SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:5
Si corriste con los de a pie, y te cansaron, ¿cómo contenderás con los caballos? Y si en la tierra de paz donde estabas quieto te cansaron , ¿cómo harás en la hinchazón del Jordán?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 12:5
Verse 5. If thou hast run with the footmen] If the smallest evils to which thou art exposed cause thee to make so many bitter complaints, how wilt thou feel when, in the course of thy prophetic ministry, thou shalt be exposed to much greater, from enemies much more powerful? Footmen may here be the symbol of common evil events; horsemen, of evils much more terrible. If thou have sunk under small difficulties, what wilt thou do when great ones come? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst] I believe the meaning is this, "If in a country now enjoying peace thou scarcely thinkest thyself in safety, what wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan? in the time when the enemy, like an overflowing torrent, shall deluge every part of the land?" The overflowing of Jordan, which generally happened in harvest, drove the lions and other beasts of prey from their coverts among the bushes that lined its banks; who, spreading themselves through the country, made terrible havoc, slaying men, and carrying off the cattle. Perhaps by footmen may be meant the Philistines, Edomites, &c., whose armies were composed principally of infantry; and by the horses, the Chaldeans, who had abundance of cavalry and chariots in their army. But still the words are proverbial, and the above is their meaning.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked. (Jer. 12:1-6) The heavy judgments to come upon the nation. (Jer. 12:7-13) Divine mercy to them, and even to the nations around. (Jer. 12:14-17)
Jer. 12:1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning God' dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of God, believing that he never did the least wrong to any of his creatures. When we find it har to understand any of his dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and abide by them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do, knows how our hearts ar toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerit of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned int barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lor reproved the prophet. The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not s formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grie that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness of account of the trials it occasions us. And in this our favoured day and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we shoul behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
Jer. 12:7-13 God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul precious in his sight, but they acted so, that he gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are as men wondered at, as speckled bird; but this people had by their own folly made themselve so; and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them. The whol land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actuall inflicted, none of the people would lay the warning to heart. When God's hand is lifted up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel. Silver and gold shall not profit in the day of the Lord's anger And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance an works answerable thereto, will end in confusion.
Jer. 12:14-17 The Lord would plead the cause of his people agains their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to thos nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to loo forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end lik theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 את 854 רגלים 7273 רצתה 7323 וילאוך 3811 ואיך 349 תתחרה 8474 את 854 הסוסים 5483 ובארץ 776 שׁלום 7965 אתה 859 בוטח 982 ואיך 349 תעשׂה 6213 בגאון 1347 הירדן׃ 3383
