Focused Passage

Jeremiah 12:1-4

When the Wicked Prosper and the LORD’s Inheritance Is Trampled

The chapter moves from Jeremiah's complaint about the prosperity of the wicked, to the LORD's answer that greater trials are coming, to the painful declaration that the LORD has forsaken his house and abandoned his inheritance, to the indictment of destructive shepherds who ruin the vineyard, and finally to a surprising promise of future compassion for both Judah and her neighboring nations if they learn the ways of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

2 You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.

3 But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.

4 How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Righteous צַדִּ֤יק H6662 Adjective - masculine singular [are] You אַתָּה֙ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular when כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction I plead אָרִ֖יב H7378 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular before You אֵלֶ֑יךָ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular Yet אַ֤ךְ H389 Adverb about [Your] judgments מִשְׁפָּטִים֙ H4639 Noun - masculine plural I wish to contend אֲדַבֵּ֣ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular with You אוֹתָ֔ךְ H854 Preposition | second person masculine singular Why מַדּ֗וּעַ H4069 Interrogative does the way דֶּ֤רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular construct of the wicked רְשָׁעִים֙ H7563 Adjective - masculine plural prosper צָלֵ֔חָה H6743 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Why do all the faithless בָֽגֶד׃ H899 Noun - masculine singular . . . כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . בֹּ֥גְדֵי H898 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct live at ease שָׁל֖וּ H7951 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 2

Original words

You planted them נְטַעְתָּם֙ H5193 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural and גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction they have taken root שֹׁרָ֔שׁוּ H8327 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural They have grown יֵלְכ֖וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction produced עָ֣שׂוּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural fruit פֶ֑רִי H6529 Noun - masculine singular . . . קָר֤וֹב H7138 Adjective - masculine singular You אַתָּה֙ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are ever on their lips בְּפִיהֶ֔ם H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural but far וְרָח֖וֹק H7350 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular from their hearts מִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ H3629 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew their kidneys
Verse 3

Original words

But You וְאַתָּ֤ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular know me יְדַעְתָּ֔נִי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular O LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular You see me תִּרְאֵ֕נִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular and test וּבָחַנְתָּ֥ H974 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular my heart לִבִּ֖י H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular toward You אִתָּ֑ךְ H854 Preposition | second person masculine singular Drag away [the wicked] הַתִּקֵם֙ H5423 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural like sheep כְּצֹ֣אן H6629 Preposition-k | Noun - common singular to the slaughter לְטִבְחָ֔ה H2878 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular and set them apart וְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖ם H6942 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural for the day לְי֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of carnage הֲרֵגָֽה׃ס H2028 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

How long עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . מָתַי֙ H4970 Interrogative will the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular mourn תֶּאֱבַ֣ל H56 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular and the grass וְעֵ֥שֶׂב H6212 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct field הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה H7704 Article | Noun - masculine singular be withered יִיבָ֑שׁ H3001 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Because of the evil מֵרָעַ֣ת H7451 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of its residents יֹֽשְׁבֵי־ H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct the animals בְהֵמוֹת֙ H929 Noun - feminine plural and birds וָע֔וֹף H5775 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular have been swept away סָפְתָ֤ה H5595 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the people have said אָמְר֔וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural He cannot לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle see יִרְאֶ֖ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker what our end will be אַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ׃ H319 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.