1 Righteous H6662 art thou, O LORD, H3068 when I plead H7378 with thee: yet let me talk H1696 with thee of thy judgments: H4941 Wherefore doth the way H1870 of the wicked H7563 prosper? H6743 wherefore are all they happy H7951 that deal very H899 treacherously? H898
Wherefore do the wicked H7563 live, H2421 become old, H6275 yea, are mighty H1396 in power? H2428 Their seed H2233 is established H3559 in their sight H6440 with them, and their offspring H6631 before their eyes. H5869 Their houses H1004 are safe H7965 from fear, H6343 neither is the rod H7626 of God H433 upon them. Their bull H7794 gendereth, H5674 and faileth H1602 not; their cow H6510 calveth, H6403 and casteth not her calf. H7921 They send forth H7971 their little ones H5759 like a flock, H6629 and their children H3206 dance. H7540 They take H5375 the timbrel H8596 and harp, H3658 and rejoice H8055 at the sound H6963 of the organ. H5748 They spend H3615 H1086 their days H3117 in wealth, H2896 and in a moment H7281 go down H2865 H5181 to the grave. H7585 Therefore they say H559 unto God, H410 Depart H5493 from us; for we desire H2654 not the knowledge H1847 of thy ways. H1870 What is the Almighty, H7706 that we should serve H5647 him? and what profit H3276 should we have, if we pray H6293 unto him?
Thou art of purer H2889 eyes H5869 than to behold H7200 evil, H7451 and canst H3201 not look H5027 on iniquity: H5999 wherefore lookest H5027 thou upon them that deal treacherously, H898 and holdest thy tongue H2790 when the wicked H7563 devoureth H1104 the man that is more righteous H6662 than he? And makest H6213 men H120 as the fishes H1709 of the sea, H3220 as the creeping things, H7431 that have no ruler H4910 over them? They take up H5927 all of them with the angle, H2443 they catch H1641 them in their net, H2764 and gather H622 them in their drag: H4365 therefore they rejoice H8055 and are glad. H1523 Therefore they sacrifice H2076 unto their net, H2764 and burn incense H6999 unto their drag; H4365 because by them H1992 their portion H2506 is fat, H8082 and their meat H3978 plenteous. H1277 Shall they therefore empty H7324 their net, H2764 and not spare H2550 continually H8548 to slay H2026 the nations? H1471
As a cage H3619 is full H4392 of birds, H5775 so are their houses H1004 full H4392 of deceit: H4820 therefore they are become great, H1431 and waxen rich. H6238 They are waxen fat, H8080 they shine: H6245 yea, they overpass H5674 the deeds H1697 of the wicked: H7451 they judge H1777 not the cause, H1779 the cause of the fatherless, H3490 yet they prosper; H6743 and the right H4941 of the needy H34 do they not judge. H8199
LORD, H3068 how long shall the wicked, H7563 how long shall the wicked H7563 triumph? H5937 How long shall they utter H5042 and speak H1696 hard things? H6277 and all the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 boast H559 themselves?
But G1161 if G1487 our G2257 unrighteousness G93 commend G4921 the righteousness G1343 of God, G2316 what G5101 shall we say? G2046 G3361 Is God G2316 unrighteous G94 who taketh G2018 vengeance? G3709 (I speak G3004 as G2596 a man) G444 God forbid: G3361 G1096 for then G1893 how G4459 shall G2919 God G2316 judge G2919 the world? G2889
For I was envious H7065 at the foolish, H1984 when I saw H7200 the prosperity H7965 of the wicked. H7563 For there are no bands H2784 in their death: H4194 but their strength H193 is firm. H1277 They are not in trouble H5999 as other men; H582 neither are they plagued H5060 like H5973 other men. H120 Therefore pride H1346 compasseth them about as a chain; H6059 violence H2555 covereth H5848 them as a garment. H7897 Their eyes H5869 stand out H3318 with fatness: H2459 they have more H5674 than heart H3824 could wish. H4906 They are corrupt, H4167 and speak H1696 wickedly H7451 concerning oppression: H6233 they speak H1696 loftily. H4791 They set H8371 their mouth H6310 against the heavens, H8064 and their tongue H3956 walketh H1980 through the earth. H776 Therefore his people H5971 return H7725 H7725 hither: H1988 and waters H4325 of a full H4392 cup are wrung out H4680 to them. And they say, H559 How doth God H410 know? H3045 and is there H3426 knowledge H1844 in the most High? H5945 Behold, these are the ungodly, H7563 who prosper H7961 in the world; H5769 they increase H7685 in riches. H2428 Verily I have cleansed H2135 my heart H3824 in vain, H7385 and washed H7364 my hands H3709 in innocency. H5356 For all the day H3117 long have I been plagued, H5060 and chastened H8433 every morning. H1242 If I say, H559 I will speak H5608 thus; H3644 behold, I should offend H898 against the generation H1755 of thy children. H1121 When I thought H2803 to know H3045 this, it was too painful H5999 for me; H5869 Until I went H935 into the sanctuary H4720 of God; H410 then understood H995 I their end. H319 Surely thou didst set H7896 them in slippery places: H2513 thou castedst them down H5307 into destruction. H4876 How are they brought into desolation, H8047 as in a moment! H7281 they are utterly H5486 consumed H8552 with terrors. H1091 As a dream H2472 when one awaketh; H6974 so, O Lord, H136 when thou awakest, H5782 thou shalt despise H959 their image. H6754 Thus my heart H3824 was grieved, H2556 and I was pricked H8150 in my reins. H3629 So foolish H1198 was I, and ignorant: H3045 I was as a beast H929 before thee. Nevertheless I am continually H8548 with thee: thou hast holden H270 me by my right H3225 hand. H3027 Thou shalt guide H5148 me with thy counsel, H6098 and afterward H310 receive H3947 me to glory. H3519 Whom have I in heaven H8064 but thee? and there is none upon earth H776 that I desire H2654 beside thee. My flesh H7607 and my heart H3824 faileth: H3615 but God H430 is the strength H6697 of my heart, H3824 and my portion H2506 for ever. H5769 For, lo, they that are far H7369 from thee shall perish: H6 thou hast destroyed H6789 all them that go a whoring H2181 from thee. But H589 it is good H2896 for me to draw near H7132 to God: H430 I have put H7896 my trust H4268 in the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 that I may declare H5608 all thy works. H4399
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 12
Commentary on Jeremiah 12 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The prophet's displeasure at the prosperity of the wicked. - The enmity experienced by Jeremiah at the hands of his countrymen at Anathoth excites his displeasure at the prosperity of the wicked, who thrive and live with immunity. He therefore beings to expostulate with God, and demands from God's righteousness that they be cut off out of the land (Jeremiah 12:1-4); whereupon the Lord reproves him for this outburst of ill-nature and impatience by telling him that he must patiently endure still worse. - This section, the connection of which with the preceding is unmistakeable, shows by a concrete instance the utter corruptness of the people; and it has been included in the prophecies because it sets before us the greatness of God's long-suffering towards a people ripe for destruction.
Jeremiah 12:1
"Righteous art Thou, Jahveh, if I contend with Thee; yet will I plead with Thee in words. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper, are all secure that deal faithlessly? Jeremiah 12:2. Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; grow, yea, bring forth fruit. Near art Thou in their mouth, yet far from their reins. Jeremiah 12:3. But Thou, Jahveh, knowest me, seest me, and triest mine heart toward Thee. Tear them away like sheep to the slaughter, and devote them for a day of slaughter. Jeremiah 12:4. How long is the earth to mourn and the herb of the field to wither? For the wickedness of them that dwell therein, gone are cattle and fowl; for they say: He sees not our end. Jeremiah 12:5. If with the footmen thou didst run and they wearied thee, how couldst thou contend with the horses? and if thou trustest in the land of peace, how wilt thou do in the glory of Jordan? Jeremiah 12:6. For even thy brethren and they father's house, even they are faithless towards thee, yea, they call after thee with full voice. Believe them not, though they speak friendly to thee."