Jer 12 | ABEn | STEP | You are righteous, O lord , that I may plead to you. [ 4 only 5 concerning judgments 1 I will speak 2 to 3 you]. Why is it that the way of the impious prospers? [ 5 prospered 1 All 2 the ones 3 disrespecting 4 in wickedness].

Jeremiah 12

CHAPTER 12 Jeremiah Questions God

1 You are righteous, O lord, that I may plead to you. [⁴only ⁵concerning judgments ¹I will speak ²to ³you]. Why is it that the way of the impious prospers? [⁵prospered ¹All ²the ones ³disrespecting ⁴in wickedness]. 2 You planted them, and they were rooted. They produced children, and they produced fruit. [³near ²are ¹You] their mouth, and at a distance from their kidneys. 3 And you, O lord, know me. You have tried my heart before you. Gather them as a flock for a sacrifice, and purify them for the day of slaughter! 4 For how long will [³mourn ¹the ²land], and all the grass of the field be dried, because of the evils of the ones dwelling in it? [⁴were removed from view ¹The cattle ²and ³the winged creatures]; for they said, [²shall not ³see ¹God] our ways.

God Answers Jeremiah

5 Your feet run, and they cause you to faint. How will you make preparations to ride upon horses? and [²in ³the land ⁴of your peace ¹you have relied]. How will you do in the neighing of the Jordan? 6 For even your brethren and the house of your father, even they disregarded you; and they yelled out; [²at ³your rear ¹they assembled]; you should not trust in them when they speak with you good words. 7 I have abandoned my house; I let go of my inheritance; I gave the one being loved of my soul into the hands of her enemies. 8 [²became ¹My inheritance] to me as a lion in the forest; she uttered [²against ³me ¹her voice]; on account of this I detested her. 9 Is not the cave of a hyena my inheritance to me, the cave round about her against her? Proceed, bring together all the wild beasts of the field, and let them come to eat her! 10 [²shepherds ¹Many] corrupted my vineyard, they tainted my portion; they made [²portion ¹my desirable] for [²wilderness ¹an untrodden]. 11 It was appointed for extinction by destruction; on account of me [⁵in extinction ⁴was obliterated ¹all ²the ³land], for there is no man putting it to heart. 12 Upon every mountain pass in the wilderness [²came ¹the ones causing misery]. For the sword of the lord shall devour from one tip of the land unto the other tip of the land; there is no peace to all flesh. 13 You sowed wheat, and [²thorn-bushes ¹harvested]. Their lots shall not benefit them. Be ashamed of your boasting, because of scorn before the lord! 14 For thus says the lord, Concerning all the [²neighbors ¹wicked] of the ones touching my inheritance, which I portioned to my people Israel -- behold, I draw them away from their land, and Judah I will cast out from the midst of them. 15 And it will be after [²casting ⁴out ¹my ³them], I will return, and I will show mercy on them, and I will settle them each in his inheritance, and each in his land. 16 And it will be if in learning they should learn the way of my people, to swear by an oath to my name, saying, As the lord lives; as they taught my people to swear by an oath to Baal, then they shall be edified in the midst of my people. 17 But if they should not return, then I shall lift away that nation by removal and destruction, says the lord.