Jeremiah 12:9

“Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, etc.] Or, “is not mine heritage unto me as a speckled bird?”f243 as a bird of various colours, delightful to look at, as the peacock, so Jerom interprets it here; it was so formerly, but not so now; or as a bird of various colours, and unusual, which other birds get about, look on, hate, and peck at. Some think this refers to the motley party coloured religion the Jews had embraced, consisting of various rites and ceremonies of the Heathens; on which account they thought they looked beautiful and comely, when they were hated and rejected of God for them; but the word signifies rather to be dipped or stained, as with blood, and so denotes a bird of…”

“speckled bird--Many translate, "a ravenous beast, the hyena"; the corresponding Arabic word means hyena; so the Septuagint. But the Hebrew always elsewhere means "a bird of prey." The Hebrew for "speckled" is from a root "to color"; answering to the Jewish blending together with paganism the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual. The neighboring nations, birds of prey like herself (for she had sinfully assimilated herself to them), were ready to pounce upon her. assemble . . . beasts of . . . field--The Chaldeans are told to gather the surrounding heathen peoples as allies against Judah (Isa 56:9; Eze 34:5).”

“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…”

“The birds round about - It is usual for other birds to flock about a strange coloured bird, such as they have not been used to see. Jeremiah 12:10”

“12:9 The people of Judah would become prey to huge flocks of speckled vultures. The people would soon be corpses that wild animals would pick . . . clean.”

“Mine: Or rather, as the learned Bochart renders, "Is then my heritage (people) to me as a fierce hyena? Is there a wild beast all around upon her?" i.e., the land of Canaan. The hyena is a kind of wolf, a little bigger than a mastiff; colour grey, streaked with black. it is of a solitary and savage disposition. speckled bird: or, a bird having talons the birds: Jer 2:15; Kg2 24:2; Eze 16:36, Eze 16:37, Eze 23:22-25; Rev 17:16 come ye: Jer 7:33; Isa 56:9; Eze 39:17-20; Rev 19:17, Rev 19:18 come: or, cause them to come Jeremiah 12:10”