Logos Bible Study

Jeremiah 12:1–3

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

12:1Lord, you have always been fair

whenever I have complained to you.1

However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice.2

Why are wicked people successful?3

Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?

12:2You plant them like trees and they put down their roots.4

They grow prosperous and are very fruitful.5

They always talk about you,

but they really care nothing about you.6

12:3But you, Lord, know all about me.

You watch me and test my devotion to you.7

Drag these wicked men away like sheep to be slaughtered!

Appoint a time when they will be killed!8

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 1 Or “Lord, you are fair when I present my case before you.”
  2. 2 Heb “judgments” or “matters of justice.” For the nuance of “complain to,” “fair,” “disposition of justice” assumed here, see 936 רִיב Qal.4 (cf. Judg 21:22); 843 צַדִּיק 1.d (cf. Ps 7:12; 11:7); 1049 מִשְׁפָּט 1.f (cf. Isa 26:8; Ps 10:5; Ezek 7:27).
  3. 3 Heb “Why does the way [= course of life] of the wicked prosper?”
  4. 4 Heb “You planted them and they took root.”
  5. 5 Heb “they grow and produce fruit.” For the nuance “grow” for the verb which normally means “go, walk,” see 232 חָלַךְ Qal.I.3 and compare Hos 14:7.
  6. 6 Heb “You are near in their mouths, but far from their kidneys.” The figure of substitution is being used here, “mouth” for “words” and “kidneys” for passions and affections. A contemporary equivalent might be, “your name is always on their lips, but their hearts are far from you.”
  7. 7 Heb “You, Lord, know me. You watch me and you test my heart toward you.” Jeremiah appears to be complaining like Job that God cares nothing about the prosperity of the wicked, but watches his every move. The reverse ought to be true. Jeremiah shouldn’t be suffering the onslaughts of his fellow countrymen as he is. The wicked who are prospering should be experiencing punishment.
  8. 8 Heb “set aside for them a day of killing.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Righteous are you, O Lord,

when I complain to you;

yet I would plead my case before you.

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

You plant them, and they take root;

they grow and produce fruit;

you are near in their mouth

and far from their heart.

But you, O Lord, know me;

you see me, and test my heart toward you.

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,

and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

You are always righteous, Lord,

when I bring a case before you.

Yet I would speak with you about your justice:

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why do all the faithless live at ease?

You have planted them, and they have taken root;

they grow and bear fruit.

You are always on their lips

but far from their hearts.

Yet you know me, Lord;

you see me and test my thoughts about you.

Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!

Set them apart for the day of slaughter!

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

You will be righteous, Lord,

even if I bring a case against you.

Yet, I wish to contend with you:

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why do all the treacherous live at ease?

You planted them, and they have taken root.

They have grown and produced fruit.

You are ever on their lips,

but far from their conscience.

As for you, Lord, you know me; you see me.

You test whether my heart is with you.

Drag the wicked away like sheep to slaughter

and set them apart for the day of killing.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

Lord, you always give me justice

when I bring a case before you.

So let me bring you this complaint:

Why are the wicked so prosperous?

Why are evil people so happy?

You have planted them,

and they have taken root and prospered.

Your name is on their lips,

but you are far from their hearts.

But as for me, Lord, you know my heart.

You see me and test my thoughts.

Drag these people away like sheep to be butchered!

Set them aside to be slaughtered!

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

You will be in the right, O Yahweh, when I complain to you.

Even so, let me speak my claims with you.

Why does the way of the wicked succeed?

All those who deal treacherously with treachery are at ease.

Not only do you plant them, they take root.

They grow, but also they produce fruit.

You are near in their mouths,

but far from their inmost beings.

But you, O Yahweh, you know me,

you see me, and you test that my heart is with you.

Tear them apart like sheep for the slaughtering,

and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

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? 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. 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.

Public Domain