Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 7. And behold, the girdle was marred; it was profitable for nothing.] This symbolically represented the state of the Jews: they were corrupt and abominable; and God, by sending them into captivity, "marred the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem," ver. 9.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked. (Jer. 12:1-6) The heavy judgments to come upon the nation. (Jer. 12:7-13) Divine mercy to them, and even to the nations around. (Jer. 12:14-17)
Jer. 12:1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning God' 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 har 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 ar toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerit of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned int barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lor reproved the prophet. The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not s formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grie that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness of account of the trials it occasions us. And in this our favoured day and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we shoul behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
Jer. 12:7-13 God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul precious in his sight, but they acted so, that he gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are as men wondered at, as speckled bird; but this people had by their own folly made themselve so; and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them. The whol land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actuall inflicted, none of the people would lay the warning to heart. When God's hand is lifted up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel. Silver and gold shall not profit in the day of the Lord's anger And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance an works answerable thereto, will end in confusion.
Jer. 12:14-17 The Lord would plead the cause of his people agains their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to thos nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to loo forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end lik theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew ואלך1980 פרתה6578 ואחפר2658 ואקח3947 את853 האזור232 מן4480 המקום4725 אשׁר834 טמנתיו2934 שׁמה8033 והנה2009 נשׁחת7843 האזור232 לא3808 יצלח6743 לכל׃3605
