Jeremiah 12:8

My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me; therefore I hate her.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God addresses Jeremiah regarding the consequences of Judah’s rebellion, immediately after declaring He has forsaken His house and surrendered His inheritance to enemies.

The words — נַחֲלָתִ֖י (na.cha.la.T/i) translates to “My inheritance,” and כְּ/אַרְיֵ֣ה (ke./'ar.Yeh) means “like a lion.”

The thread — Divine rejection of covenant people appears in Hosea 9:15 and Amos 6:8, while Zechariah 11:8 records the flock’s detestation of God rather than His hatred of them.

Why it lands — The verse states that rebellion transforms God’s people into a hostile force that roars against Him, demanding the reader acknowledge that covenant identity does not prevent divine opposition when the community actively opposes its Shepherd.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הָיְתָה־ha.ye.tah-it has becomeלִּ֥יl/ito <the>/ meנַחֲלָתִ֖יna.cha.la.T/iinheritance/ my כְּאַרְיֵ֣הke./'ar.Yehlike/ a lion בַיָּ֑עַרva/i.Ya.'arin the/ forest נָתְנָ֥הna.te.Nahit has given עָלַ֛י'a.La/ion/ me בְּקוֹלָ֖הּbe./ko.La/hwith/ voice/ its עַל־'al-there-כֵּ֥ןken-fore שְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃se.ne.Ti./haI hate/ it

King James Version

Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.

Cross-references

Amos 6:8 The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself—the LORD, the God of Hosts, has declared: “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels, so I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”
Hosea 9:15 All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.
Zechariah 11:8 And in one month I dismissed three shepherds. My soul grew impatient with the flock, and their souls also detested me.
Jeremiah 2:15 The young lions have roared at him; they have sounded their voices. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:38 They will roar together like young lions; they will growl like lion cubs.