Jeremiah 12:13

¹¹ They have made it a desolation; desolate before Me, it mourns. All the land is laid waste, but no man takes it to heart.

¹² Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace.

They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

¹⁴ This is what the LORD says: “As for all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people Israel, I am about to uproot them from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them.

¹⁵ But after I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
KJV: They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
WEB: They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”
ASV: They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.
DARBY: They have sown wheat, and they reap thorns; they have put themselves to pain, [and] do not profit. Be ye therefore ashamed of your revenues, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.
BLB: They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have wearied themselves; they did not profit. And they have been ashamed of your⁺ produce, because of the burning nose of YHWH.”

ÅB: De sår hvete, men høster torner; de tretter seg ut, men har intet gagn av det. Så ha da skam av deres grøde for Herrens brennende vredes skyld!
OTB: De har sådd hvete, men har høstet torner; de har slitt seg ut, men oppnådd ingenting. Skam dere over deres høst på grunn av Herrens voldsomme vrede.”
B1930: De sår hvete, men høster torner; de tretter sig ut, men har intet gagn av det. Så ha da skam av eders grøde for Herrens brennende vredes skyld!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Haggai 1:6
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:38
You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:16
then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.
Read in context
Micah 6:15
You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.
Read in context
Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
Read in context
Jeremiah 25:37–38
The peaceful meadows have been silenced because of the LORD’s burning anger.
Read in context
Jeremiah 4:26
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
Read in context
Habakkuk 2:13
Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?
Read in context