Jeremiah 12:2

Lexham English Bible

Contextual Overview

¹ You will be in the right, O Yahweh, when I complain to you. Even so, let me speak my claims with you. Why does the way of the wicked succeed? All those who deal treacherously with treachery are at ease. ² Not only do you plant them, they take root. They grow, but also they produce fruit. You are near in their mouths, but far from their inmost beings. ³ But you, O Yahweh, you know me, you see me, and you test that my heart is with you. Tear them apart like sheep for the slaughtering, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. ⁴ How long will the land mourn, and the vegetation of every field dry up, because of the wickedness of those who live in it? The animals and the birds are swept away, because they have said, "He does not see our future." ⁵ "If you run with foot soldiers and they have made you weary, then how will you compete with horses? If you have fallen in a peaceful land, then how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan? ⁶ For even your relatives, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you, even they call loudly after you. You must not trust in them, though they speak kindly to you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hast: Jeremiah 11:17, Jeremiah 45:4, Ezekiel 17:5-10, Ezekiel 19:10-13

grow: Heb. go on

near: Isaiah 29:13, Ezekiel 33:31, Matthew 15:8, Mark 7:6, Titus 1:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:11 - why doth Numbers 22:8 - General Deuteronomy 30:14 - mouth Joshua 7:7 - wherefore Job 8:17 - roots Job 9:24 - earth Job 13:3 - I desire Job 22:18 - he filled Job 36:6 - preserveth Psalms 16:7 - my reins Psalms 73:5 - They are Psalms 73:12 - these Psalms 73:27 - lo Psalms 80:9 - to take Psalms 92:7 - workers Psalms 94:3 - Lord Ecclesiastes 7:15 - there is a wicked Ecclesiastes 7:25 - the reason Jeremiah 2:5 - are gone Daniel 4:10 - a tree Daniel 11:7 - out of Habakkuk 1:13 - wherefore Malachi 3:15 - yea

Cross-References

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse. And all families of the earth will be blessed in you."

Genesis 12:4
And Abram went out as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he went out from Haran.

Genesis 12:6
And Abram traveled through the land up to the place of Shechem, to the Oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanites were in the land at that time.

Genesis 12:8
And he moved on from there to the hill country, east of Bethel. And he pitched his tent at Bethel on the west, and at Ai on the east. And he built an altar there to Yahweh. And he called on the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 12:9
And Abram kept moving on, toward the Negev.

Genesis 12:10
And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to dwell as an alien there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Genesis 12:14
And it happened that as Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:16
And he dealt well with Abram on account of her, and he had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

Genesis 12:17
Then Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues on account of the matter of Sarai the wife of Abram.

Genesis 12:18
Then Pharaoh called for Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou hast planted them,.... In the land of Canaan, fixed the bounds of their habitation, given them a firm and comfortable settlement; for all the good things, even of the wicked, come from God:

yea, they have taken root; as everything that is planted does not; but these did, though it was downwards in the earth, on which their hearts were set, and so were strengthened and established in their worldly circumstances:

they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit; but to themselves, not to God; not fruits of righteousness or good works; they grow, not in grace and holiness, but in their worldly substance; and they brought forth fruit, not such as were meet for repentance, but they had great riches, and numerous families; and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "they produce children, and bring forth fruit." The Targum is,

"they become rich, yea, they possess substance.''

Thou art near in their mouth; they often made use of the name of God, either in swearing by it, or praying to him in an external manner; they called themselves the Lord's people, and boasted of being his priests, and employed in his service; they took his covenant, and the words of his law, into their mouths, and taught them the people, and yet had no sincere regard for these things:

and far from their reins; from the affections of their hearts, and the desires of their souls; they had no true love for God, nor fear of him, nor faith in him. The Targum is,

"near are the words of thy law in their mouth, and far is thy fear from their reins.''

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Their veins - i. e., their heart. The reins were regarded by the Jews as the seat of the affections.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 12:2. Thou art near in their mouth — They have no sincerity: they have something of the form of religion, but nothing of its power.