Jeremiah 9:12
in Jeremiah 9Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a desert, so no one can pass through it?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?
KJV
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
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This verse in Jeremiah 9
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWho is the wise man - To whom has God revealed these things? He is the truly wise man. But it is to his prophet alone that God has revealed these things, and the speedy fulfillment of the predictions will show that the prophet has not spoken of himself.
This site's exposition
Who is the man wise enough to understand this
on Jeremiah 9:12-14
The question “Who is the man wise enough to understand this” tests wisdom by whether it can read the moment. The LORD answers in verse 13, “It is because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them”. They have “gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them”.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 12 onwards) Who is the wise man who understands this, and to whom is the word of the Lord spoken, that he may declare it: why has the land perished and become scorched like a desert, because there is no one to pass through it? And the Lord said: Because they have forsaken my law that I gave to them, and have not listened to my voice, and have not walked in it, but have followed the stubbornness of their own hearts and after the Baals, which they learned from their fathers.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
What is the matter, that such a change is made with this land? It used to be a land that God cared for, and he had his eyes upon it for good ( Deut. xi. 12 ), but it is now a land that he has forsaken and that his face is against.
Who is - Is there not a wise man among you, that will search into the cause of all these threatened judgments.
Who is the wise man that may understand this?....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rather, "Who is a wise man? (that is, Whosoever has inspired wisdom, 2Pe 3:15); let him understand this (weigh well the evils impending, and the causes of their being sent); and he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken (that is, whosoever is prophetically inspired), let him declare it to his fellow countrymen," if haply they may be roused to repentance, the only hope of safety.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Who is the man so wise Who will understand this, and who is the prophet to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken,
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִֽי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| הָאִ֤ישׁ | haish | [is] the person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הֶֽחָכָם֙ | hechakham | <the> wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
| וְיָבֵ֣ן | veyaven | and he may understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| זֹ֔את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר | vaasher | and whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֧ר | diber | it has spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| פִּֽי־ | pi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵלָ֖יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ | veyagidah | so he may declare it | H5046 → | 370 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | concerning | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מָה֙ | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אָבְדָ֣ה | ʾavedah | has it been destroyed | H6 → | 184 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| נִצְּתָ֥ה | nitzetah | has it become desolate? | H3341 → | 29 times |
| כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר | khamidbar | like <the> wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
| מִבְּלִ֖י | mibeli | because not | H1097 → | 58 times |
| עֹבֵֽר׃ ס | ʾover | [one who] passes by | H5674 → | 556 times |
מִֽי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
הָאִ֤ישׁ[is] the person
haishH376 →1663 times
הֶֽחָכָם֙<the> wise
hechakhamH2450 →138 times
וְיָבֵ֣ןand he may understand
veyavenH995 →170 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
זֹ֔אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
וַאֲשֶׁ֨רand whom
vaasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֧רit has spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
פִּֽי־[the] mouth of
pi-H6310 →498 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵלָ֖יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וְיַגִּדָ֑הּso he may declare it
veyagidahH5046 →370 times
עַל־concerning
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
מָה֙what?
mahH4100 →752 times
אָבְדָ֣הhas it been destroyed
ʾavedahH6 →184 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
נִצְּתָ֥הhas it become desolate?
nitzetahH3341 →29 times
כַמִּדְבָּ֖רlike <the> wilderness
khamidbarH4057 →270 times
מִבְּלִ֖יbecause not
mibeliH1097 →58 times
עֹבֵֽר׃ ס[one who] passes by
ʾoverH5674 →556 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hosea 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
it leads to
- Psalms 107:43
Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 10:29
The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil.
- John 8:47
Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- Daniel 12:10
Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
- Psalms 107:43
Through
Psalms 107:43Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.
it leads to
- Hosea 14:9
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 64:9
Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God; so they will ponder what He has done.
- Hosea 14:9
Through
Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
it leads to
- Psalms 81:13
If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,
- Deuteronomy 5:29
If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.
- Psalms 81:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.