Jeremiah 12:9
Jeremiah 12:9 in Multiple Translations
Is not My inheritance to Me like a speckled bird of prey with other birds of prey circling against her? Go, gather all the beasts of the field; bring them to devour her.
Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.
My heritage is like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come for destruction.
My people are like a spotted bird of prey to me with other birds of prey circling to attack it. Go and bring all the wild animals to eat up the carcass.
Shall mine heritage bee vnto mee, as a bird of diuers colours? are not the birdes about her, saying, Come, assemble all ye beastes of the fielde, come to eate her?
A speckled fowl [is] Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.
Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
My heritage is to me as a speckled bird, the birds around are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
Is my inheritance to me as a speckled bird? Is it as a bird died throughout? come ye, assemble yourselves, all the beasts of the earth, make haste to devour.
My chosen people have [RHQ] become like speckled hawks that are surrounded by vultures waiting to eat their flesh after they are dead. Tell all the wild animals to come and eat the flesh of their corpses.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 12:9
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Jeremiah 12:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 12:9
Study Notes — Jeremiah 12:9
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 12:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 12:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 12:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 12:9
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
- Sermons on Jeremiah 12:9
Context — God’s Answer to Jeremiah
9Is not My inheritance to Me like a speckled bird of prey with other birds of prey circling against her? Go, gather all the beasts of the field; bring them to devour her.
10Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of ground. They have turned My pleasant field into a desolate wasteland. 11They have made it a desolation; desolate before Me, it mourns. All the land is laid waste, but no man takes it to heart.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 56:9 | Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 7:33 | The corpses of this people will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to scare them away. |
| 3 | 2 Kings 24:2 | And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets. |
| 4 | Revelation 19:17–18 | Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.” |
| 5 | Ezekiel 23:22–25 | Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side— the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them—all desirable young men, governors and commanders, officers and men of renown, mounted on horses. They will come against you with a host of peoples, with weapons, chariots, and wagons. They will array themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will delegate judgment to them, and they will punish you according to their own standards. And I will set My jealous rage against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your remnant will be consumed by fire. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 15:3 | I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. |
| 7 | Ezekiel 39:17–20 | And as for you, son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says: Call out to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great feast on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all the fattened animals of Bashan. At the sacrifice I am preparing, you will eat fat until you are gorged and drink blood until you are drunk. And at My table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, of mighty men and warriors of every kind,’ declares the Lord GOD. |
| 8 | Revelation 17:16 | And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. |
| 9 | Jeremiah 2:15 | The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant. |
| 10 | Ezekiel 16:36–37 | This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them, therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked. |
Jeremiah 12:9 Summary
In Jeremiah 12:9, God is saying that His people, Israel, have become like a bird being attacked by other birds, and He is calling for other nations to come and judge them because of their rebellion against Him. This is a difficult concept to understand, but it shows that God is a God of justice and will not tolerate sin (as seen in Romans 6:23), and that He uses various means to correct and restore His people, as seen in Hebrews 12:5-11. God's judgment is not a sign of His lack of love, but rather a sign of His great love for His people, as seen in Jeremiah 31:3, and He desires to restore them to Himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 'speckled bird of prey' represent in Jeremiah 12:9?
The 'speckled bird of prey' likely represents God's inheritance, Israel, which is being attacked by other birds of prey, symbolizing the surrounding nations that are against her, as seen in Jeremiah 12:9, similar to how God's people are often depicted as sheep among wolves in Matthew 10:16.
Why is God calling for the beasts of the field to devour His inheritance?
God is calling for the beasts of the field to devour His inheritance because of her rebellion against Him, as stated in Jeremiah 12:7-8, where God forsakes His house and hates His inheritance due to her actions, similar to the consequences faced by Israel in Deuteronomy 28:49-50 for disobedience.
Is God abandoning His people forever in Jeremiah 12:9?
No, God is not abandoning His people forever, as seen in Jeremiah 31:3, where He says 'I have loved you with an everlasting love', and in Jeremiah 33:11, where He promises restoration, indicating that His judgment is temporary and corrective, as also seen in Lamentations 3:22-23.
What is the significance of the beasts of the field in this verse?
The beasts of the field represent the nations that God will use to judge His inheritance, as seen in Jeremiah 12:9, similar to how God used Babylon to judge Judah in Jeremiah 25:9, and how He used Assyria to judge Israel in Isaiah 10:5-6, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations.
Reflection Questions
- What are the consequences of rebelling against God, and how can we learn from Israel's example in Jeremiah 12:9?
- How does God's judgment on His people relate to His love for them, and what does this say about His character?
- In what ways can we, like the beasts of the field, be used by God to accomplish His purposes, whether in judgment or in restoration?
- What does this verse reveal about God's heart towards His people, and how can we respond to His love and discipline?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 12:9
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 12:9
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 12:9
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 12:9
Sermons on Jeremiah 12:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Anti Semitism: A Little Considered Root by Art Katz | Art Katz discusses the roots of anti-Semitism, suggesting that it stems from a failure of the Jewish people to fulfill their divine calling to be a blessing to the nations. He emph |
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(Through the Bible) Isaiah 56-60 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that God wants us to live a life of fairness and honesty. He urges us to do justice and keep judgment, and to refrain from cheating or taking |
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The End of Time by Chuck Smith | This sermon delves into the prophecies of the end times as outlined in the book of Daniel and other biblical passages. It discusses the events leading up to the establishment of Go |
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(Second Coming of Christ) 10 the Supper of the Great God by Aeron Morgan | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of heeding the warnings of the Word of God. He warns that a fearful day is coming, known as the Armageddon, where there will |
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The Mighty Conqueror by Robert Murray M'Cheyne | Robert Murray M'Cheyne emphasizes the ultimate authority of Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords, highlighting the final conflict between Christ and the world regarding Hi |
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The Nations the Enemies of Israel-Their Final Opposition to Jerusalem Followed by Judgment Upon Them by Arno Clemens Gaebelein | Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches about the distinction between the nation of Israel and the nations, highlighting God's chosen people and the disobedience of Israel leading to the d |
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The Incredible Signs That Follow Those Who Believe by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the four judgments that God will bring upon his people. These judgments include the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of the heaven, |






