Jeremiah 9:12

Context

9:12 I said,¹

“Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened?²

Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it?³

Why does the land lie in ruins?

Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?”

Joel 1:10-12

Context

1:10 The crops of the fields⁴ have been destroyed.⁵

The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished.

The fresh wine has dried up;

the olive oil languishes.

1:11 Be distressed,⁶ farmers;

wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley.

For the harvest of the field has perished.

1:12 The vine has dried up;

the fig tree languishes –

the pomegranate, date, and apple⁷ as well.

In fact,⁸ all the trees of the field have dried up.

Indeed, the joy of the people⁹ has dried up!

[9:12] ¹tn The words, “I said” are not in the text. It is not clear that a shift in speaker has taken place. However, the words of the verse are very unlikely to be a continuation of the Lord’s threat. It is generally assumed that these are the words of Jeremiah and that a dialogue is going on between him and the Lord in vv. 9-14. That assumption is accepted here.

[9:12] ²tn Heb “Who is the wise man that he may understand this?”

[9:12] ³tn Heb “And [who is the man] to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken that he may explain it?”

[1:10] ⁴tn Heb “the field has been utterly destroyed.” The term “field,” a collective singular for “fields,” is a metonymy for crops produced by the fields.

[1:10] ⁵tn Joel uses intentionally alliterative language in the phrases שֻׁדַּד שָׂדֶה (shuddad sadeh, “the field is destroyed”) and אֲבְלָה אֲדָמָה (’avlah ’adamah, “the ground is in mourning”).

[1:11] ⁶tn Heb “embarrassed”; or “be ashamed.”

[1:12] ⁷tn This Hebrew word וְתַפּוּחַ (vÿtappuakh) probably refers to the apple tree (so most English versions), but other suggestions that scholars have offered include the apricot, citron, or quince.

[1:12] ⁸tn These words are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:12] ⁹tn Heb “the sons of man.”