Jeremiah laments his situation. His basic question is naive; he assumes that sinful people never harm...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES.—1. CHRONOLOGY OF THE CHAPTER. See on chap. 11, Bleek’s theory; for which there is a weight of argument. All commentators agree to connect Jeremiah 12:1 with the conclusi...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JEREMIAH 12:1 Painfully exercised by the mysteries of the Divine government, the prophet opens his grief to Jehovah. Righteous art thou, etc.; rather, _Righteous wouldest thou be_,_ O Jeho...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Jeremiah goes on and he is talking now about the situation, the wicked man Jehoahaz that is in power. And he begins by saying, Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee (Jeremiah 12:1):...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Daniel 9:7; Deuteronomy 32:4; Genesis 18:25; Habakkuk 1:13; Habakkuk

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Talk with thee — Not by way of accusing thee, but for my own satisfaction concerning thy judicial dispensations in the government of the world. Wherefore — I know thy ways are just and righteous, but...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Do the wicked prosper or not? PROBLEM: Jeremiah complained, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” The same complaint is heard elsewhere in Scripture (cf. Job 12:6; Psalms 73:7). However, other pas...

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