Jeremiah 9:12

“Who is the wise man that may understand this? etc.] Not the calamity, but the cause of it; a man of wisdom would inquire into it, find it out, and understand it; but the intimation is, that there was not a wise man among them, at least very few; there were scarce any that took any notice of these things, or were concerned about them: and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken; and foretold this desolation and destruction; meaning a prophet: that he may declare it; as from the Lord, namely, what follows: for what the land perisheth, and is burnt like a wilderness, that none passeth through? that is, what were the sins of the inhabitants of the land, which brought such distress…”

“Rather, "Who is a wise man? (that is, Whosoever has inspired wisdom, Pe2 3:15); let him understand this (weigh well the evils impending, and the causes of their being sent); and he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken (that is, whosoever is prophetically inspired), let him declare it to his fellow countrymen," if haply they may be roused to repentance, the only hope of safety.”

“The punishment described in general terms in the preceding three verses is now detailed at great length. Jeremiah 9:10 The habitations i. e - the temporary encampments of the shepherds (see Jeremiah 6:3). So that none can ... - Or, “They are parched up, with no man to pass through them; neither do they hear the voice of cattle; from the birds of the heaven even to the beasts they “are fled, they are gone.” Jeremiah 9:11 Dragons - Rather, jackals. Jeremiah 9:12 For what the land perisheth ... - This is the question proposed for consideration. The prophet calls upon the wise man to explain his question; that question being, Wherefore did the land perish? He follows it by the assertion of a…”

“Who is - Is there not a wise man among you, that will search into the cause of all these threatened judgments. Jeremiah 9:16”

“9:12 It is unclear who asks these three questions. It might be the people or Jeremiah. The first two questions express frustration that the Lord’s message about the religious and political situation made no sense—the Lord’s words seemed too harsh and too extreme. The third question reveals anger that the land had been desolated. The questioner seems to ask where to find the wisdom and goodness of the Lord in what was happening.”

“the wise: Deu 32:29; Psa 107:43; Hos 14:9; Mat 24:15; Rev 1:3 for: Jer 5:19, Jer 5:20, Jer 16:10-13, Jer 22:8, Jer 22:9; Deu 29:22-28; Kg1 9:8, Kg1 9:9; Psa 107:34; Eze 14:23, Eze 22:25-31 Jeremiah 9:13”