Jeremiah 12:7

“I have forsaken my house, etc.] The temple, where the Lord took up his residence, and vouchsafed his presence to his people; this was fulfilled in the first temple, when it was destroyed by the Chaldeans; and more fully in the second, when Christ took his leave of it, (<402338>Matthew 23:38) and when that voice was heard in it, a little before the destruction of Jerusalem, as Josephusf242 relates, “let us go hence.” So the Targum, “I have forsaken the house of my sanctuary.” I have left mine heritage: the people whom he had chosen for his inheritance, whom he prized and valued, took care of, and protected as such; (see <053209>Deuteronomy 32:9). I have given the dearly beloved of my soul;…”

“I have forsaken--Jehovah will forsake His temple and the people peculiarly His. The mention of God's close tie to them, as heretofore His, aggravates their ingratitude, and shows that their past spiritual privileges will not prevent God from punishing them. beloved of my soul--image from a wife (Jer 11:15; Isa 54:5).”

“Yahweh shows that the downfall of the nation was occasioned by no want of love on His part, but by the nation’s conduct. Left - More correctly, cast away. Jeremiah 12:8 Judah has not merely refused obedience, but become intractable and fierce, like an untamed lion. It has roared against God with open blasphemy. As His favor is life, so is His hatred death, i. e., Jerusalem’s punishment shall be as if inflicted by one that hated her. Jeremiah 12:9 Rather, “Is My heritage unto Me as a speckled bird? Are the birds upon her round about? Come, assemble all the wild beasts: bring them to devour her.” By “a speckled” or parti-colored “bird” is probably meant some kind of vulture. return to 'Top of…”

“My house - God by his house here understands the temple. Heritage - The whole body of the Israelites, whom God threatens to leave with respect to his special providence. Jeremiah 12:8”

“12:7-13 God called the people of Judah his special possession, his dearest ones, his chosen people, and his vineyard. However, they had become hostile to him, so they had to be surrendered to their enemies. Perhaps the most severe justice they could face was for the Lord to step back and let the people suffer the consequences of their evil ways.”

“have forsaken: Jer 11:15, Jer 51:5; Isa 2:6; Psa 78:59, Psa 78:60; Hos 9:15; Joe 2:15, Joe 3:2 I have given: Jer 7:14; Lam. 2:1-22; Eze 7:20, Eze 7:21, Eze 24:21; Luk 21:24 dearly beloved: Heb. love Jeremiah 12:8”

“The execution of the judgment on Judah and its enemies. - As to this passage, which falls into two strophes, Jer 12:7-13 and Jer 12:14-17, Hitz., Graf, and others pronounce that it stands in no kind of connection with what immediately precedes. The connection of the two strophes with one another is, however, allowed by these commentators; while Eichh. and Dahler hold Jer 12:14-17 to be a distinct oracle, belonging to the time of Zedekiah, or to the seventh or eighth year of Jehoiakim. These views are bound up with an incorrect conception of the contents of the passage-to which in the first place we must accordingly direct our attention. Jer 12:7 "I have forsaken mine house, cast out mine…”