Jeremiah 12
12
Jeremiah’s Complaint
1You will be in the right, O Yahweh, when I complain to you.
Even so, let me speak my claims with you.
Why does the way of the wicked succeed?
All those who deal treacherously with treachery are at ease.
2Not only do you plant them, they take root.
They grow, but also they produce fruit.
You are near in their mouths,
but far from their inmost beings.#Literally “kidneys”
3But you, O Yahweh, you know me,
you see me, and you test that my heart is with you.
Tear them apart like sheep for the slaughtering,
and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
4How long#Literally “Until when” will the land mourn, and the vegetation of every field dry up,
because of the wickedness of those who live in it?
The animals and the birds#Hebrew “bird” are swept away,
because they have said, “He does not see our future.”
The Lord’s Reply
5“If you run with foot soldiers and they have made you weary,
then how will you compete with horses?
If you have fallen in a peaceful land,#Literally “a land of peace”
then how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?
6For even your relatives, and the house of your father,
even they have dealt treacherously with you,
even they call loudly#Literally “full” after you.
You must not trust in them, though they speak kindly to you.
7I have forsaken my house, I have abandoned my inheritance.
I have given the beloved one of my heart#Literally “soul” into the hand of her enemies.
8My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest.
She has lifted up against me her voice; therefore#Literally “unto thus” I hate her.
9The lair of the hyena is my inheritance to me,
the birds of prey#Hebrew “bird of prey” are all around her.
Go, gather all of the animals#Hebrew “animal” of the field,
bring them to come and devour.#Literally “to food”
10Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard,
they have trampled down my plot of land.
They have made my pleasant field#Literally “the plot of land of my desire”
like the desert#Or “wilderness” of desolation.
11They have made it a desolation.
Desolate, it mourns to me.
All the land is made desolate,
but there is no person taking it to heart.
12Upon all the barren heights in the desert#Or “wilderness” destroyers have come,
for the sword of Yahweh devours,
from one end of the land to the other end of the land,
there is no peace for all flesh.
13They have sown wheat and they have reaped thorns.
They are exhausted, they do not profit.
And they will be ashamed of your produce,
because of the burning anger#Literally “the blaze of the nose” of Yahweh.”
14Thus says Yahweh concerning all of the evil neighbors who touch the inheritance that I gave as an inheritance to my people Israel: “Look, I am about to drive them out from their land, and the house of Judah I will drive out from among them. 15And then#Literally “And it will happen” after my driving them out, I will once again have compassion on them, and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance, and each one to his land. 16And then,#Literally “And it will happen” if they diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘as Yahweh lives,’#Literally “the life of Yahweh” even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will live in the midst of my people. 17But if they do not listen, then I will completely uproot and destroy that nation.”#Literally “I will drive out the nation that driving out and destroying” declares#Literally “declaration of” Yahweh.
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 12: LEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
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,#12:2 Lit are near in their mouth
but far from their conscience.#12:2 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.”#12:4 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#12:5 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 family —
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 handed the love of my life
over to her enemies.
8My inheritance has behaved 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#12:9 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 the Lord 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
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers