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?

JEREMIAH 9:12KJV
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Jeremiah 9:12 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 9:12 mean?

Jeremiah 9:12 asks who among the people is wise enough to understand why the land has become ruined and deserted, and who has truly heard from the LORD to explain this disaster. The verse highlights that the devastation of the land is so severe that no one even passes through it anymore.

Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah during a time of great trouble. He challenges anyone who claims wisdom or a special word from God to explain the reason behind the land’s destruction. The verse sets up a question that points to the seriousness of the situation and prepares the reader for God’s explanation in the following verses.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 9:12

  • wise (חָכָם, ḥākām): This word refers to someone with true understanding or insight, not just intelligence. Jeremiah is questioning whether anyone has the deep wisdom needed to grasp what is happening.
  • understand (בִּין, bîn): This verb means to perceive or discern. The verse is not just about knowing facts, but about truly grasping the meaning behind the disaster.
  • mouth (פֶּה, peh) of the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The phrase emphasizes that real understanding comes from what God says, not just human reasoning.
  • perisheth (אָבַד, ’ābad): This word means to be destroyed or lost. It shows the total ruin of the land, not just temporary hardship.
  • wilderness (מִדְבָּר, midbār): This term describes a desolate, uninhabited place, stressing how complete the devastation is.

Why Jeremiah 9:12 matters

  • Jeremiah 9:12 makes it clear that the disaster is not random; it demands explanation and understanding, especially from those who claim wisdom or spiritual insight.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of the situation by describing the land as so ruined that it is like a wilderness, with no one passing through.
  • This question sets up the following verses, where God will explain the true reason for the destruction, emphasizing the importance of listening to God’s word over human opinion.

Where else these words appear

“up” Hebrew H3341 · used in 28 verses

  • Joshua 8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
  • Isaiah 9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
  • Jeremiah 46:19 O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.

“wise” Hebrew H2450 · used in 133 verses

  • Genesis 41:8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
  • Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.