Jer 9:12 | NETfull | STEP | I said, “Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it? Why does the land lie in ruins? Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?”

Jeremiah 9:12

12 I said, ^{▼▼ The words, “I said” are not in the text. It is not clear that a shift in speaker has taken place. However, the words of the verse are very unlikely to be a continuation of the Lord’s threat. It is generally assumed that these are the words of Jeremiah and that a dialogue is going on between him and the Lord in vv. 9–14. That assumption is accepted here.}

“Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? ^{▼▼ Heb “Who is the wise man that he may understand this?”}
Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it? ^{▼▼ Heb “And [who is the man] to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken that he may explain it?”}
Why does the land lie in ruins?
Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?”