Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 12:13
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.
13. The v., at least in its present context, is obscure. The subject is either ( a) the spoilers, whose disasters, however, belong not to this but to the following paragraph, or ( b) Judah, in which case the expressions are unsuited to the previous description of their attitude. Co. suggests that it should follow immediately on Jer 12:4, but even so its connexion with that v. is not obvious.
ye your ] Read they their.
ashamed ] See on Jer 2:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Shall reap … shall not profit – Rather, have reaped … have profited nothing. The force of the proverb is that all their labors had ended only in disappointment.
And they shall be ashamed of your revenues – Or, yea, be ashamed of your produce – the produce of the fields.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns] All their projects shall fail: none of their enterprises shall succeed. They are enemies to God, and therefore cannot have his blessing.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: if these words be understood literally, they only signify that God would blast the labours of the husbandman, and curse them in the field. The earths bringing forth thorns and thistles was part of the curse for the first transgression of man, Gen 3:18. Gods blasting the labours of husbandmen is often threatened as a punishment of sin. See Lev 26:16; Deu 28:38. If it be taken metaphorically, it is expounded by the next words.
They have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit; that they should labour in vain, all the works of their hands, all their counsels and deliberations, should be of no profit or avail unto them.
They shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord; the fierce anger of God against them shall be so showed, that the returns of their labours or estates, the profits of their trades, &c., shall be so small that they shall be ashamed of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. Description in detail of thedevastation of the land (Mic 6:15).
they shall be ashamed ofyourThe change of persons, in passing from indirect to directaddress, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, “Ye shallbe put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of yourproduce.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns,…. Which may be understood literally, the land of Judea being cursed for their sins, and become barren and unfruitful, as the earth originally was for the sin of the first man, Ge 3:19, or rather figuratively, which some interpret of the prophets as Kimchi, sowing the good seed of the word among the Jews; but it did not take place in them, and bring forth fruit; instead thereof thorns sprung up, or evil works were done by them, comparable thereunto; but it seems better to understand it of the people; not, as Jarchi, of their prayers, which were not accepted, because unattended with repentance and good works; but of their schemes, which they thought were prudently laid, in forming an alliance with Egypt, and sending thither for help against the Chaldeans, but all in vain; these proved in the issue like thorns, grievous and vexatious to them. The Septuagint version reads imperatively, “sow ye”: and Jarchi makes mention of a copy, in which the word was pointed as to be so read, as in Ho 10:12, and may be understood ironically. The Targum is,
“be ye not like those who sow wheat in untilled land, and can gather nothing but thorns.”
They have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit; were at a great deal of pains and trouble to make Egypt their ally, and send thither for assistance, and all to no purpose. Kimchi’s father interprets this of their uneasiness and grief, at parting with so much money to the king of Egypt, without having any advantage by it; which is to be preferred to the sense Jarchi gives, of the people crying to God, and grieving because not regarded by him. Some render the words, “they have got an inheritance”, as the Vulgate Latin; the land of Canaan, but they will not be able to keep it; it shall no longer be theirs, or any advantage to them.
And they shall be ashamed of your revenues; not the prophets of the evil works of the people, but rather the people of their own evil works; and, particularly, of their schemes, counsels, and preparations, to secure themselves against the enemy; of their alliances with other nations, and of vain confidences; the success not answering to the pains and expense they had been at; but these failing and disappointing them, would fill them with shame and confusion.
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord; against which there was no standing; this being infinitely more powerful than the Chaldean army, by the means of which it came upon them, and from which no schemes and alliances could protect them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Most interpreters understand this of the prophets, that they had been disappointed, after having faithfully cultivated the field of God and sown good seed, that thorns only had sprung up, and briars only had grown: but this is a strained exposition. The Prophet, I doubt not, sets forth the curse of God, which the people were soon to experience. I indeed readily admit, that when he speaks of sowing and reaping, the expression is metaphorical; but I have no doubt but that the Jews are said to sow in seeking aids here and there, in strengthening themselves by confederacies, and in devising means to repel dangers.
Hence he says, by way of concession, that they had sown wheat; for they had recourse to false counsels: but he speaks according to what they themselves thought; for they imagined that they were safe when they found that the Egyptians were ready to help them; and when they procured assistance from various quarters, they considered that they were acting wisely, and. thus they flattered themselves with a prosperous issue. The Prophet now laughs to scorn this vain confidence: but yet in words he allows that they were going on successfully: as a husbandman, while sowing, expects that he will have a good harvest, so also the Jews thought that they would have good fruit after having thus sown. But the Prophet says that they would be disappointed; for instead of wheat briars and thorns would grow, so that the issue would not answer their expectations. Thus the words of the Prophet would well harmonize: but to explain the passage of the prophets would by no means be suitable, as it will hereafter appear more clearly.
He then says that they had sown wheat (he uses the plural number) and reaped thorns He intimates that they hoped for a good harvest, for they sowed wheat, as they thought; that is, they wisely, or rather astutely, provided for themselves, as they left undone nothing that was necessary for their safety; but they reaped, or shall reap thorns; for he speaks of what was future. He means that God would frustrate their expectation; for their sowing, from which they promised themselves so much, would prove fruitless.
He then adds, that they had obtained an inheritance, or had endured grief, but were not enriched Some render the first clause a little more harshly, that “they were riJeremiah” But I readily excuse its harshness, if it suits the place: then the meaning would be, — that they tormented themselves with continual labors, and thus became rich; for we know that they who are extremely anxious about anything wear out themselves, and become in a manner their own executioners; and this would not be unsuitable to this place. However, a different view may be taken, — that the Prophet uses the expression, that they had obtained an heritage, not in its ordinary sense, as signifying, not that God gave them the land of Canaan as their hereditary possession, or that they had accumulated wealth, but that they had thus increased in their own esteem, because they had the Egyptians as their friends, and looked for help to the neighboring nations, and because they thought that they could by various stratagems prevent the Chaldeans from coming nigh them. Their heritage then was, that they were able to collect from various quarters such assistance as would render them safe, and repel all dangers. God then allows that they had obtained an heritage; but what then, he says? All this will not avail them, nor shall they be thereby enriched. He, in short, intimates that they would be thus deceived by trusting in helps so laboriously and sedulously acquired; for the aids in which they proudly trusted would vanish away, as well as all their counsels and designs; in a word, the vain attempts by which they thought to secure everything for themselves are laughed to scorn.
He adds, for the same purpose, that they were confounded on account of their produce They who understand this of the prophets read thus, “they were ashamed,” that is, “of their own labors;” but this is wholly foreign to the subject. He then continues in the same strain, — that the Jews were ashamed when they found the issue contrary to what they expected. He mentions “produce:” the noun conms from בא ba, which means to come or to enter; it has also other meanings. But the Hebrews call it produce, because it comes every year. He says then, that they were ashamed of their produce, because they received no fruit such as they expected. Thus Jeremiah carries on the same metaphor: they had sown, but thorns were found instead of wheat; they also obtained for themselves an heritage, or they wearied themselves with labor, but it was useless: they further promised to themselves a great and rich produce, but it came to nothing. We now then understand the meaning of the words.
But we must at the same time consider what the Prophet had in view. Doubtless he intended to shake off from the Jews that arrogance by which they blinded themselves, as though he had said, — “I see that I effect but little; for the Egyptians, who are to come to your aid, are as yet strong; ye think that they are prepared to oppose the Assyrians and Chaldeans, and ye have also other confederacies As then ye are thus well fortified, ye consider yourselves to be cut of the reach of danger; but the Lord will make you ashamed of this your presumption, for all your produce or provision will come to nothing.” The produce, we know, was the successful issue with which they flattered themselves, so that they thought that nothing would do them harm. This then is the meaning of the Prophet. (66)
He adds, Through the burning of the wrath of Jehovah They could not have been otherwise awakened, except they were made to think that God was angry with them. The Prophet then says, though the whole world might laugh him to scorn, that nothing would avail them, inasmuch as God fought against them. We must at the same time notice the change of person, They have been ashamed of your produce Some have on this account applied the verb, בשו, beshu, “they have been ashamed,” to the prophets; but it is an anomaly often found, and it is in this place very emphatical. Had he said, in the third person, “They were ashamed of their fruits,” it would have been less calculated to rouse their minds; but having previously spoken in disdain of the Jews, as he knew them to be deaf, he now, as he proceeds, turns his discourse to them, and says that they were ashamed; yes, he says, “Ye were ashamed of your fruits.” It is therefore a kind of modification; but it is only used that the Prophet might more sharply touch their feelings; for they had need of this kind of speaking, as a plain discourse would have produced no effect. It follows —
(66) The Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Arabic, render all the verbs in the second person plural, and in the present tense, “Ye sow,” etc.; but the Vulgate and Targum retain the Hebrew third person and the past tense, except in the third line, “Ye (not they) are ashamed,” etc., which seems to be the correct reading, though not found in any MS., for it is what “your fruits,” or produce, require.
The meaning of being “wearied,” or sick with labor, is given only by the Syriac to the verb נחלו; all the other versions, as well as the Targum, give it the idea of “inheriting,” or possessing as an heritage. So Blayney renders it, “They have possessed,” etc. The verse then is as follows, —
13. They have sown wheats, but thorns have they reaped; They have got an heritage, but have not succeeded: Yea, ashamed have you been of your produce, Through the burnlung of the wrath of Jehovah.
A conversive vau before “succeeded” is supplied by many MSS., and by the Vulgate and Syriac. The way in which Calvin accounts for the change of person in the third line is ingenious; but an instance of what he says can hardly be found in one and the same clause. All the versions and the Targum regard the verb as ותבשו, the tau only being supplied.
Venema takes the verb to be an imperative in the second person plural, and gives this version, —
Therefore be ye ashamed of your fruits, By reason of the heat of the wrath of Jehovah.
But what the early versions warrant is more consistent with the context, and gives a better meaning. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) But shall reap thorns.Better, have reaped thorns; and so in the next clause they have profited nothing. This which is truer to the Hebrew is also truer to the Prophets meaning. The sentence of failure is already written on everything. The best plans are marred, the wheat turned to thorns. The words are obviously of the nature of a proverbial saying, of the same type as that of Hag. 1:6.
They shall be ashamed.The word is imperative, be ashamed.
Revenues.The word had not acquired, at the time of the translation of 1611, the exclusively financial sense which now attaches to it, and was used as equivalent to increase or produce generally. By some commentators the words are referred to the conquerors, who are to be ashamed of their scanty spoil; by others to the conquered, who are to find all their hopes of increase disappointed. The latter seems preferable.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Sown wheat reap thorns Apparently an aphorism for coming to the opposite of what is aimed at.
Revenues Produce, the old meaning of this word.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 12:13 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.
Ver. 13. They have sown wheat. ] The prophets have, say some, but to no profit.
They shall put themselves to pain.
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
a Vatab.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
but. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “but” in the text.
revenues = produce.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sown: Lev 26:16, Deu 28:38, Mic 6:15, Hag 1:6, Hag 2:16, Hag 2:17
put: Jer 3:23-25, Isa 30:1-6, Isa 31:1-3, Isa 55:2, Hab 2:13, Rom 6:21
they: or, ye
Reciprocal: Gen 3:18 – Thorns Deu 28:30 – build Isa 17:10 – shalt thou Hos 8:7 – it hath Gal 6:8 – reap
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 12:13. The first clause might seem to contradict Gal 6:7 which declares that “whatsoever a man sowetb that shall he also reap. But it will not when all the factors in the context are considered. Instead of its being a contradiction, it is similar to the case in Mat 13:26-27 where tares came up after a man had sowed wheat. Verse 25 tells that another person sowed the bad seed from the one who had sowed the good. It is the same in our passage that the Lord will be the one who will sow the seed for thorns in the place where the people had sowed wheat. But it will be just to prevent the people from reaping a good crop In order to punish them for their unfaithfulness to Him. He will cause the disappointment by sowfng the thorns consisting of the devastating work of the Babylonian army. Put themselves to pain is as if it said they had taken the pains or trouble to put in a good crop but would not be allowed to reap from It. They shall be ashamed is rendered “ye” in the margin and the connection agrees with It, Logically the people who have engaged in. the unlawful business are the ones who will be ashamed when the anger of the Lord is poured out upon them,
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
12:13 {m} They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they {n} have put themselves to pain, [but] shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of {o} your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
(m) That is, the prophets.
(n) They lamented the sins of the people.
(o) For instead of amendment, you grew worse and worse, as God’s plagues testified.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Because of the coming invasion, the harvest that the Judahites would sow would turn out to be nothing but "thorns" (cf. Lev 26:16; Deu 28:38; Hos 8:7; Mic 6:15). All their labors to bring something profitable to fruition would come to nothing, because their angry Lord would bring judgment on them.