The Meaning of Jeremiah 12:13 Explained

Jeremiah 12:13

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.

YLT: 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.

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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 12:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Because of the coming invasion, the harvest that the Judahites would sow would turn out to be nothing but "thorns" (cf. Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:38; Hosea 8:7; Micah 6:15). All their labors to bring something profitable to fruition would come to nothing, because their angry Lord would bring judgment on them.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 12

1  Jeremiah, complaining of the prosperity of the wicked, by faith sees their ruin
5  God admonishes him of his brothers' treachery against him;
7  and laments his heritage
14  He promises to the penitent return from captivity

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 12:13 mean?

They have sown wheat but thorns reaped they have put themselves to pain not [but] do profit But be ashamed of your harvest because of the fierce anger of Yahweh -
זָרְע֤וּ חִטִּים֙ וְקֹצִ֣ים קָצָ֔רוּ נֶחְל֖וּ לֹ֣א יוֹעִ֑לוּ וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם מֵחֲר֖וֹן אַף־ יְהוָֽה ס

זָרְע֤וּ  They  have  sown 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: זָרַע  
Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
חִטִּים֙  wheat 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חִטָּה  
Sense: wheat.
וְקֹצִ֣ים  but  thorns 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: קֹוץ 
Sense: thorn, thornbush.
קָצָ֔רוּ  reaped 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
נֶחְל֖וּ  they  have  put  themselves  to  pain 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
יוֹעִ֑לוּ  [but]  do  profit 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָעַל  
Sense: (Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail.
וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙  But  be  ashamed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם  of  your  harvest 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: תְּבוּאָה  
Sense: produce, product, revenue.
מֵחֲר֖וֹן  because  of  the  fierce 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָרֹון  
Sense: anger, heat, burning (of anger).
אַף־  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation