Jeremiah 12
International Children’s Bible
Jeremiah’s First Complaint
12 Lord, 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?
2 You 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.
3 But 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.
4 How 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?
6 These 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.
8 My people have become
like a lion in the forest to me.
They roar at me.
So I hate them.
9 My people have become to me
like a speckled bird attacked by hawks.
Go, gather the wild animals!
Bring them to get something to eat.
10 Many shepherds will ruin my vineyards.
They will walk on the plants in my field.
They will turn my beautiful field
into an empty desert.
11 They 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.
12 Many 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.
13 The 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.”
14 This 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. 15 But 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. 16 I 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. 17 But a nation might not listen to my message. If it doesn’t, I will pull it up completely and destroy it,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 12
Legacy Standard Bible
Jeremiah’s Plea
12 (A)Righteous are You, O Yahweh, when I would plead my case with You;
Indeed I would (B)speak matters of justice with You:
Why has the (C)way of the wicked succeeded?
Why are all those who (D)deal in treachery complacent?
2 You have (E)planted them; they have also taken root;
They grow; they have even produced fruit.
You are (F)near [a]to their lips
But far from their [b]inmost being.
3 But You, O Yahweh, You (G)know me;
You see me;
And You (H)test my heart’s attitude toward You.
Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter
And [c]set them apart for a (I)day of carnage!
4 How long is the (J)land to mourn
And the (K)plants of every field to dry up?
Because of the (L)evil of those who inhabit it,
(M)Animals and birds have been swept away,
Because men have said, “He will not see our latter (N)ending.”
Yahweh Answers Jeremiah
5 “If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out,
Then how can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the [d](O)thicket of the Jordan?
6 For even your (P)brothers and the household of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you,
Even they have called aloud after you.
Do not believe them, although they may say (Q)nice things to you.”
7 “I have (R)forsaken My house;
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have given the (S)beloved of My soul
Into the hand of her enemies.
8 My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has (T)given forth its voice against Me;
Therefore I have come to (U)hate her.
9 Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the (V)birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the (W)beasts of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 Many (X)shepherds have ruined My (Y)vineyard;
They have (Z)trampled down My portion;
They have made My (AA)desired portion
A desolate wilderness.
11 [e]It has been made a desolation;
Desolate, it (AB)mourns [f]before Me;
The (AC)whole land has been made desolate
Because no man (AD)sets it upon his heart.
12 On all the [g](AE)bare heights in the wilderness
Destroyers have come,
For a (AF)sword of Yahweh is devouring
From one end of the land even to the [h]other;
There is (AG)no peace for any flesh.
13 They have (AH)sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
They have (AI)strained themselves [i]to no profit.
But be ashamed of your (AJ)produce
Because of the (AK)burning anger of Yahweh.”
14 Thus says Yahweh concerning all My (AL)evil neighbors who (AM)beat at the inheritance with which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, “Behold, I am about to uproot them from their land and will (AN)uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will (AO)return and have compassion on them; and I will (AP)cause them to return, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then if they will really (AQ)learn the ways of My people, to (AR)swear by My name, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ even as they taught My people to (AS)swear by Baal, they will be (AT)built up in the midst of My people. 17 But if they will not listen, then I will (AU)uproot that nation, uproot and make it perish,” declares Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 12:2 Lit in their mouth
- Jeremiah 12:2 Lit kidneys
- Jeremiah 12:3 Lit sanctify them
- Jeremiah 12:5 Lit pride
- Jeremiah 12:11 Lit One has made it
- Jeremiah 12:11 Or upon
- Jeremiah 12:12 Or caravan trails
- Jeremiah 12:12 Lit other end of the land
- Jeremiah 12:13 Lit they do not profit
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.