The Meaning of Jeremiah 8:12 Explained

Jeremiah 8:12

KJV: Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

YLT: They were ashamed when they did abomination! Yea, they are not at all ashamed, And blushing they have not known, Therefore, they do fall among falling ones, In the time of their inspection they stumble, said Jehovah.

Darby: Are they ashamed that they have committed abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, and they know not how to blush. Therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall stumble, saith Jehovah.

ASV: Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Were they ashamed  when they had committed  abomination?  nay, they were not at all  ashamed,  neither could  they blush:  therefore shall they fall  among them that fall:  in the time  of their visitation  they shall be cast down,  saith  the LORD. 

What does Jeremiah 8:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

These leaders were not in the least ashamed of their conduct, not even enough to blush. Therefore the Lord would cause them to fall when the rest of the people fell in the coming invasion (cf. Jeremiah 6:12-15).
"Could men reach a stage of apostasy where they would never repent? Yes they could, and Judah had reached that point [1]." [2]
This passage is a scathing indictment of Judah"s spiritual leaders.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 8:4-22 - False Promises Of Peace
This chapter is filled with denunciation of the unreasonable and infatuated obstinacy of Israel. As the horse rushes madly to the fight, so were the people set on evil. The very birds that were sensitive to the laws of migration, and obeyed the call of the sunnier clime, were more impressible than the Chosen People. God often calls us out of the stormy winter blasts to lands of sunny fellowship, but we will not heed. From Jeremiah 5:10 onward we have a description of the desolation about to visit the land. Notwithstanding the promises of false prophets, the invader overran the country and the exiled people might readily begin to question why such a fate had befallen them. To this there was but one answer. Their sin had cut them off from God's protecting care. Is not this the reason why harvests pass and summers end, and the years roll on, and still you are not saved? There is balm for your wounds, and a physician for your healing, but you do not avail yourselves of them; and God's love is powerless, however greatly He desires to help you, until you return. The father would do anything for the prodigal, but He has no chance so long as the prodigal remains in the far-land. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 8

1  The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive
4  He upbraids their foolish and shameless impenitency
13  He shows their grievous judgment;
18  and bewails their desperate estate

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 8:12 mean?

Were they ashamed when abomination they had committed not at all No they were not ashamed and to blush nor did they know how therefore they shall fall among those who fall in the time of their punishment they shall be cast down says Yahweh -
הֹבִ֕שׁוּ כִּ֥י ؟ תוֹעֵבָ֖ה עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־ בּ֣וֹשׁ לֹֽא־ יֵבֹ֗שׁוּ וְהִכָּלֵם֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ לָכֵ֞ן יִפְּל֣וּ בַנֹּפְלִ֗ים בְּעֵ֧ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֛ם יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה ס

הֹבִ֕שׁוּ  Were  they  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
؟ תוֹעֵבָ֖ה  abomination 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּועֵבָה  
Sense: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable.
עָשׂ֑וּ  they  had  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בּ֣וֹשׁ  at  all 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
לֹֽא־  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵבֹ֗שׁוּ  they  were  not  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
וְהִכָּלֵם֙  and  to  blush 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּלַם  
Sense: to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדָ֔עוּ  did  they  know  how 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יִפְּל֣וּ  they  shall  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בַנֹּפְלִ֗ים  among  those  who  fall 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בְּעֵ֧ת  in  the  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
פְּקֻדָּתָ֛ם  of  their  punishment 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פְּקֻדָּה  
Sense: oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store.
יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ  they  shall  be  cast  down 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּשַׁל  
Sense: to stumble, stagger, totter.
אָמַ֥ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation