Jeremiah 12
1 Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason
the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are
all they at ease 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 heart.
3 But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my 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 the whole country wither? for
the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the
birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst
thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how
wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan?
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt
treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them
not, though they speak fair words unto thee. [
7 I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly
beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her
voice against me; therefore I have hated her.
9 Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey
against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them
to devour.
10 Many shepherds 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 a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the
whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12 Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the
sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of
the land: no flesh hath peace.
13 They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to
pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the
fierce anger of Jehovah.
14 Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the
inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: behold, I will
pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from
among them.
15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return
and have compassion on them; and I 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, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to
swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and
destroying it, saith Jehovah.