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Jeremiah 12
New International Version
Jeremiah 12
New International Version
Jeremiah’s Complaint
12 You are always righteous,(A) Lord,
when I bring a case(B) before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:(C)
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?(D)
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2 You have planted(E) them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.(F)
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.(G)
3 Yet you know me, Lord;
you see me and test(H) my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep(I) to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!(J)
4 How long will the land lie parched(K)
and the grass in every field be withered?(L)
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.(M)
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(N) 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.(O)
Do not trust them,
though they speak well of you.(P)
7 “I will forsake(Q) my house,
abandon(R) my inheritance;
I will give the one I love(S)
into the hands of her enemies.(T)
8 My inheritance has become to me
like a lion(U) in the forest.
She roars at me;
therefore I hate her.(V)
9 Has not my inheritance become to me
like a speckled bird of prey
that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
bring them to devour.(W)
10 Many shepherds(X) will ruin my vineyard
and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
into a desolate wasteland.(Y)
11 It will be made a wasteland,(Z)
parched and desolate before me;(AA)
the whole land will be laid waste
because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
destroyers will swarm,
for the sword(AB) of the Lord(AC) will devour(AD)
from one end of the land to the other;(AE)
no one will be safe.(AF)
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.(AG)
They will bear the shame of their harvest
because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”(AH)
14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance(AI) I gave my people Israel, I will uproot(AJ) them from their lands and I will uproot(AK) the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion(AL) and will bring(AM) each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn(AN) well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’(AO)—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal(AP)—then they will be established among my people.(AQ) 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy(AR) it,” declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of
Jeremiah 12
New King James Version
Jeremiah 12
New King James Version
Jeremiah’s Question
12 Righteous (A)are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
(B)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.
(C)You are near in their mouth
But far from their [a]mind.
3 But You, O Lord, (D)know me;
You have seen me,
And You have (E)tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for (F)the day of slaughter.
4 How long will (G)the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
(H)The beasts and birds are consumed,
(I)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 (J)the [b]floodplain of the Jordan?
6 For even (K)your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called [c]a multitude after you.
(L)Do not believe them,
Even though they speak [d]smooth words to you.
7 “I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest;
It cries out against Me;
Therefore I have (M)hated it.
9 My [e]heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture;
The vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
(N)Bring them to devour!
10 “Many (O)rulers[f] have destroyed (P)My vineyard,
They have (Q)trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My [g]pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it (R)desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because (S)no one takes it to heart.
12 The plunderers have come
On all the desolate heights in the wilderness,
For the sword of the Lord shall devour
From one end of the land to the other end of the land;
No flesh shall have peace.
13 (T)They have sown wheat but reaped thorns;
They have [h]put themselves to pain but do not profit.
But be ashamed of your harvest
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
14 Thus says the Lord: “Against all My evil neighbors who (U)touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will (V)pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 (W)Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them (X)and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16 And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, (Y)to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be (Z)established in the midst of My people. 17 But if they do not (AA)obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 12:2 Most secret parts, lit. kidneys
- Jeremiah 12:5 Or thicket
- Jeremiah 12:6 Or abundantly
- Jeremiah 12:6 Lit. good
- Jeremiah 12:9 inheritance
- Jeremiah 12:10 Lit. shepherds or pastors
- Jeremiah 12:10 desired portion of land
- Jeremiah 12:13 Or strained
Jeremiah 12
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 12
English Standard Version
Jeremiah's Complaint
12 (A)Righteous are you, O Lord,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
(B)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all (C)who are treacherous thrive?
2 You plant them, and they take root;
they grow and produce fruit;
(D)you are near in their mouth
and far from their heart.
3 (E)But you, O Lord, know me;
(F)you see me, and test my heart toward you.
(G)Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and set them apart for (H)the day of slaughter.
4 (I)How long will the land mourn
and the grass of every field wither?
(J)For the evil of those who dwell in it
(K)the beasts and the birds are swept away,
because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”
The Lord Answers Jeremiah
5 “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,
how will you compete with horses?
And if in a safe land you are so trusting,
what will you do in (L)the thicket of the Jordan?
6 For (M)even your brothers and the house of your father,
(N)even they have dealt treacherously with you;
they are in full cry after you;
(O)do not believe them,
though they speak friendly words to you.”
7 “I have forsaken my house;
I have abandoned (P)my heritage;
I have given (Q)the beloved of my soul
into the hands of her enemies.
8 (R)My heritage has become to me
like a lion in the forest;
she has lifted up her voice against me;
therefore I hate her.
9 Is (S)my heritage to me like (T)a hyena's lair?
Are the (U)birds of prey against her all around?
Go, (V)assemble all the wild beasts;
bring them to devour.
10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard;
(W)they have trampled down my portion;
they have made my pleasant portion
a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it a desolation;
desolate, (X)it mourns to me.
The whole land is made desolate,
(Y)but no man lays it to heart.
12 Upon all the bare heights in the desert
destroyers have come,
for the sword of the Lord devours
from one end of the land to the other;
no flesh has peace.
13 (Z)They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
(AA)they have tired themselves out but profit nothing.
They shall be ashamed of their[a] harvests
(AB)because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
14 Thus says the Lord concerning all (AC)my evil neighbors (AD)who touch the heritage that (AE)I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. 15 And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, (AF)and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land. 16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, (AG)to swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, (AH)then they shall be built up in the midst of my people. 17 (AI)But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 12:13 Hebrew your
Jeremia 12
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Jeremia 12
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Undran över Herrens handlande
12 (A) Rättfärdig är du, Herre,
när jag vill gå till rätta
med dig.
Ändå måste jag tala med dig
om dina domslut.
Varför lyckas de ogudaktiga så väl?
Varför lever alla trolösa
så trygga?
2 (B) Du planterar dem och de slår rot,
de växer och bär frukt.
Du är nära i deras mun,
men långt från deras inre.
3 (C) Men du, Herre, känner mig.
Du ser mig och prövar
hur mitt hjärta är mot dig.
Ryck bort dem som får till slakt
och förbered dem för dagen
då de dödas.
4 (D) Hur länge ska landet sörja
och hela markens gräs
torka bort,
så att både fyrfotadjur och fåglar
går under för invånarnas ondska?
De säger: ”Han kan inte se
vår framtid.”
Guds svar
5 (E) Om du springer ikapp med fotfolk
och de tröttar ut dig,
hur skulle du då kunna
tävla med hästar?
Du känner dig trygg i fredligt land,
men hur ska du klara dig
i snåren vid Jordan[a]?
6 (F) Dina bröder och din fars hus
är också trolösa mot dig,
de ropar för full hals
bakom din rygg.
Lita inte på dem,
även om de talar vänligt
med dig.
7 Jag har övergett mitt hus,
lämnat mitt arv
och gett min älskade
i fiendens hand.
8 Min arvedel blev
som ett lejon i skogen mot mig.
Hon höjde sin röst mot mig,
därför hatar jag henne.
9 (G) Min arvedel har blivit för mig
som en spräcklig rovfågel
som angrips av andra rovfåglar[b]
runt omkring.
Gå och samla markens alla djur
och låt dem komma för att äta!
10 (H) Många herdar
har fördärvat min vingård
och trampat ner mitt land.
De har gjort mitt härliga land
till en öde öken,
till en ödemark.
11 Sörjande och öde
ligger det framför mig.
Hela landet ligger öde,
för ingen bryr sig om det.
12 Över alla kala höjder i öknen
rycker plundrare fram,
för Herrens svärd slukar allt
från landets ena ände
till den andra.
Ingen kan känna sig trygg.
13 (I) De har sått vete men skördat törne.
Förgäves tröttar de ut sig.
Ni kommer att skämmas
över er gröda
på grund av Herrens
brinnande vrede.
Upprättelse för Israels grannar
14 Så säger Herren om alla onda grannar som förgriper sig på det arv jag har gett mitt folk Israel: Se, jag ska rycka bort dem ur deras land och rycka undan Juda hus ifrån dem.
15 Men när jag har ryckt bort dem, ska jag åter förbarma mig över dem och låta dem komma tillbaka, var och en till sin arvedel, var och en till sitt land. 16 (J) Om de då verkligen lär sig mitt folks vägar så att de svär vid mitt namn: ”Så sant Herren lever”, liksom de förut lärde mitt folk att svära vid Baal, då ska de bli upprättade mitt ibland mitt folk. 17 Men om de inte vill lyssna ska jag fullständigt rycka bort det folket och förgöra det, säger Herren.
Footnotes
- 12:5 snåren vid Jordan Vid denna tid tätbevuxen terräng (2 Kung 6:2) med farliga djur som lejon.
- 12:9 en spräcklig rovfågel som angrips av andra rovfåglar Svårtolkad vers. Andra handskrifter (Septuaginta): ”en hyenas grotta med andra grottor”.
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015 (SFB15)
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015, Copyright © 2015 by Svenska Folkbibeln Foundation