Jeremiah 12:3

Jeremiah 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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!
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Context of Jeremiah 12:3

1Lord, 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? 2You 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! 4How long must this land mourn? Even the grass in the fields has withered. The wild animals and birds have disappeared because of the evil in the land. For the people have said, “The Lord doesn’t see what’s ahead for us!” 5“If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:3 word by word

וְאַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ יְדַעְתָּ֔נִי תִּרְאֵ֕נִי וּבָחַנְתָּ֥ לִבִּ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ הַתִּקֵם֙ כְּצֹ֣אן לְטִבְחָ֔ה וְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖ם לְי֥וֹם הֲרֵגָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But thou, O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• me: thou hast seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• me, and triedבָּחַןbâchan · to testH974
• mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• toward thee: pull them outנָתַקnâthaq · to tearH5423
• like sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• for the slaughterטִבְחָהţibchâh · slaughteredH2878
• and prepareקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: prepareH6942
• them for the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of slaughterהֲרֵגָהhărêgâh · slaughterH2028

Cross-references for Jeremiah 12:3

• Jeremiah 11:20O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
• 2 Kings 20:3“Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
• 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
• Job 23:10“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
• Psalms 17:3You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say.
• Psalms 26:1Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
• Psalms 44:21God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart.
• Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
• John 21:17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
• 1 John 3:20Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.
• Jeremiah 17:18Bring shame and dismay on all who persecute me, but don’t let me experience shame and dismay. Bring a day of terror on them. Yes, bring double destruction upon them!
• Jeremiah 18:21So let their children starve! Let them die by the sword! Let their wives become childless widows. Let their old men die in a plague, and let their young men be killed in battle!
• Jeremiah 20:12O 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.
• Jeremiah 48:15But now Moab and his towns will be destroyed. His most promising youth are doomed to slaughter,” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
• Jeremiah 50:27Destroy even her young bulls— it will be terrible for them, too! Slaughter them all! For Babylon’s day of reckoning has come.
• Jeremiah 51:4They will fall dead in the land of the Babylonians, slashed to death in her streets.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3But thou, O Lord, knowest me - I know that the very secrets of my heart are known to thee; and I am glad of it, for thou knowest that my heart is towards thee - is upright and sincere.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Thou hast seen me … - Rather, “Thou seest me and triest mine heart” at all times, and knowest the sincerity of its devotion” toward Thee.” Pull them out - The original is used Jeremiah 10:20 of the rending asunder of the cords of the tent, and Ezekiel 17:9 of the tearing up of roots. Jeremiah does not doubt God‘s justice, or the ultimate punishment of the wicked, but he wants it administered in a summary way. Prepare - literally, “sanctify,” i. e., devote.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Jeremiah's words may seem self-righteous, but he was open to the Lord examining his heart. He was also angry and wanted his enemies to suffer the harm they planned for him. He hoped they would be killed like defenseless sheep. Jeremiah did not appear to want their forgiveness or their return to the Lord.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. knowest me--(Psa 139:1). tried ... heart--(Jr 11:20). toward thee--rather, "with Thee," that is, entirely devoted to Thee; contrasted with the hypocrites (Jr 12:2), "near in ... mouth, and far from ... reins." This being so, how is it that I fare so ill, they so well? pull ... out--containing the metaphor, from a "rooted tree" (Jr 12:2). prepare--literally, "separate," or "set apart as devoted." day of slaughter--(Jas 5:5).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 12:3

• Heart
• Jeremiah
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Pluck
• Talk
• Covenant, the New
• Crime; Crimes
• Foreknow; Foreknowledge

Commentaries on Jeremiah 12

• 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