The Meaning of Jeremiah 12:4 Explained

Jeremiah 12:4

KJV: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

YLT: Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, 'He doth not see our latter end.'

Darby: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of all the fields wither? Because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts and the birds perish; for they say, He will not see our end.

ASV: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How long shall the land  mourn,  and the herbs  of every field  wither,  for the wickedness  of them that dwell  therein? the beasts  are consumed,  and the birds;  because they said,  He shall not see  our last end. 

What does Jeremiah 12:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet continued to ask the Lord how long the promised judgment on the land would last. He knew it would come because of the people"s rebellious and defiant attitude, even saying that they could hide their sins from the Lord.

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 12:4 mean?

How long will mourn the land and the herbs of every field wither for the wickedness of those who dwell there are consumed the beasts and birds because they said not He will see - our final end
עַד־ מָתַי֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעֵ֥שֶׂב כָּל־ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִיבָ֑שׁ מֵרָעַ֣ת יֹֽשְׁבֵי־ בָ֗הּ סָפְתָ֤ה בְהֵמוֹת֙ וָע֔וֹף כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה אֶת־ אַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ

עַד־  How 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מָתַי֙  long 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מָתַי  
Sense: when?.
תֶּאֱבַ֣ל  will  mourn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָבַל 
Sense: to mourn, lament.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְעֵ֥שֶׂב  and  the  herbs 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵשֶׂב  
Sense: herb, herbage, grass, green plants.
כָּל־  of  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה  field 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
יִיבָ֑שׁ  wither 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
מֵרָעַ֣ת  for  the  wickedness 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
יֹֽשְׁבֵי־  of  those  who  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
סָפְתָ֤ה  are  consumed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: סָפָה  
Sense: to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume.
בְהֵמוֹת֙  the  beasts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
וָע֔וֹף  and  birds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אָמְר֔וּ  they  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִרְאֶ֖ה  He  will  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ  our  final  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.