Глава 12

1–6. The prophet's complaint about his fate and God's answer, announcing that the prophet should expect even greater troubles. 7–13. Jehovah's vengeance on His people. 14–21. Comforting promises. Jeremiah 12:1–6. The hostility shown towards the prophet by his fellow citizens prompts the prophet to ask for punishment from God. Even the country of Judea cries out to God against the people, because of whose stubbornness it is subjected to all sorts of devastation, while the perpetrators of these misfortunes themselves remain unpunished. The Lord’s answer not only does not console him, but confirms that his troubles will increase. Jer.12:1. You will be righteous, Lord, if I begin to sue You; and yet I will speak with You about justice: why is the path of the wicked prosperous, and all the treacherous prosper? Jer.12:2. You planted them, and they took root, grew and bear fruit. You are near in their mouth, but far from their heart. Jeremiah stands here before the same riddle that tormented Job (Cf. Job 12.6; Job 21.7 et seq.). Jer.12:7. I left My house; I have left My inheritance; He gave the most dear thing to My soul into the hands of his enemies. “My house, ... my inheritance,” that is, the country and people of Judah (cf. Hos. 8:1). – From here to verse 13 there is a beautiful poem in which Jehovah Himself is the speaker. Jer.12:9. My destiny became like a bird of many colors, which was attacked from all sides by other birds of prey. Come, gather yourselves, all you beasts of the field: go and devour him. Birds distinguished by their colorful shiny plumage are usually attacked by other birds (Tacit., Annal., VI, 28; Sueton., Caisar, 81; Plinii hist. natur., X, 17). Jeremiah 12:10. Many shepherds have spoiled My vineyard, they have trampled My plot with their feet; They made My beloved area an empty steppe; Foreign shepherds, i.e. kings and princes, caused many troubles to the state of Judah in the 9th year of the reign of King Joachim (2 Kings 24.1 et seq.). It was at this time that the prophet’s speech was obviously spoken. Jer.12:14. This is what the Lord says about all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I have given to My people Israel as an inheritance: Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and I will pluck the house of Judah from among them. Jeremiah 12:15. But after I have plucked them out, I will bring them back again and have mercy on them, and will bring each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. Jer.12:16. And if they learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, “As the Lord lives,” as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they will dwell among My people. Jeremiah 12:17. If they do not obey, then I will uproot and completely destroy such a people, says the Lord. But the Lord will still bring His plan for the salvation of Judea to fruition. The evil neighbors of the Jews (Moab, Ammon, Edom, etc.) will experience the same fate as the Jews, but then, together with the Jews, they will be restored to their inheritance. Not only that. They can accept the Jewish faith and settle among the people of God. This is necessary if they want to be saved.