Jeremiah 9:12
New International Version
Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?

New Living Translation
Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it?

English Standard Version
Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Berean Standard Bible
Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a desert, so no one can pass through it?

King James Bible
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

New King James Version
Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?

New American Standard Bible
Who is the wise person who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land destroyed, laid waste like the desert, so that no one passes through?

NASB 1995
Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through?

NASB 1977
Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through?

Legacy Standard Bible
Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of Yahweh has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished, turned into ruin like a desert, so that no one passes through?

Amplified Bible
Who is the wise man who may understand this [without any doubt]? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, so that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Christian Standard Bible
Who is the person wise enough to understand this? Who has the LORD spoken to, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a wilderness, so no one can pass through?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who is the man wise enough to understand this? Who has the LORD spoken to, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a wilderness, so no one can pass through?

American Standard Version
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Who is the man who is wise? He shall perceive this, and upon whom is the word of the mouth of LORD JEHOVAH? He shall reveal it to him. Why has the land come to nothing and is desolate as the wilderness which is without one passing through?”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? and he that has the word of the mouth of the Lord addressed to him, let him tell you wherefore the land has been destroyed, has been ravaged by fire like a desert, so that no one passes through it.

Contemporary English Version
I said to the LORD, "None of us can understand why the land has become like an uncrossable desert. Won't you explain why?"

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who is the wise man, that may understand this, and to whom the word of the mouth of the Lord may come that he may declare this, why the land hath perished, and is burnt up like a wilderness, which none passeth through?

English Revised Version
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land and perished burned up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
No one is wise enough to understand this. To whom has the LORD revealed this so that they can explain it? The land dies; it has been ruined like the desert so that no one can travel through it.

Good News Translation
I asked, "LORD, why is the land devastated and dry as a desert, so that no one travels through it? Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom have you explained it so that they can tell others?"

International Standard Version
Who is the wise person who understands this, and to whom has the LORD spoken so that he may declare it? Why is the land destroyed, ruined like the desert, without anyone passing through it?

JPS Tanakh 1917
Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it? Wherefore is the land perished And laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?

Literal Standard Version
Who [is] the wise man? And he understands this, | And he to whom the mouth of YHWH spoke? And he declares it, | For why has the land perished? It has been burned up as a wilderness, | Without any passing through.

Majority Standard Bible
Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a desert, so no one can pass through it?

New American Bible
Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken? Let him declare it! Why is the land ravaged, scorched like a wilderness no one crosses?

NET Bible
I said, "Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? Who has a word from the LORD that can explain it? Why does the land lie in ruins? Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?"

New Revised Standard Version
Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, so that they may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

New Heart English Bible
"Who is the wise man, that may understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passes through?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Who is the wise man that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

World English Bible
Who is wise enough to understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of Yahweh has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Young's Literal Translation
Who is the wise man? and he understandeth this, And he to whom the mouth of Jehovah spake? And he doth declare it, For what hath the land perished? It hath been burnt up as a wilderness, Without any passing through.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament over Zion
11“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.” 12Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a desert, so no one can pass through it? 13And the LORD answered, “It is because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them; they have not walked in it or obeyed My voice.…

Cross References
Psalm 107:34
and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.

Psalm 107:43
Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:23
Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?

Jeremiah 9:20
Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD. Open your ears to the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters to wail, and one another to lament.

Jeremiah 23:10
For the land is full of adulterers--because of the curse, the land mourns and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up--their course is evil and their power is misused.

Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:22
But if they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and turned them back from their evil ways and deeds."


Treasury of Scripture

Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perishes and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passes through?

the wise.

Deuteronomy 32:29
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

Psalm 107:43
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Hosea 14:9
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

for.

Jeremiah 5:19,20
And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours…

Jeremiah 16:10-13
And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? …

Jeremiah 22:8,9
And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? …

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Able Burned Burnt Declare Desert Enough Goes Instructed Laid Mouth Passes Passeth Perished Perisheth Ruined Understand Understandeth Waste Wherefore Wilderness Wise Word
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Able Burned Burnt Declare Desert Enough Goes Instructed Laid Mouth Passes Passeth Perished Perisheth Ruined Understand Understandeth Waste Wherefore Wilderness Wise Word
Jeremiah 9
1. Jeremiah laments the people for their manifold sins;
9. and for their judgment.
12. Disobedience is the cause of their bitter calamity.
17. He exhorts to mourn for their destruction;
23. and to trust not in themselves, but in God.
25. He threatens both Jews and Gentiles.














(12) Who is the wise man . . .?--Sage (comp. Jeremiah 8:9) and prophet are alike called on to state why the misery of which Jeremiah speaks is to come upon the people. But they are asked in vain, and Jehovah, through the prophet, makes answer to Himself.

That none passeth through.--The English is ambiguous. "That" stands either for a relative with "wilderness" as its antecedent, or as a conjunction equivalent to "so that." Better, and none there is that passeth through.

Verse 12. - For what the land perisheth. A closer rendering would be more forcible: Wherefore hath the land perished, is it burned up like the wilderness with none that passeth through

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

is the man
הָאִ֤ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

wise
הֶֽחָכָם֙ (he·ḥā·ḵām)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

enough to understand
וְיָבֵ֣ן (wə·yā·ḇên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

this?
זֹ֔את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

To whom
וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר (wa·’ă·šer)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

has the mouth
פִּֽי־ (pî-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

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

spoken,
דִּבֶּ֧ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

that he may explain it?
וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ (wə·yag·gi·ḏāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

Why
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

is the land
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

destroyed
אָבְדָ֣ה (’ā·ḇə·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

and scorched
נִצְּתָ֥ה (niṣ·ṣə·ṯāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3341: To burn, set on fire, to desolate

like a desert,
כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר (ḵam·miḏ·bār)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

so no
מִבְּלִ֖י (mib·bə·lî)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 1097: Failure, nothing, destruction, without, not yet, because not, as long as

one can pass through it?
עֹבֵֽר׃ (‘ō·ḇêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 9:12 Who is the wise man that may (Jer.)
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