Jeremiah 12:2 · Bible study
Jeremiah 12:2 Commentary: Near in Mouth, Far from Heart
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God grant outward success to those whose hearts are distant?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The hypocrite enjoys outward success under God's providence but lacks genuine devotion; God is on their lips, not in their hearts.
- Key words: 'Planted' (H5193), 'taken root' (H8327), 'reins/kidneys' (H3629).
- Main debate: Whether God's planting of the wicked indicates active blessing or merely his permission and common grace.
- Theological theme: The patient forbearance of God and the problem of the prosperity of the wicked.
- Best use: A diagnostic warning against lip-service and a model for honest lament and heart examination.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near art Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou hast planted them, they also have taken root: they advance, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they prosper and bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Plantástelos, y echaron raíces; progresaron, é hicieron fruto; cercano estás tú en sus bocas, mas lejos de sus riñones.
Tu os plantaste, e firmaram raízes; eles progridem, e dão fruto; tu estás perto de suas bocas, porém longe de seus sentimentos.
Tu les as plantés, ils ont pris racine,
Du pflanzt sie, daß sie wurzeln und wachsen und Frucht bringen. Nahe bist du in ihrem Munde, aber ferne von ihrem Herzen;
Gij hebt ze geplant, zij zijn ook ingeworteld, zij gaan voort, ook dragen zij vrucht; Gij zijt wel nabij in hun mond, maar verre van hun nieren.
Tu li hai piantati, essi hanno messo radice, crescono ed anche portano frutto; tu sei vicino alla loro bocca, ma lontano dal loro interiore.
Wszczepiłeś ich, i rozkorzenili się; rosną i owoc wydawają ci, którycheś ust bliskim, ale dalekim od nerek ich.
Ты насадил их, и они укоренились, выросли и приносят плод. В устах их Ты близок, но далек от сердца их.
你栽培了他們，他們也 扎了根，長大，而且 結 果。他們的口 是與你 相近，心 卻與你遠離。
They have been planted by you, they have taken root; they go on and give fruit: you are near in their mouths but far from their thoughts.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 12:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse captures the prophet's anguish over the prosperity of the wicked, people who appear fruitful under God's care yet are only devout in speech. Calvin notes that God planted them (the metaphor of planting is used for both elect and reprobate in different contexts), meaning their prosperity comes from his providence, not their righteousness. Gill, similarly, observes that they took root and bore fruit but only for themselves, not to God. The contrast between near in their mouth and far from their reins (kidneys, the seat of affections) is a standard biblical image for hypocrisy, as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and others point out, referencing Isaiah 29:13. Matthew Henry and Wesley emphasize that outward religious talk without inward love is the essence of their sin. The Cambridge Bible notes that this passage is the first stirring in Hebrew literature of the problem of the prosperity of the wicked, a theme later taken up by Habakkuk. The consensus is clear: God's planting does not mean his approval; it highlights the mystery of his forbearance toward those whose lips honor him but whose hearts are far away.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse depicts the tension between outward prosperity and inward distance from God—the wicked flourish under God's providence, but their devotion is limited to speech, not the heart.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'planted' in this verse | God is the ultimate source of the prosperity described. All traditions agree that the growth and fruit come from his hand (Providence). | Some Reformed commentators (e.g., Calvin) stress that this 'planting' is a general act of God for all people, not a sign of special covenant favor. Others (e.g., Gill) see it as ironic: God planted them in the land, but they took root only in earthly soil, not in God. |
| The significance of 'reins' (kidneys) | The word refers figuratively to the innermost affections, conscience, and moral character. | Some (e.g., Barnes) emphasize the literal physical metaphor as seat of emotions. Others (e.g., Targum) interpret it simply as 'fear of God', a wider category. No significant conflict, just varying emphases. |
| Does this verse teach that prosperity indicates divine displeasure? | Prosperity is not a reliable marker of God's approval; the wicked can flourish while being distant from God. | Charismatic and prosperity-oriented readings may struggle with this tension, while historical Reformed and Catholic traditions have used it as a caution against equating material blessing with spiritual blessing. |
| The relationship between Jeremiah's lament and the problem of evil | The verse raises the universal question of why the wicked prosper, and the Bible does not promise a simple answer in this life. | Some (e.g., Keil) see the passage as an example of impatience requiring God's rebuke. Others (e.g., Calvin) emphasize that the question is legitimate within a framework of faith, as long as one does not deny God's justice. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 12:2 sits within a larger complaint (12:1, 4) where the prophet wrestles with the fact that the wicked flourish while he suffers. The immediate backdrop is opposition from his own townspeople in Anathoth (11:21, 23) and even from his own family (12:6). This is not an abstract theological query; it is a gut-level cry from a man whose life is at risk. The agricultural language, planting, taking root, growing, producing fruit, would have been especially vivid to a people whose covenant blessings were tied to land and harvest (Deuteronomy 28). But here the image is twisted: those who are 'planted' by God are the same ones who 'deal very treacherously' (12:1). The Hebrew word for 'reins' (kilyah) refers literally to the kidneys, which the Hebrews considered the seat of the deepest emotions and moral consciousness (Barnes). To say God is near their mouth but far from their reins is to say their devotion is entirely external. This echoes Isaiah's condemnation of lip-service (29:13), a charge Jesus later levels against the Pharisees (Matthew 15:8). Keil and Delitzsch note that Jeremiah's complaint is a concrete example of the people's utter corruptness, and it sets the stage for God's response in verses 5, 6, where he warns Jeremiah that worse opposition is coming. The passage is an early and honest biblical exploration of theodicy, why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper, offering no easy answer but opening the door for lament as a form of faith.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 12:2. The Masoretic Text is consistent across manuscripts, and both the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate align closely with the Hebrew. The verse is regarded by commentators (e.g., Keil, Lange) as being in its original form.
Reception History
Jeremiah 12:2 has served as a touchstone for Christian reflection on hypocrisy and the mystery of divine patience. Early church writers, including Jerome, saw it as an indictment of Israel's empty worship and a foreshadowing of Christ's critique of Pharisaism (Matthew 15:8). During the Reformation, Calvin used the verse to explore how the prosperity of the wicked can test the faith of believers, urging readers to trust God's ultimate justice even when circumstances seem unfair. Puritan preachers frequently cited it to warn against a religion of words without heart. Matthew Henry commended Jeremiah's boldness in bringing his complaint to God, modeling honest prayer. In contemporary biblical studies, the verse is valued as an early and poignant expression of theodicy, the question of why evil seems to flourish, and continues to be used in sermons and small groups addressing spiritual integrity and lament.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The prosperity of the wicked is real and from God. They are planted, rooted, growing, and fruitful, all by God's hand (Calvin, Gill). This is the mystery of common grace.
- Outward religion can mask an absent heart. Words on the lips do not guarantee devotion in the seat of affections (the reins). Matthew Henry calls this 'form without power.'
- Jeremiah models honest complaint. He does not hide his pain but brings it to the only One who can hear it. His confidence in God's ultimate justice (v. 3) keeps his lament from becoming bitter.
Five-point outline
- God is the source of all growth, even for those who reject him (v. 2a).
- Success can be deceptive, fruitfulness is not the same as faithfulness (Gill: they produce fruit 'to themselves, not to God').
- Proximity in worship is not intimacy, being near in mouth is not the same as being near in heart (cf. Isaiah 29:13).
- God's patience allows room for repentance, the wicked prosper, but not forever (Calvin on God's long-suffering).
- Lament is a legitimate language of faith, Jeremiah's cry is not doubt but honest petition, expecting God's righteous answer.
Illustration hooks
- A volunteer who leads every church committee but seethes with resentment when overlooked. The speech says 'service'; the heart says 'recognition.'
- A public figure who invokes God in speeches while making deals that harm the poor. Their mouth is near, but their practices show distance.
- A family that appears blessed with health, wealth, and good reputation, yet there is no prayer, no forgiveness, no real love of God in the home. The fruit is external, not from the root of faith.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do people who seem to ignore God often have easier lives than those who follow him faithfully?
- How can I tell if my own faith is genuine or just a comfortable habit of words?
- Does God sometimes use the success of hypocrites as a warning or a test for believers?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 12:2 puts words to a question most of us have asked: Why do some people who seem far from God prosper while the faithful struggle? Before you read the verse aloud, set the tone by acknowledging that this is a question the Bible itself invites, not a sign of weak faith. Let the group hear Jeremiah's honesty as permission to bring their own honest questions to God.
Discussion questions
- What does Jeremiah mean when he says God has 'planted' the wicked? Does this suggest approval, or something else (see also Jer 11:17)?
- In what ways does the imagery of 'taking root, growing, and bearing fruit' add to the tension of the verse?
- The Hebrew word for 'reins' (kidneys) was understood as the seat of feelings and conscience. How does this deepen the meaning of 'far from your reins'?
- Read Isaiah 29:13 and Matthew 15:8. How does Jesus' teaching on hypocrisy connect back to this Old Testament passage?
- Jeremiah does not deny the wicked's prosperity but uses it as a launch point for a complaint (v. 1-2). What can we learn from the way he prays in this situation?
- How might the temptation to measure our own faith by outward success, money, health, reputation, blind us to our own hypocrisy?
- What is one area of your life where your words about God and your actual trust in God might be further apart than you would like, and what would a small step toward alignment look like this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 29:13 | The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; |
| Jeremiah 3:10 | Yet for all this her treacherous sister, Judah, has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense,” says Yahweh. |
| Jeremiah 11:17 | For Yahweh of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal. |
| Jeremiah 45:4 | “You shall tell him, Yahweh says: ‘Behold, that which I have built, I will break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land. |
| Ezekiel 17:5 | “‘“He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He set it as a willow tree. |
| Ezekiel 17:10 | Yes, behold, being planted, will it prosper? Won’t it utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the ground where it grew.”’” |
| Ezekiel 19:10 | “‘Your mother was like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters. It was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters. |
| Ezekiel 19:13 | Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out a hollow religiosity where people speak of God's nearness but lack sincerity. For him, this shows that outward religious forms can exist without the inward power of true faith. The mere mention of God means nothing if the heart is empty.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the word "veins" here actually refers to the heart, because the Jews regarded the reins (kidneys) as the seat of the affections. This is a cultural and anatomical clarification that changes how the verse should be understood.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that even the wicked are planted by God, but only for temporal blessing and outward prosperity. This planting is entirely different from the saving planting of the elect, whose salvation is sure. The prophet never doubts God's providence, even when wickedness seems to prosper.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the striking contradiction: these people flourish outwardly as if planted by God himself, yet their hearts remain far from him. They honor him with their lips, but their inner being—their reins—has no true connection to him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that the wicked may flourish outwardly—planted, rooted, and fruitful—but their fruit is only worldly wealth and families, not righteousness. Their lips speak of God, yet their hearts remain far from Him, with no true love, fear, or faith.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the Hebrew word for "grow" literally means to go on or progress, indicating steadily increasing prosperity from God. But the real point is the sharp contrast between what these people say and what they truly feel inside, a condition Jesus called hypocrisy.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch present Jeremiah's complaint as an impatient demand for justice against the wicked, but God's reply reproves him: the opposition he faces now is trivial compared to the greater perils ahead. They interpret the "pride of the Jordan" not as a flood but as the dangerous, lion-infested thickets along the riverbank, symbolizing escalating trials the prophet must endure.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the prophet does not quarrel with God or accuse Him of injustice, but humbly asks to understand the meaning behind His judgments. This is a respectful inquiry, not a complaint, seeking reasons to be satisfied with God’s ways.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley zeroes in on the phrase far from their inward parts to show that spiritual distance is not about location but the heart. Those who do not fear or love God, no matter how near they appear outwardly, have no real connection with Him.