Jeremiah 12
King James Version
12 Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3 But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.
9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
14 Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 12
Wycliffe Bible
12 Forsooth, Lord, thou art just; if I dispute with thee, nevertheless I shall speak (about) just things to thee. Why hath the way of wicked men prosperity? It is well to all men that break the law, and do wickedly? (But, Lord, thou art just; and if I dispute with thee, nevertheless I shall speak about just things with thee. Why hath the ways of the wicked prospered? Why is it well with all those who break the law, and who do wickedly?)
2 Thou hast planted them, and they sent (out) root; they increase, and make fruit; thou art nigh to the mouth of them, and far from the reins of them.
3 And thou, Lord, hast known me, thou hast seen me, and hast proved mine heart with thee. Gather thou them together as a flock to slain sacrifice, and hallow thou them in the day of slaying.
4 How long shall the earth mourn, and each herb of the field shall be dried, for the malice of them that dwell therein? A beast is wasted, and a bird, for they said, The Lord shall not see our last things. (How long shall the land mourn, and the grass on each field shall be dried up, because of the malice of those who live there? Yea, a beast is destroyed, and also a bird, because those people said, The Lord shall not see what we do.)
5 If thou travailest running with footmen, how shalt thou be able to strive with horses? but when thou art secure in the land of peace, what shalt thou do in the pride of Jordan? (what shalt thou do in the thickets of the Jordan River?)
6 For why both thy brethren and the house of thy father, yea, they fought against thee, and cried with full voice after thee; believe thou not to them, when they speak goods to thee (do not thou believe them, when they say their fine words to thee).
7 I have left mine house, I have forsaken mine heritage; I gave my loved soul into the hands of enemies thereof. (I have left my house, I have abandoned my inheritance; I gave the beloved of my soul into the hands of their enemies.)
8 Mine heritage is made as a lion in the wood to me; it gave voice against me, therefore I hated it. (My inheritance is made like a lion in the woods to me; they gave voice against me, and so I hated them.)
9 Whether mine heritage is (like) a bird of diverse colours to me? whether it is (like) a bird dyed throughout? All beasts of the field, come ye, be ye gathered together; haste ye for to devour. (Is my inheritance like but a bird of diverse colours to me? is it like but a bird dyed throughout? All the beasts of the field, come ye, be ye gathered together; hasten ye to devour!/hasten ye to the feast!)
10 Many shepherds destroyed my vinery, defouled my part, gave my desirable portion into desert of wilderness; (Many shepherds destroyed my vineyard, and defiled my portion, yea, they turned my desirable portion into a desert of wilderness;)
11 they setted it into scattering, and it mourned on me (and it mourned for me); all the land is desolate by desolation, for none is that again-thinketh (on it) in (his) heart.
12 All (the) destroyers of the land came on all the ways of (the) desert, for the sword of the Lord shall devour from the last part of the land unto the last part thereof; no peace is to all flesh (no flesh shall have any peace).
13 They sowed wheat, and reaped thorns; they took heritage, and it shall not profit to them. Ye shall be shamed of your fruits, for the wrath of the strong vengeance of the Lord. (They sowed wheat, and reaped thorns; they took hold of their inheritance, but it shall not profit them. Ye shall be shamed by your fruits/Ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the anger of the strong vengeance of the Lord.)
14 The Lord saith these things against all my worst neighbours, that touch the heritage which I parted to my people Israel (who touch the inheritance which I gave to my people Israel), Lo! I shall draw them out of their land, and I shall draw the house of Judah out of the midst of them.
15 And when I shall draw out those Jews, I shall turn again, and have mercy on them; and I shall lead them again, a man to his heritage, and a man into his land. (But after I shall draw out those Jews, I shall return, and have mercy on them; and I shall lead them again, each person to his own inheritance, and to his own land.)
16 And it shall be, if they that be taught learn the ways of my people, that they swear in my name, The Lord liveth, as they taught my people to swear in Baal, they shall be builded in the midst of my people. (And it shall be, if they who be taught learn the ways of my people, that they swear in my name, As the Lord liveth, like they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up, or shall flourish and prosper, in the midst of my people.)
17 That if they hear not, I shall draw out that folk by drawing out and perdition, saith the Lord. (But if they will not listen, or obey, then I shall draw out that nation, or that people, by drawing out and perdition, saith the Lord.)
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
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
