Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 12:10
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
10. shepherds ] See on Jer 6:3.
vineyard ] For this figure cp. Isa 5:1 ff.
have trodden my portion under foot ] The figure is that of the destruction of vineyards by wandering hordes and their flocks.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Nebuchadnezzar and his confederate kings trampled Judah under foot, as heedless of the ruin they were inflicting as the shepherds would be who led their flocks to browse in spring upon the tender shoots of the vine.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard] My people have had many kinds of enemies which have fed upon their richest pastures; the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, Assyrians, Egyptians. and now the Chaldeans.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By
pastors most here think civil persons, not ecclesiastical officers, are meant; but they are divided, some interpreting it of the rulers and princes of Nebuchadnezzars army, who took Jerusalem, and destroyed Judah, called Gods vineyard, Isa 5:1,2; others understanding it of the rulers of the Jews, who by their wicked government, and as wicked example, had ruined their country, and caused God to turn the country which he had chosen for his portion, and declared such a pleasure in, into a wilderness, and such a wilderness as was not. only thinly inhabited, but wholly desolate.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. pastorsthe Babylonianleaders (compare Jer 12:12;Jer 6:3).
my vineyard (Isa 5:1;Isa 5:5).
trodden my portion(Isa 63:18).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard,…. This is a metaphor which is often used of the people of Israel and Judah; see
Ps 80:8, the pastors that destroyed them are not their own governors, civil or religious, but Heathen princes, Nebuchadnezzar and his generals. So the Targum paraphrases it,
“many kings slay my people;”
so Kimchi and Ben Melech.
They have trodden my portion under foot; the people of the Jews, that were his portion, and before called his heritage; whom the Chaldeans subdued, and reduced to extreme servitude and bondage; and were as the dirt under their feet, greatly oppressed and despised.
They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness; by pulling down stately edifices, unwalling of towers, and destroying men; so that there were none to manure the fields, to dress the vineyards, and keep gardens and orchards in good case; but all were come to ruin and what before was a delightful paradise was now like an heath or desert.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He explains by another comparison what we have just observed; he calls those pastors or shepherds whom he had before compared to wild beasts; for by saying, “Come ye, all the wild beasts of the wood,” he doubtless meant the same as those of whom he now speaks; and yet he calls them pastors. But he touched the Jews to the quick, for they could not bear him to discharge the office of a pastor towards them. God ought to have been the pastor of his chosen people; but they were wild beasts. “Forsaken them have I,” he says, “for they were wholly unworthy. What now then? Other pastors shall come, but those of a very different character, being fiercer and more cruel than wolves or any savage wild beasts.” Though then the Prophet blends various comparisons, we yet see that he handles the same subject; we also see why he thus changes his expressions, for there is a meaning in every word he uses. It is indeed certain that those also are called pastors who would come as leaders or chiefs from Assyria and Chaldea; but there is no doubt here an implied antithesis, such as I have referred to, as though he had said, “I have hitherto been a shepherd to you, and was wining to continue to be so perpetually; but as ye can no longer bear me, other shepherds shall come, who will treat you according to their own will and disposition.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard.The use of the word pastors, with all its modern spiritual associations, instead of shepherds (Jeremiah is the only book in the Old Testament, it may be noted, in which the word occurs), is peculiarly unhappy in this passage, where the pastors are reckless and destructive. Here the image (as in Jer. 6:3) is that of the shepherds of a wild, nomadic tribe (who represent the Chaldean and other invaders), breaking down the fence of the vineyard, and taking in their flocks to browse upon the tender shoots of the vine. The thought is the same as that of the boar out of the wood of Psa. 80:13, but the shepherds are introduced to bring in the thought of the organisation and systematic plan of destruction.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Many pastors Rather, shepherds. Pastor, in the sense of shepherd, is never found in any book of the Old Testament except Jeremiah. The enclosure of the vineyard is broken down, letting in the shepherds with their flocks to browse upon the tender vines.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 12:10. Many pastors Many eaters, or devourers. The same persons here are meant as in chap. Jer 6:3 namely, Nebuchadnezzar and his army.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
Ver. 10. Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard. ] Those who before were called beasts, Jer 12:9 are here called pastors – viz., Nebuchadnezzar’s captains. See Jer 6:3 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
pastors. Used of rulers. See note on Jer 2:80; Jer 3:15.
My portion. One Codex (Dr. Ginsburg’s “G. 1”) reads “My possession”.
pleasant portion. Hebrew portion of desire = my desired portion.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
pastors: Jer 6:3, Jer 25:9, Jer 39:3
my vineyard: Psa 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Luk 20:9-16
trodden: Isa 43:28, Isa 63:18, Lam 1:10, Lam 1:11, Luk 21:14, Rev 11:2
pleasant portion: Heb. portion of desire, Jer 3:19
Reciprocal: Isa 5:7 – the vineyard Jer 2:8 – the pastors Jer 9:10 – because Jer 10:21 – the pastors Jer 22:22 – thy pastors Jer 23:1 – pastors Eze 12:20 – General Eze 34:2 – the shepherds Hos 2:3 – as Zep 1:13 – their goods Joh 15:1 – vine
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 12:10. The pastors were the men in Judah whose duty it was to feed the people with knowledge. But they had become corrupt and taken advantage of the people in their greed for gain and in their desire for sinful gratification, This situation was part of the reason for the Lord’s determination to abandon his people to the enemy.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 12:10-11. Many pastures have destroyed my vineyard Many eaters, or devourers, as Dr. Waterland translates , by which the Chaldee Paraphrast understands the generals of the Chaldean army, an interpretation which seems to be justified by the two following verses: though some explain it of the rulers of the Jews, who, by their wicked government, and equally wicked example, had ruined their country. God calls Judea his vineyard and pleasant portion, because of the care he took to cultivate and improve it, and of the fruit he might justly have expected from it: see note on Jer 11:16. Being desolate, it mourneth unto me Unto God; that is, lying in a neglected and doleful condition, it becomes a sad spectacle to me, and makes a sort of silent complaint, begging to be restored to its former prosperity. Because no man layeth it to heart The principal cause of this great judgment is, that the people do not see and acknowledge my hand in the calamities they feel, nor humble themselves under them, but remain in general unaffected, stupid, and obstinate.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
12:10 Many shepherds have destroyed my {k} vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
(k) He prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem, by the captain of Nebuchadnezzar, whom he calls pastors.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Many of the foreign kings had ruined the Lord’s people, like unfaithful shepherds sometimes ruined a vineyard. They had trodden the people down so that they had become as unproductive as a wilderness, completely desolate. Furthermore, Judeans did not express enough concern to do something about the situation; they failed to repent.