Jeremiah 12:9

Verse

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

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.

Free Bible Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

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?

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

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.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Has not my prized possession become a speckled bird, that other birds of prey go against her all around? Go and gather all the wild beasts and bring them to devour her.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

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.

Context

God’s Answer to Jeremiah

⁸My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me; therefore I hate her. 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.

Sermons

Anti Semitism: A Little Considered Root

Art Katz

Summary

In this verse, God expresses His anger and judgment against His people, comparing them to a speckled bird that other birds of prey are gathered against. This imagery symbolizes the vulnerability and isolation of Israel due to their unfaithfulness and sin. The verse serves as a warning of the consequences of disobedience and the impending destruction that will come upon the nation if they do not repent and turn back to God. It conveys the seriousness of God's justice and the need for His people to heed His call for repentance and righteousness.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

speckled bird--Many translate, "a ravenous beast, the hyena"; the corresponding Arabic word means hyena; so the Septuagint. But the Hebrew always elsewhere means "a bird of prey." The Hebrew for "speckled" is from a root "to color"; answering to the Jewish blending together with paganism the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual. The neighboring nations, birds of prey like herself (for she had sinfully assimilated herself to them), were ready to pounce upon her. assemble . . . beasts of . . . field--The Chaldeans are told to gather the surrounding heathen peoples as allies against Judah (Isa 56:9; Eze 34:5).

John Gill Bible Commentary

Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird,.... Or, "is not mine heritage unto me as a speckled bird?" (b) as a bird of various colours, delightful to look at, as the peacock, so Jerom interprets it here; it was so formerly, but not so now; or as a bird of various colours, and unusual, which other birds get about, look on, hate, and peck at. Some think this refers to the motley party coloured religion the Jews had embraced, consisting of various rites and ceremonies of the Heathens; on which account they thought they looked beautiful and comely, when they were hated and rejected of God for them; but the word signifies rather to be dipped or stained, as with blood, and so denotes a bird of prey that is stained with the blood of others; a fit emblem of the cruelty of the Jews, in shedding the blood of the prophets. Some, because a word near akin to this signifies a finger, render it a "fingered bird" (c); that is, a bird with talons or claws; like fingers, a ravenous bird, and it comes to the same sense as before. But the Septuagint take it, to be not a bird, but a beast, and render it by the hyena; and which Bochart (d) approves of, since the word in the Arabic language signifies such a creature; and Schindler observes, that with the Arabians, is the name of a creature between a wolf and a middling dog, which agrees with the hyena. The word here used, in the Talmudic (e) language signifies a she leopard or panther, so called from its variety of spots; and is the same, as Maimonides says (f), which, in the Arabic language, is called with the Targumists it is used for a kind of serpents or vipers. So the valley of Tzeboim is rendered, in the Targum, the valley of vipers, Sa1 13:18. And it is said (g), the word in the text, "this is from a white drop (or seed), and yet it has three hundred and sixty five kinds of colours, according to the number of the days of a solar year.'' The birds round about are against her; or, "are not the birds round about against her?" the birds of prey? they are; meaning the neighbouring nations, that under Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem to take and destroy it. Come ye, assemble all ye beasts of the field, come to devour; this is an invitation to the enemies of the people of the Jews, comparable for their fierceness and savageness to the beasts of the field, to come and destroy them; and shows that their destruction was by divine permission, and according to the will of God. Compare with this Rev 19:18. The Targum interprets it of those that kill with the sword; kings of the earth, and their armies. (b) So V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Jarchi, and Kimchi. (c) "avis digtata", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gusetius; "ales unguibus praedita", Cocceius. (d) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 11. col. 830, 838, 839. (e) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 16. 1. (f) In Misn. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 4. (g) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 7. fol. 6. 2.

Jeremiah 12:9

God’s Answer to Jeremiah

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

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.

Free Bible Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

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?

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Has not my prized possession become a speckled bird, that other birds of prey go against her all around? Go and gather all the wild beasts and bring them to devour her.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Jeremiah 12:9

Verse

Context

God’s Answer to Jeremiah

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Jeremiah 12:9

God’s Answer to Jeremiah

Anti Semitism: A Little Considered Root

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes