Jeremiah 12

Jeremiah’s Prayer

11Righteous are You, Lord, when I plead my case with You; Nevertheless I would 2discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the 3way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who 4deal in treachery at ease?2You have 5planted them, they have also taken root; They grow, they have also produced fruit. You are 6near 7to their lips But far from their 8mind.3But You 9know me, Lord; You see me And 10examine my heart’s attitude toward You. Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter, And 11set them apart for a 12day of slaughter!4How long is the 13land to mourn, And the 14vegetation of the 15countryside to dry up? Due to the 16wickedness of those who live in it, 17Animals and birds have been snatched away, Because people have said, “He will not see our final 18end.”

5“If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out, How can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the 19thicket by the Jordan?6For even your 20brothers and the household of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you, Even they have called aloud after you. Do not believe them, though they say 21nice things to you.”

God’s Answer

7“I have 22forsaken My house, I have abandoned My inheritance; I have handed the 23beloved of My soul Over to her enemies.8My inheritance has become to Me Like a lion in the forest; She has 2425roared against Me; Therefore I have come to 26hate her.9Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me? Are the 27birds of prey against her on every side? Go, gather all the 28animals of the field, Bring them to devour!10Many 29shepherds have ruined My 30vineyard, They have 31trampled down My field; They have made My 32pleasant field A desolate wilderness.1133It has been made a desolation; Desolate, it 34mourns 35before Me; The 36whole land has been made desolate, Because no one 37takes it to heart.12On all the 3839bare heights in the wilderness Destroyers have come, For the 40sword of the Lord is devouring From one end of the land even to the 41other; There is 42no peace for 43anyone.13They have 44sown wheat but have harvested thorns, They have 45strained themselves 46to no profit. So be ashamed of your 47produce Because of the 48fierce anger of the Lord.”

14This is what the Lord says concerning all My 49wicked neighbors who 50do harm to the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel: “Behold, I am going to drive them out of their land, and I will 51drive the house of Judah out from among them. 15And it will come about that after I have driven them out, I will 52again have compassion on them; and I will 53bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16Then, if they will really 54learn the ways of My people, to 55swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ just as they taught My people to 56swear by Baal, they will be 57built up in the midst of My people. 17But if they do not listen, then I will 58drive out that nation, drive it out and destroy it,” declares the Lord.