Jeremiah 12
12
Jeremiah’s Question
1O Lord, even if I would argue my case with you,
you would always be right.
Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice.
Why do wicked people succeed?
Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet?
2You plant them, and they take root.
They grow, and they produce fruit.
They speak well of you with their lips, but their hearts are far from you.
3You know me, O Lord.
You see me and test my devotion to you.
Drag them away like sheep to be slaughtered.
Prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4How long will the land mourn?
How long will the plants in every field remain dried up?
The animals and the birds are dying,
because people are wicked.
They think that God #12:4 Greek; Masoretic Text “he.” doesn’t know what they are doing.
The Lord’s Reply
5“If you have raced against others on foot, and they have tired you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in open country,
how can you live in the jungle along the Jordan River?
6Even your relatives and members of your father’s household betray you.
They have also formed a mob to find you.
Don’t trust them when they say good things about you.
7“I have abandoned my nation.
I have left my own people.
I have handed the people I love over to their enemies.
8My people have turned on me like a lion in the forest.
They roar at me, so I hate them.
9My people are like a colorful bird of prey.
Other birds of prey surround it.
Go, gather all the animals in the field,
and bring them to devour it.
10Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard.
They’ve trampled my property.
They’ve turned my pleasant property into a wasteland.
11They’ve left it a wasteland.
Devastated, it mourns in my presence.
The whole land is destroyed,
but no one takes this to heart.
12Looters swarm all over the bare hills in the desert.
The Lord’s sword destroys them
from one end of the land to the other.
No one will be safe.
13My people planted wheat, but they harvested thorns.
They worked until they became sick, but they gained nothing by it.
They were disappointed by their harvests
because of the burning anger of the Lord.
14“This is what I, the Lord, say about all my evil neighbors who take the inheritance that I gave my people Israel: I am going to uproot those neighbors from their lands. I will also uproot the people of Judah from among them. 15After I’ve uprooted them, I will have compassion on them again. I will return them to their inheritance and to their lands. 16Suppose they learn carefully the ways of my people. Suppose they take an oath in my name, ‘As the Lord lives …’ as they taught my people to take an oath in ⌞the name of⌟ Baal. Then they will build homes among my people. 17But suppose they don’t listen. Then I will uproot that nation and destroy it,” declares the Lord.
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Jeremiah 12: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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.
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