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Monday, July 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Jeremiah 12:13

My people planted wheat, but gathered weeds; they have worked hard, but got nothing for it. Because of my fierce anger their crops have failed."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Agriculture;   Jeremiah;   Vanity;   Wheat;   Thompson Chain Reference - Harvest;   Profit and Loss;   Sin;   Sin's;   Sowing and Reaping;   Unprofitable, Sin;   The Topic Concordance - Desolation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Agriculture or Husbandry;   Deserts;   Herbs, &C;   Reaping;   Seed;   Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Harvest;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Thorn;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Wealth;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Thorn;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Pain;   Reaping;   Revenue;   Thorns;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Agriculture;   Thorns and Thistles;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They have sown wheat but harvested thorns.They have exhausted themselves but have no profit.Be put to shame by your harvestsbecause of the Lord’s burning anger.
Hebrew Names Version
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
King James Version
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 .
English Standard Version
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord ."
New American Standard Bible
"They have sown wheat but have harvested thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. So be ashamed of your produce Because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
New Century Version
The people have planted wheat, but they have harvested only thorns. They have worked hard until they were very tired, but they have nothing for all their work. They are ashamed of their poor harvest, because the Lord 's terrible anger has caused this."
Amplified Bible
"They have planted wheat but have reaped thorns; They have exhausted themselves but without profit. So be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce and raging anger of the LORD."
World English Bible
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Yahweh.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they were sicke, and had no profite: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.
Legacy Standard Bible
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;They have strained themselves to no profit.But be ashamed of your produceBecause of the burning anger of Yahweh."
Berean Standard Bible
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."
Contemporary English Version
My people, you planted wheat, but because I was furious, I let only weeds grow. You wore yourselves out for nothing!
Complete Jewish Bible
They sowed wheat and reaped thorns, they wore themselves out and gained nothing. So be ashamed of your [tiny] harvest, the result of Adonai 's fierce anger.
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
The people will plant wheat, but they will harvest only thorns. They will work hard until they are very tired, but they will get nothing for all their work. They will be ashamed of their crop. The Lord 's anger caused this."
George Lamsa Translation
They have sown wheat, but they shall reap thorns; they have labored hard, but they shall not profit; and they shall be ashamed of their crops because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
Lexham English Bible
They have sown wheat and they have reaped thorns. They are exhausted, they do not profit. And they will be ashamed of your produce, because of the burning anger of Yahweh."
Literal Translation
They have sown wheat, but they have reaped thorns. They are worn out, but they do not profit. And they shall be ashamed of your harvests, because of the glow of the anger of Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They shal sowe wheat, and reepe thornes. They shal take heretage in possession, but it shal do them no good. And ye shalbe confounded of youre owne wynnynges, because of the greate wrath of the LORDE.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
Though good grain was planted, they have got in thorns: they have given themselves pain without profit: they will be shamed on account of their produce, because of the burning wrath of the Lord.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, they profit not; be ye then ashamed of your increase, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
They haue sowen wheate, but shall reape thornes: they haue put themselues to paine, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your reuenues, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes, they haue taken heritage in possession, but it doth them no good: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the great wrath of the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Sow wheat, and reap thorns; their portions shall not profit them: be ashamed of your boasting, because of reproach before the Lord.
English Revised Version
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 the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei sowiden wheete, and repiden thornes; thei token erytage, and it schal not profite to hem. Ye schulen be schent of youre fruytis, for the wraththe of the stronge veniaunce of the Lord.
Update Bible Version
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out, and profit nothing. And be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
My people will sow wheat, but will harvest weeds. They will work until they are exhausted, but will get nothing from it. They will be disappointed in their harvests because the Lord will take them away in his fierce anger.
New King James Version
They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
New Living Translation
My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worn themselves out, but it has done them no good. They will harvest a crop of shame because of the fierce anger of the Lord ."
New Life Bible
They have planted grain and have gathered thorns. They have worked hard, but have nothing. Be ashamed of what you gather because of the burning anger of the Lord."
New Revised Standard
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They sowed, wheat, but thorns, have they reaped, They have put themselves to pain they shall not be profited, - Yea turn ye pale at your produce, Because if the glow of the anger of Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They have sown wheat, and reaped thorns: they have received an inheritance, and it shall not profit them: you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD."
Young's Literal Translation
They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick -- they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD."

Contextual Overview

7 The Lord says, "I have abandoned Israel; I have rejected my chosen nation. I have given the people I love into the power of their enemies. 8 My chosen people have turned against me; like a lion in the forest they have roared at me, and so I hate them. 9 My chosen people are like a bird attacked from all sides by hawks. Call the wild animals to come and join in the feast! 10 Many foreign rulers have destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down my fields; they have turned my lovely land into a desert. 11 They have made it a wasteland; it lies desolate before me. The whole land has become a desert, and no one cares. 12 Across all the desert highlands people have come to plunder. I have sent war to destroy the entire land; no one can live in peace. 13 My people planted wheat, but gathered weeds; they have worked hard, but got nothing for it. Because of my fierce anger their crops have failed."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sown: Leviticus 26:16, Deuteronomy 28:38, Micah 6:15, Haggai 1:6, Haggai 2:16, Haggai 2:17

put: Jeremiah 3:23-25, Isaiah 30:1-6, Isaiah 31:1-3, Isaiah 55:2, Habakkuk 2:13, Romans 6:21

they: or, ye

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:18 - Thorns Deuteronomy 28:30 - build Isaiah 17:10 - shalt thou Hosea 8:7 - it hath Galatians 6:8 - reap

Cross-References

Genesis 11:29
Abram married Sarai, and Nahor married Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah.
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, But I will curse those who curse you. And through you I will bless all the nations."
Genesis 12:5
Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and all the slaves they had acquired in Haran, and they started out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,
Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land until he came to the sacred tree of Moreh, the holy place at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were still living in the land.)
Genesis 12:8
After that, he moved on south to the hill country east of the city of Bethel and set up his camp between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There also he built an altar and worshiped the Lord .
Genesis 12:12
When the Egyptians see you, they will assume that you are my wife, and so they will kill me and let you live.
Genesis 12:13
Tell them that you are my sister; then because of you they will let me live and treat me well."
Genesis 20:2
he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
Genesis 20:5
Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong."
Genesis 26:7
When the men there asked about his wife, he said that she was his sister. He would not admit that she was his wife, because he was afraid that the men there would kill him to get Rebecca, who was very beautiful.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns,.... Which may be understood literally, the land of Judea being cursed for their sins, and become barren and unfruitful, as the earth originally was for the sin of the first man, Genesis 3:19, or rather figuratively, which some interpret of the prophets as Kimchi, sowing the good seed of the word among the Jews; but it did not take place in them, and bring forth fruit; instead thereof thorns sprung up, or evil works were done by them, comparable thereunto; but it seems better to understand it of the people; not, as Jarchi, of their prayers, which were not accepted, because unattended with repentance and good works; but of their schemes, which they thought were prudently laid, in forming an alliance with Egypt, and sending thither for help against the Chaldeans, but all in vain; these proved in the issue like thorns, grievous and vexatious to them. The Septuagint version reads imperatively, "sow ye": and Jarchi makes mention of a copy, in which the word was pointed as to be so read, as in Hosea 10:12, and may be understood ironically. The Targum is,

"be ye not like those who sow wheat in untilled land, and can gather nothing but thorns.''

They have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit; were at a great deal of pains and trouble to make Egypt their ally, and send thither for assistance, and all to no purpose. Kimchi's father interprets this of their uneasiness and grief, at parting with so much money to the king of Egypt, without having any advantage by it; which is to be preferred to the sense Jarchi gives, of the people crying to God, and grieving because not regarded by him. Some render the words, "they have got an inheritance", as the Vulgate Latin; the land of Canaan, but they will not be able to keep it; it shall no longer be theirs, or any advantage to them.

And they shall be ashamed of your revenues; not the prophets of the evil works of the people, but rather the people of their own evil works; and, particularly, of their schemes, counsels, and preparations, to secure themselves against the enemy; of their alliances with other nations, and of vain confidences; the success not answering to the pains and expense they had been at; but these failing and disappointing them, would fill them with shame and confusion.

Because of the fierce anger of the Lord; against which there was no standing; this being infinitely more powerful than the Chaldean army, by the means of which it came upon them, and from which no schemes and alliances could protect them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall reap ... shall not profit - Rather, have reaped ... have profited nothing. The force of the proverb is that all their labors had ended only in disappointment.

And they shall be ashamed of your revenues - Or, yea, be ashamed of your produce - the produce of the fields.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 12:13. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns — All their projects shall fail: none of their enterprises shall succeed. They are enemies to God, and therefore cannot have his blessing.


 
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