Jeremiah 12
12
Jeremiah’s Question
1Righteous #Ezra 9:15; Ps. 51:4; Jer. 11:20are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
#Job 12:6; Jer. 5:27, 28; Hab. 1:4; Mal. 3:15Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
2You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
#Is. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31; Matt. 15:8; Mark 7:6You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.
3But You, O Lord, #Ps. 17:3know me;
You have seen me,
And You have #Ps. 7:9; 11:5; Jer. 11:20tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for #Jer. 17:18; 50:27; James 5:5the day of slaughter.
4How long will #Jer. 23:10; Hos. 4:3the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
#Jer. 9:10; Hos. 4:3; Hab. 3:17The beasts and birds are consumed,
#Ps. 107:34For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
The Lord Answers Jeremiah
5“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in #Josh. 3:15; 1 Chr. 12:15the floodplain of the Jordan?
6For even #Gen. 37:4–11; Job 6:15; Ps. 69:8; Jer. 9:4, 5your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called a multitude after you.
#Ps. 12:2; Prov. 26:25Do not believe them,
Even though they speak smooth words to you.
7“I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
8My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest;
It cries out against Me;
Therefore I have #Hos. 9:15; Amos 6:8hated it.
9My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture;
The vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
#Lev. 26:22Bring them to devour!
10“Many #Jer. 6:3; 23:1rulers have destroyed #Ps. 80:8–16; Is. 5:1–7My vineyard,
They have #Is. 63:18trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11They have made it #Jer. 10:22; 22:6desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because #Is. 42:25no one takes it to heart.
12The plunderers have come
On all the desolate heights in the wilderness,
For the sword of the Lord shall devour
From one end of the land to the other end of the land;
No flesh shall have peace.
13#Lev. 26:16; Deut. 28:38; Mic. 6:15; Hag. 1:6They have sown wheat but reaped thorns;
They have put themselves to pain but do not profit.
But be ashamed of your harvest
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
14Thus says the Lord: “Against all My evil neighbors who #Jer. 2:3; 50:11, 12; Zech. 2:8touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will #Deut. 30:3; Ps. 106:47; Is. 11:11–16; Jer. 32:37pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15#Jer. 31:20; Lam. 3:32; Ezek. 28:25Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them #Amos 9:14and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, #(Jer. 4:2); Zeph. 1:5to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be #(Eph. 2:20, 21; 1 Pet. 2:5)established in the midst of My people. 17But if they do not #Ps. 2:8–12; Is. 60:12obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the Lord.
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Jeremiah 12: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 12
12
1 Certainly, O Lord, you are just. But if I may contend with you, while still speaking what is just to you: Why does the way of the impious prosper? Why is it well with all those who transgress and act unfairly?
2 You planted them, and they took root. They are prospering and bearing fruit. You are near to their mouths, but far from their hearts.
3 And you, O Lord, have known me well. You have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. Gather them together like a flock for the sacrifice and sanctify them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long shall the earth mourn? And how long shall the plants of every field whither because of the wickedness of the inhabitants within them? It has consumed the wild animals and the birds. For they said: "He will not see our very end."
5 "If you have struggled to run on foot, how will you be able to compete with horses? And if you have been secure in a land of peace, what will you do about the arrogance of the Jordan?
6 For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even these have fought against you. And they have cried out after you with loud voice: 'You should not believe them, when they speak good things to you.' "
7 "I have abandoned my house. I have disowned my inheritance. I have given my beloved soul into the hand of its enemies.
8 My inheritance has become for me like a lion in the forest. It has uttered a voice against me, therefore, I have hated it.
9 Is my inheritance to me like a discolored bird? Is it like a bird that has entirely changed color? Approach and assemble, all beasts of the earth! Hurry, so that you may devour!
10 Many pastors have demolished my vineyard. They have trampled my portion. They have made my desirable portion into a desert of solitude.
11 They have squandered it, and it has grieved concerning me. The entire earth has become utterly desolate, because there is no one who understands with the heart."
12 The devastators have arrived, over all the ways of the wilderness. For the sword of the Lord will devour, from one end of the earth even to its furthest limits. There is no peace for all that is flesh.
13 They sowed wheat, but they reaped thorns. They received an inheritance, but it will not benefit them. You will be confounded by your own fruits, because of the wrath of the fury of the Lord.
14 Thus says the Lord against all my wicked neighbors, who touch the inheritance that I have distributed to my people Israel: "Behold, I will root them out of their own land, and I will root the house of Judah out of their midst.
15 And when I have rooted them out, I will turn back and take pity on them. And I will lead them back, one man to his inheritance, and another man to his land.
16 And this shall be: if they are taught and they learn the ways of my people, so that they swear by my name, 'As the Lord lives,' just as they had taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not listen, I will uproot that nation unto utter destruction and perdition, says the Lord."
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