Jeremiah 12:3

Lexham English Bible

Contextual Overview

¹ You will be in the right, O Yahweh, when I complain to you. Even so, let me speak my claims with you. Why does the way of the wicked succeed? All those who deal treacherously with treachery are at ease. ² Not only do you plant them, they take root. They grow, but also they produce fruit. You are near in their mouths, but far from their inmost beings. ³ But you, O Yahweh, you know me, you see me, and you test that my heart is with you. Tear them apart like sheep for the slaughtering, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. ⁴ How long will the land mourn, and the vegetation of every field dry up, because of the wickedness of those who live in it? The animals and the birds are swept away, because they have said, "He does not see our future." ⁵ "If you run with foot soldiers and they have made you weary, then how will you compete with horses? If you have fallen in a peaceful land, then how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan? ⁶ For even your relatives, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you, even they call loudly after you. You must not trust in them, though they speak kindly to you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

knowest: Jeremiah 11:20, 2 Kings 20:3, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Job 23:10, Psalms 17:3, Psalms 26:1, Psalms 44:21, Psalms 139:1, Psalms 139:23, John 21:17, 1 John 3:20, 1 John 3:21

toward: or, with

pull: Jeremiah 17:18, Jeremiah 18:21-23, Jeremiah 20:12, Jeremiah 48:15, Jeremiah 50:27, Jeremiah 51:4

the day: Jeremiah 11:19, Psalms 44:22, James 5:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:7 - General Genesis 7:21 - General Joshua 22:22 - he knoweth Psalms 44:11 - given Psalms 49:14 - Like Jeremiah 15:15 - thou Jeremiah 21:6 - I will Jeremiah 23:10 - the land Jeremiah 40:15 - wherefore Acts 8:32 - as a Romans 8:36 - as sheep 2 Peter 2:12 - as natural

Cross-References

Genesis 18:18
Abraham will surely become a great and strong nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed on account of him.

Genesis 27:29
Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you; Be lord of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Cursed be those cursing you, and blessed be those blessing you."

Genesis 28:14
Your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north and to the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and through your descendants.

Genesis 30:27
But Laban said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, I have learned by divination that Yahweh has blessed me because of you."

Genesis 30:30
For you had little before me, and it has increased abundantly. And Yahweh has blessed you wherever I turned. So then, when shall I provide for my own family also?"

Genesis 39:5
And it happened that from the time he appointed him over his house and over all that he had, Yahweh blessed the house of the Egyptian on account of Joseph. And the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he had in the house and in the field.

Exodus 23:22
But if you listen attentively to his voice and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.

Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion, and like a lioness, who will rouse him? They who bless you will be blessed, and they who curse you will be cursed."

Psalms 72:17
May his name endure forever. May his name increase as long as the sun shines, and let them be blessed in him. Let all nations call him blessed.

Matthew 25:40
And the king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But thou, O Lord, knowest me,.... The Lord knew him before he was born, Jeremiah 1:5, he knew what he designed him for, and what use he would make of him; and he knew him now, and loved him, and cared for him, as his prophet; he knew his sincerity and faithfulness, and took notice of it, with what integrity he performed his office, and discharged his duty; and he knew that all his enemies said of him were scandal and reproach, lies and calumnies.

Thou hast seen me; his inside, his heart, and all in it; for all things are naked and open to the eyes of an omniscient God:

and tried mine heart towards thee; he had tried him by various afflictive providences, and his heart was found towards God; the affections and desires of his soul were towards him, and he remained faithful and upright before him, and not like the wicked before mentioned.

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter; either out of the fold, or from a fat pasture; so fat sheep are plucked from the rest, in order to be killed: this shows that their riches, affluence, and plenty, served but to ripen them for ruin and destruction, and were like the fattening of sheep for slaughter; which the prophet, by this imprecation, suggests and foretells would be their case, as a righteous judgment upon them; see James 5:5.

Prepare them for the day of slaughter; or, "sanctify them" w; set them apart for it: this, doubtless, refers to the time of Jerusalem's destruction by the Chaldeans.

w והקדשם "et sanctifica eos", V. L. Montanus; "segrega", Piscator; "destina", Schmidt; "consecra", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 12:3. But 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.