New English Translation
Jeremiah 20:12
12O Lord who rules over all, you test and prove the righteous. You see into people’s hearts and minds. Pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Jeremiah 20:12
10I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him. 11But the Lord is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior. Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me. They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed. Their disgrace will never be forgotten. O Lord who rules over all, you test and prove the righteous. You see into people’s hearts and minds. Pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause. 13Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers. 14Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.
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 17:10I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.
- Psalms 7:9May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end! But make the innocent secure, O righteous God, you who examine inner thoughts and motives!
- Psalms 11:5The Lord approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.
- Psalms 17:3You have scrutinized my inner motives; you have examined me during the night. You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin. I am determined I will say nothing sinful.
- Psalms 26:2Examine me, O Lord, and test me! Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives!
- Psalms 139:23Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns!
- Revelation 2:23Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve.
- Jeremiah 11:20So I said to the Lord, “O Lord who rules over all, you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.”
- Jeremiah 12:8The people I call my own have turned on me like a lion in the forest. They have roared defiantly at me. So I will treat them as though I hate them.
- Jeremiah 17:18May those who persecute me be disgraced. Do not let me be disgraced. May they be dismayed. Do not let me be dismayed. Bring days of disaster on them. Bring on them the destruction they deserve.”
- Jeremiah 18:19Then I said, “Lord, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying.
- 2 Chronicles 24:22King Joash disregarded the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”
- Psalms 54:7Surely he rescues me from all trouble, and I triumph over my enemies.
- Psalms 59:10The God who loves me will help me; God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
- Psalms 109:6Appoint an evil man to testify against him! May an accuser stand at his right side!
- Revelation 6:10They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”
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
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