King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 12:5 Mean?

“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?”

Context

But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. toward: Heb. with thee

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.

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee. they have called: or, they cried after thee fully fair: Heb. good things

I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. the dearly: Heb. the love

Read full chapter →

Topics in This Verse

Peace

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5) **If thou hast run with the footmen.**—The prophet is compelled to make answer to himself, and the voice of Jehovah is heard in his inmost soul rebuking his impatience. What are the petty troubles that fall on him compared with what others suffer, with what might come on himself? The thought is not unlike that with which St. Paul comforts the Corinthians (1Corinthians 10:13), or what we find in Hebrews 12:4. The meaning of the first clause is plain enough. The man who was wearied in a foot-race should not venture (as Elijah, *e.g., *had done, 1Kings 18:46) to measure his speed against that of horses. The latter (“the swelling of Jordan”) suggests the thoughts of the turbid stream of the river overflowing its banks in the time of harvest (Joshua 3:15; 1Chronicles 12:15). In Zechariah 11:3, however, the same phrase (there translated “the pride of Jordan”) is used apparently in connection with the lions and other beasts of prey that haunted the jungle on its banks (Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44), and that may be the thought here. Commentators differ, and there are no *data *for deciding. In any case, there is no need for the interpolated words of the English Version. The sentence should run, “*In a land of peace thou art secure *(*i.e., *it is easy to be tranquil when danger is not pressing). *What wilt thou in the swelling *(or, *amid the pride*)* of Jordan?*

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 12:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.