Jeremiah 12
12
Why do the Wicked Prosper
1Righteous are You, Adonai, when I plead my case with You. Yet I speak with You about justice. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous thrive?
2You planted them, so they have taken root. They are growing, bearing fruit. You are near in their mouth, yet far from their mind.
3But You have known me, Adonai. You see me, and examine my heart toward You. Drag them off like sheep for slaughter. Set them apart for the day of carnage.
4How long will the land mourn and the grass of all the field wither? Because those living in it are evil, beasts and birds are swept away. For they said, “He cannot see our end.”
5“If you raced with those on foot and they wore you out, how can you compete with horses? If you are secure in a land of peace, how will you do in Jordan’s thickets?
6For even your brothers —your father’s house— even they will betray you, even they will shout out after you. Have no confidence in them, even if they say nice words to you.”
7“I have abandoned My House. I have forsaken My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.
8My inheritance became to Me like a lion in the forest— her voice roared against Me! Therefore I despised her.
9Is My inheritance a speckled vulture? Are vultures circling all around her? Go, gather all the wild beasts, bring them for devouring!
Adonai’s Vineyard in Ruins
10“Many shepherds ruined My vineyard. They trampled My property. They made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11They made it a wasteland. It mourns before Me, desolate. The whole land will be laid waste, because no one takes it to heart.”
12On all the bare hills in the wilderness destroyers have come. For the sword of Adonai is devouring from the one end of the land to the other end of the land. No flesh has shalom.
13They sowed wheat but reaped thorns. They wore themselves out, gaining nothing. So be ashamed of your harvest, because of Adonai’s fierce anger.
14Thus says Adonai, “As for all My evil neighbors who strike at the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people Israel—I am about to uproot them from their land and pluck the house of Judah from them.
15Yet it will come to pass, after I have uprooted them, that I will again have compassion on them and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land.
16“So it will come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of My people—to swear by My Name, ‘As Adonai lives,’ just as they taught My people to swear by Baal—then they will be built up in the midst of My people.
17But if they will not obey, then I will uproot that nation, plucking it up and destroying it.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 12: TLV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Jeremiah 12
12
Jeremiah’s Complaint
1You will be righteous, Lord, # Ezr 9:15; Neh 9:8,33; Ps 119:137
even if I bring a case against You.
Yet, I wish to contend with You: # Jb 9:14-15; 13:13-28; 23:2-17
Why does the way of the wicked prosper? # Ps 73
Why do all the treacherous live at ease?
2You planted them, # Ps 1:3; Jr 17:7-8 and they have taken root.
They have grown and produced fruit.
You are ever on their lips, # Lit are near in their mouth
but far from their conscience. # Lit kidneys # Ps 28:3; Is 29:13
3As for You, Lord, You know me; You see me. # Ps 139; Jr 1:5
You test whether my heart is with You. # Ps 7:9; Jr 11:20
Drag the wicked away like sheep to slaughter # Jr 11:19
and set them apart for the day of killing.
4How long will the land mourn # Is 24:4-7; Jr 4:28; 23:10
and the grass of every field wither?
Because of the evil of its residents,
animals and birds have been swept away, # Zph 1:3
for the people have said,
“He cannot see what our end will be.” # LXX reads see our ways # Dt 32:20; Jb 22:13; Jr 29:11
The Lord’s Response
5If you have raced with runners
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble # Or you are secure in a peaceful land,
what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan? # Jr 50:44
6Even your brothers — your own father’s household —
even they were treacherous to you; # Jn 1:11
even they have cried out loudly after you. # Jr 11:19
Do not have confidence in them,
though they speak well of you.
7I have abandoned My house; # Ezk 8:1–11:25
I have deserted My inheritance.
I have given the love of My life
into the hands of her enemies.
8My inheritance has acted toward Me
like a lion in the forest.
She has roared against Me.
Therefore, I hate her. # Hs 9:15; Am 6:8
9Is My inheritance like a hyena # Hb obscure to Me?
Are birds of prey circling her?
Go, gather all the wild animals; # Is 56:9; Jr 7:33
bring them to devour her.
10Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard;
they have trampled My plot of land. # Is 63:18
They have turned My desirable plot
into a desolate wasteland.
11They have made it a desolation.
It mourns, desolate, before Me.
All the land is desolate,
but no one takes it to heart. # Is 42:25
12Over all the barren heights in the wilderness
the destroyers have come,
for the Lord has a sword that devours
from one end of the earth to the other.
No one has peace. # 2Ch 15:5; Is 48:22; Ezk 13:16
13They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. # Lv 26:16; Dt 28:38; Hs 8:7; Mc 6:15; Hg 1:6
They have exhausted themselves but have no profit. # Is 55:2
Be put to shame by your harvests
because of the Lord’s burning anger. # Jr 4:26; 25:37-38
14This is what the Lord says: “Concerning all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people, Israel, I am about to uproot them # Jr 1:10; 18:7-8 from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from them. 15After I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion # Jr 30:18; 31:20; 33:26; 42:12 on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land. 16If they will diligently learn the ways of My people # Is 2:2-4; Mc 4:1-5 — to swear by My name, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ just as they taught My people to swear by Baal — they will be built up among My people. 17However, if they will not obey, then I will uproot and destroy that nation.” # Is 60:12
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.