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Jeremiah 11:18-12:6
New King James Version
Jeremiah 11:18-12:6
New King James Version
Jeremiah’s Life Threatened
18 Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, (A)and let us cut him off from (B)the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”
20 But, O Lord of hosts,
You who judge righteously,
(C)Testing the [a]mind and the heart,
Let me see Your (D)vengeance on them,
For to You I have revealed my cause.
21 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of (E)Anathoth who seek your life, saying, (F)‘Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, lest you die by our hand’— 22 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall (G)die by famine; 23 and there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even (H)the year of their punishment.’ ”
Jeremiah’s Question
12 Righteous (I)are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
(J)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
(K)You are near in their mouth
But far from their [b]mind.
3 But You, O Lord, (L)know me;
You have seen me,
And You have (M)tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for (N)the day of slaughter.
4 How long will (O)the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
(P)The beasts and birds are consumed,
(Q)For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
The Lord Answers Jeremiah
5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in (R)the [c]floodplain of the Jordan?
6 For even (S)your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called [d]a multitude after you.
(T)Do not believe them,
Even though they speak [e]smooth words to you.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 11:20 Most secret parts, lit. kidneys
- Jeremiah 12:2 Most secret parts, lit. kidneys
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or thicket
- Jeremiah 12:6 Or abundantly
- Jeremiah 12:6 Lit. good
Jeremiah 11:18-12:6
New International Version
Jeremiah 11:18-12:6
New International Version
Plot Against Jeremiah
18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;(A) I did not realize that they had plotted(B) against me, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
let us cut him off from the land of the living,(C)
that his name be remembered(D) no more.”
20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously(E)
and test the heart(F) and mind,(G)
let me see your vengeance(H) on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
21 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth(I) who are threatening to kill you,(J) saying, “Do not prophesy(K) in the name of the Lord or you will die(L) by our hands”— 22 therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men(M) will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. 23 Not even a remnant(N) will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.(O)”
Jeremiah’s Complaint
12 You are always righteous,(P) Lord,
when I bring a case(Q) before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:(R)
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?(S)
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2 You have planted(T) them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.(U)
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.(V)
3 Yet you know me, Lord;
you see me and test(W) my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep(X) to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!(Y)
4 How long will the land lie parched(Z)
and the grass in every field be withered?(AA)
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.(AB)
Moreover, the people are saying,
“He will not see what happens to us.”
God’s Answer
5 “If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in safe country,
how will you manage in the thickets(AC) by[b] the Jordan?
6 Your relatives, members of your own family—
even they have betrayed you;
they have raised a loud cry against you.(AD)
Do not trust them,
though they speak well of you.(AE)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.