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.
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Jeremiah 12
12
Jeremiah’s First Complaint
1Lord, if I complain to you,
you are always right.
But I want to ask you about the justice you give.
Why are evil people successful?
Why do dishonest people have such easy lives?
2You have put the evil people here.
They are like plants with strong roots.
They grow and produce fruit.
With their mouths they speak well of you.
But their hearts are really far away from you.
3But you know my heart, Lord.
You see me and test my mind.
Drag the evil people away like sheep to be butchered.
Set them aside for the day of killing.
4How much longer will the land stay dried up?
How long will the grass in every field be dead?
The animals and birds in the land have died.
And it is because the people are evil.
Yet, they are saying,
“God does not see what happens to us!”
God’s Answer to Jeremiah
5“If you get tired racing against men,
how can you race against horses?
You stumble in a country that is safe.
What will you do in the thick thornbushes along the Jordan River?
6These men are your own brothers.
Members of your own family are making plans against you.
People from your own family are crying out against you.
Don’t trust them,
even when they speak to you like friends!
7“I have left Israel.
I have left my people.
I have given the people I love
to their enemies.
8My people have become
like a lion in the forest to me.
They roar at me.
So I hate them.
9My people have become to me
like a speckled bird attacked by hawks.
Go, gather the wild animals!
Bring them to get something to eat.
10Many shepherds will ruin my vineyards.
They will walk on the plants in my field.
They will turn my beautiful field
into an empty desert.
11They will turn my field into a desert.
It will be wilted and dead.
The whole country is an empty desert.
This is because no one who lives there cares.
12Many soldiers will march over those barren hills.
The Lord will use the armies to punish that land.
People from one end of the land to the other will be punished.
No one will be safe.
13The people will plant wheat.
But they will harvest only thorns.
They will work hard until they are very tired.
But they will get nothing for all their work.
You will be ashamed of your poor harvest.
The Lord’s terrible anger has caused this.”
14This is what the Lord said to me: “Here is what I will do to those wicked people who take the land I gave my people, the Israelites. I will pull them up and throw them out of their land. And I will pull up the people of Judah from among them. 15But after I pull them up, I will feel sorry for them. I will bring each person back to his own property. And I will bring him back to his own land. 16I want them to learn their lessons well. In the past they taught my people to use Baal’s name to make promises. Now I want them to learn to use my name! I want them to say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives . . .’ If they do, I will allow them to be successful. And I will let them live among my people. 17But a nation might not listen to my message. If it doesn’t, I will pull it up completely and destroy it,” says the Lord.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.