Jeremiah 12:13 Meaning and Explanation
“They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The wicked's labor will yield no profit; their harvests will be thorns, and they will face shame before God's anger.
The Context of Jeremiah 12:13
The wicked will discover that their labor produces only emptiness and shame under God's fierce judgment.
What Does Jeremiah 12:13 Mean?
The verse uses the metaphor of sowing and reaping to describe the futility of wickedness. The wicked have sown wheat (a good seed, representing good works or plans) but will reap thorns (useless, harmful plants). This is not a natural agricultural outcome but a divine reversal: their intentions to build wealth or security will be thwarted, and their efforts will yield only pain and loss.
They have labored ('put themselves to pain') but will gain nothing ('shall not profit'). More starkly, they will be ashamed of their revenues—what they thought were gains and victories become sources of shame. All of this occurs 'because of the fierce anger of the LORD'—God's judgment actively inverts their expectations and renders their works worthless.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah 12:13
What does Jeremiah 12:13 mean?
The wicked's labor will yield no profit; their harvests will be thorns, and they will face shame before God's anger.
What is the context of Jeremiah 12:13?
The wicked will discover that their labor produces only emptiness and shame under God's fierce judgment.