English Standard Version
Jeremiah 20:12
12O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
Jeremiah 20:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
- New International Version (NIV)Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You.
- New Living Translation (NLT)O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Context of Jeremiah 20:12
10For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my close friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him." 11But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. 13Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. 14Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!
Read all of Jeremiah 20Jeremiah 20:12 word by word
וַיהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ בֹּחֵ֣ן צַדִּ֔יק רֹאֶ֥ה כְלָי֖וֹת וָלֵ֑ב אֶרְאֶ֤ה נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ מֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֖יךָ גִּלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־רִיבִֽי׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But, O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- that triestבָּחַןbâchan · to testH974
- the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- seestרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the reinsכִּלְיָהkilyâh · kidneyH3629
- and the heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- thy vengeanceנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
- on them: for unto thee have I openedגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
- my causeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
Cross-references for Jeremiah 20:12
- Jeremiah 17:10"I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
- Psalms 7:9Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous— you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!
- Psalms 11:5The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
- Psalms 17:3You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
- Psalms 26:2Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
- Psalms 139:23Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
- Revelation 2:23and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
- Jeremiah 11:20But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
- Jeremiah 12:8My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her.
- Jeremiah 17:18Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!
- Jeremiah 18:19Hear me, O Lord, and listen to the voice of my adversaries.
- 2 Chronicles 24:22Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!"
- Psalms 54:7For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
- Psalms 59:10My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
- Psalms 109:6Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
- Revelation 6:10They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
Commentaries on Jeremiah 20:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-18Verses 7-18 In the rest of the chapter we have an outbreak of deep emotion, of which the first part ends in a cry of hope Jeremiah 20:13, followed nevertheless by curses upon the day of his birth. Was this the result of feelings wounded by the indignities of a public scourging and a night spent in the stocks? Or was it not the mental agony of knowing that his ministry had (as it seemed) failed? He stands indeed before the multitudes with unbending…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The prophet complains of the insult and injury he experienced. But Jr 20:7 may be read, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded. Thou wast stronger than I; and didst overpower me by the influence of thy Spirit upon me. So long as we see ourselves in the way of God, and of duty, it is weakness and folly, when we meet with difficulties and discouragements, to wish we had never set out in it. The prophet found the grace of God mighty in him…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Jeremiah fully trusted the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (see Jeremiah 5:14), who could take revenge on the prophet’s enemies.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. triest the righteous--in latent contrast to the hasty judgments of men (Jr 11:20; 17:10). opened--that is, committed (compare 2Ki 19:14; Psa 35:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 20:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries