Jeremiah 12:4

Grief Justice

² You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.

³ But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.

How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”

⁵ “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?

⁶ Even your brothers— your own father’s household— even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”
KJV: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
WEB: How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
ASV: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
DARBY: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of all the fields wither? Because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts and the birds perish; for they say, He will not see our end.
BLB: How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those dwelling in it, the beasts and fowl have been swept away—because they said, “He will not see our final end!

ÅB: Hvor lenge skal landet visne og all markens urter tørke bort? For dets innbyggeres ondskap er dyr og fugler revet bort; for de sier: Han[^1] ser ikke hvordan det vil gå oss til sist.
OTB: Hvor lenge skal landet sørge og gresset på hvert jorde visne? På grunn av ondskapen til dem som bor i det, har dyrene og fuglene omkommet. For folket sier: “Han vil ikke se vår endelige ende.”
B1930: Hvor lenge skal landet visne og all markens urter tørke bort? For dets innbyggeres ondskap er dyr og fugler revet bort; for de sier: Han ser ikke hvorledes det vil gå oss til sist. / < profeten.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 9:10
I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, a dirge over the wilderness pasture, for they have been scorched so no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. Both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled; they have gone away.
Read in context
Psalms 107:34
and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.
Read in context
Jeremiah 4:25
I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.
Read in context
Hosea 4:3
Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.
Read in context
Jeremiah 23:10
For the land is full of adulterers— because of the curse, the land mourns and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up— their course is evil and their power is misused.
Read in context
Jeremiah 7:20
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and the produce of the land, and it will burn and not be extinguished.
Read in context
Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
Read in context
Romans 8:22
We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.
Read in context