Jeremiah 12:13
New International Version
They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. They will bear the shame of their harvest because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”

New Living Translation
My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worn themselves out, but it has done them no good. They will harvest a crop of shame because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

English Standard Version
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

Berean Standard Bible
They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

New American Standard Bible
“They have sown wheat but have harvested thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. So be ashamed of your produce Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

NASB 1995
“They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

NASB 1977
“They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

Legacy Standard Bible
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; They have strained themselves to no profit. But be ashamed of your produce Because of the burning anger of Yahweh.”

Amplified Bible
“They have planted wheat but have reaped thorns; They have exhausted themselves but without profit. So be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce and raging anger of the LORD.”

Christian Standard Bible
They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves but have no profit. Be put to shame by your harvests because of the LORD’s burning anger.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves but have no profit. Be put to shame by your harvests because of the LORD’s burning anger.

American Standard Version
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Sow wheat and reap thorns, and labor and gain nothing, and be ashamed of your produce, because of the heat of the wrath of LORD JEHOVAH

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Sow wheat, and reap thorns; their portions shall not profit them: be ashamed of your boasting, because of reproach before the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
My people, you planted wheat, but because I was furious, I let only weeds grow. You wore yourselves out and gained only shame!

Douay-Rheims Bible
They have sown wheat, and reaped thorns: they have received an inheritance, and it shall not profit them: you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.

English Revised Version
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
My people planted wheat, but they harvested thorns. They worked until they became sick, but they gained nothing by it. They were disappointed by their harvests because of the burning anger of the LORD.

Good News Translation
My people planted wheat, but gathered weeds; they have worked hard, but got nothing for it. Because of my fierce anger their crops have failed."

International Standard Version
They have sown wheat, but they have harvested thorns. They have tired themselves out, but they don't show a profit. Now be disappointed about your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

JPS Tanakh 1917
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain, they profit not; Be ye then ashamed of your increase, Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

Literal Standard Version
They sowed wheat, and have reaped thorns, | They have become sick—they do not profit, | And they have been ashamed of your increases, | Because of the fierceness of the anger of YHWH.”

Majority Standard Bible
They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

New American Bible
They have sown wheat and reaped thorns, they have tired themselves out for no purpose; They are shamed by their harvest, the burning anger of the LORD.

NET Bible
My people will sow wheat, but will harvest weeds. They will work until they are exhausted, but will get nothing from it. They will be disappointed in their harvests because the LORD will take them away in his fierce anger.

New Revised Standard Version
They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.”

Young's Literal Translation
They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick -- they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Answer to Jeremiah
12Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace. 13They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

Cross References
Romans 6:21
What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.

Leviticus 26:16
then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.

Leviticus 26:20
and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit.

Deuteronomy 28:38
You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it.

Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Jeremiah 4:26
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.

Jeremiah 9:5
Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

sown.

Leviticus 26:16
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

Deuteronomy 28:38
Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

Micah 6:15
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

put.

Jeremiah 3:23-25
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel…

Isaiah 30:1-6
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: …

Isaiah 31:1-3
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! …

they.

Jump to Previous
Account Anger Ashamed Bear Burning Fierce Fruits Gain Good Grain Harvest Harvests Increase Pain Planted Produce Profit Reap Reaped Revenues Shame Shamed Sow Sown Strained Themselves Thorns Tired Wear Wheat
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Account Anger Ashamed Bear Burning Fierce Fruits Gain Good Grain Harvest Harvests Increase Pain Planted Produce Profit Reap Reaped Revenues Shame Shamed Sow Sown Strained Themselves Thorns Tired Wear Wheat
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.














(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 Prophet's 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 Haggai 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.

Verse 13. - A description in proverbial language of the absence of "peace" (literally, soundness, i.e. prosperity, security), from which "all flesh" in Judah at this time shall suffer. The trouble of sowing has been in vain, for they have reaped thorns (so we must render grammatically, and not shall reap, and in the next clause shall not profit ought to be have not profited). And they shall be ashamed of your revenues; rather, be ashamed then of your produce; but it is more natural to emend the pronominal suffix, and render, and are ashamed of their produce (the Authorized Version seems to have very nearly taken this easy step). It is, of course, the produce of husbandry which is referred to.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They have sown
זָרְע֤וּ (zā·rə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2232: To sow, to disseminate, plant, fructify

wheat
חִטִּים֙ (ḥiṭ·ṭîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 2406: Wheat

but harvested
קָצָ֔רוּ (qā·ṣā·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7114: To dock off, curtail, to harvest

thorns.
וְקֹצִ֣ים (wə·qō·ṣîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6975: A thorn, thornbush

They have exhausted themselves
נֶחְל֖וּ (neḥ·lū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

to no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

avail.
יוֹעִ֑לוּ (yō·w·‘i·lū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3276: To confer or gain profit or benefit

Bear the shame
וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ (ū·ḇō·šū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 954: To pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, delayed

of your harvest
מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם (mit·tə·ḇū·’ō·ṯê·ḵem)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 8393: Product, revenue

because of the fierce
מֵחֲר֖וֹן (mê·ḥă·rō·wn)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2740: A burning of anger

anger
אַף־ (’ap̄-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

of the LORD.”
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 12:13 They have sown wheat and have reaped (Jer.)
Jeremiah 12:12
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