The Meaning of Jeremiah 12:16 Explained

Jeremiah 12:16

KJV: And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, 'Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.

Darby: And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth even as they taught my people to swear by Baal they shall be built up in the midst of my people.

ASV: And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently  learn  the ways  of my people,  to swear  by my name,  The LORD  liveth;  as they taught  my people  to swear  by Baal;  then shall they be built  in the midst  of my people. 

What does Jeremiah 12:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

If these neighbors came to trust and worship Yahweh (cf. Genesis 31:51-53), as they had formerly taught the Judahites to trust in Baal, the Lord would accept them (cf. Ruth).
"At the same time, there is no concession to the old ways or the old gods-in our modern terms, to religious pluralism" [1]
Jeremiah 12:15-16 will find fulfillment in the Millennium (cf. Genesis 12:1-3; Zechariah 14:16; Romans 11:15).

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 12

1  Jeremiah, complaining of the prosperity of the wicked, by faith sees their ruin
5  God admonishes him of his brothers' treachery against him;
7  and laments his heritage
14  He promises to the penitent return from captivity

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 12:16 mean?

And it shall be if carefully they will learn - the ways of My people to swear by My name as lives Yahweh as they taught My people by Baal then they shall be established in the midst of My people
וְהָיָ֡ה אִם־ לָמֹ֣ד יִלְמְדוּ֩ אֶת־ דַּֽרְכֵ֨י עַמִּ֜י לְהִשָּׁבֵ֤עַ בִּשְׁמִי֙ חַי־ יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר לִמְּדוּ֙ עַמִּ֔י בַּבָּ֑עַל וְנִבְנ֖וּ בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמִּֽי

וְהָיָ֡ה  And  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָמֹ֣ד  carefully 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
יִלְמְדוּ֩  they  will  learn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דַּֽרְכֵ֨י  the  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
עַמִּ֜י  of  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לְהִשָּׁבֵ֤עַ  to  swear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
בִּשְׁמִי֙  by  My  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
חַי־  as  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
לִמְּדוּ֙  they  taught 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
עַמִּ֔י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בַּבָּ֑עַל  by  Baal 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
וְנִבְנ֖וּ  then  they  shall  be  established 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
עַמִּֽי  of  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.