Jeremiah 12 1

Jeremiah 12:1 kjv

Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Jeremiah 12:1 nkjv

Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?

Jeremiah 12:1 niv

You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Jeremiah 12:1 esv

Righteous are you, O LORD, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Jeremiah 12:1 nlt

LORD, 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?

Jeremiah 12 verses

Jeremiah 12 1 Meaning

Jeremiah 12:1 presents a powerful prophetic lament from Jeremiah, expressing his deep struggle with the apparent injustice in the world, yet grounding his complaint in an affirmation of God's inherent righteousness. He acknowledges God's perfect justice and integrity before posing a legal argument or plea concerning God's administration of justice. The core of his complaint questions why the wicked and treacherous, those who are faithless to the covenant, seem to prosper and live in ease, a direct challenge to the common understanding of divine retribution and justice in the Deuteronomic framework.

Jeremiah 12 1 Context

Jeremiah chapter 12, verse 1 immediately follows the account of the "plot against Jeremiah" by his own family and the men of Anathoth in chapter 11 (Jer 11:18-23). This direct personal threat and betrayal, alongside the widespread spiritual decline and covenant-breaking within Judah, ignites Jeremiah's profound questioning of God's governance. Historically, Jeremiah ministered during the tumultuous final decades of the kingdom of Judah, leading up to its destruction by Babylon. It was a period marked by political instability, idolatry, social injustice, and widespread disobedience to God's law, contrasting sharply with Jeremiah's personal suffering and steadfast commitment. The verse opens the prophet's third major lament or confession (of six), a genre of intimate dialogue with God unique to Jeremiah, setting the stage for God's challenging response in the subsequent verses (Jer 12:5-6).

Jeremiah 12 1 Word analysis

Word-by-word analysis:

• Righteous (צַדִּיק, Tzaddiq): This Hebrew word means just, fair, morally correct. Here, it functions as a categorical affirmation of God's intrinsic nature. Jeremiah declares God's righteousness as an unquestionable starting point, even as he struggles with His perceived actions. It’s a confession of faith amidst perplexity, not a statement to be proven but a truth to be upheld.
• are you (אַתָּה, Atta): Second person singular pronoun, directly addressing God. It intensifies the personal nature of the declaration and the subsequent plea.
• O LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, relational aspect, and His faithfulness to His people. Using YHWH implies a relationship based on covenant and personal experience, grounding Jeremiah's complaint in their established connection. It appeals to God's character as the God of Israel.
• when I plead (כִּי־אָרִיב, ki-ariv): Kiy means "when" or "for, because". Ariv is from the verb riv, meaning to contend, argue, or bring a legal case. Jeremiah is not just complaining; he's approaching God in a structured, legal, or judicial manner, presenting a case before the Divine Judge. It suggests a strong, fervent appeal for justice.
• with you (אֵלֶיךָ, eleyka): Emphasizes the directness and intimacy of this "pleading" session between prophet and God.
• yet let me talk (אַךְ מִשְׁפָּטִים אֲדַבֵּר, akh mishpatim adabber): Akh serves as an emphatic "nevertheless" or "only." Adabber is from dabar, to speak. The phrase indicates Jeremiah's earnest desire to converse, but specifically, about God's "judgments."
• with you (אִתָּךְ, ittakh): Reinforces the direct, personal address, almost conversational in tone despite the heavy subject.
• about your judgments (מִשְׁפָּטִים, mishpatim): This plural term refers to God's rulings, His ways of administering justice in the world, His decrees, and ethical norms. Jeremiah desires to discuss not just divine laws, but God's actual conduct and decision-making regarding current events.
• Why does the way (מַדּוּעַ צָלְחָה, maddu'a tsalekha): Maddu'a is "why?". Tsalekha means to prosper, succeed, thrive, or be profitable. This introduces the core question, focusing on the success or favorable outcome experienced by the wicked.
• of the wicked (דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים, derekh resha'im): Derekh means "way" or "path," referring to one's conduct, lifestyle, or course of action. Resha'im is the plural of rasha, meaning wicked, guilty, unrighteous. Jeremiah questions the prosperity of those who are fundamentally unrighteous in their character and actions.
• prosper? (Already covered in "Why does the way...")
• Why do all who are faithless (הָשְׁלֵיוּ כָּל־בֹּגְדֵי, hašleyu kol-bogdey): Hashleyu means to be at ease, secure, tranquil, peaceful, to flourish. Kol-bogdey means "all the treacherous" or "all the faithless." Boged comes from bagad, to act treacherously, to betray a covenant.
• live at ease? (אַרְצָה, artza - not explicitly 'live at ease', it's within the preceding verb): This question emphasizes not just financial or material success, but a state of undisturbed peace and security for those who violate sacred trusts and commitments, particularly the covenant with God. This directly contradicts the expected consequences for covenant-breakers.

Words-group analysis:

• "Righteous are you, O LORD, when I plead with you": This opening phrase is critical. It establishes Jeremiah's theological premise and humility. He doesn't question God's character but rather God's perceived methods or timing. It grants him permission, so to speak, to then engage in honest lament, knowing his heart affirms God's nature. This act of affirming God's righteousness even amidst distress is a hallmark of biblical faith.
• "yet let me talk with you about your judgments": The conjunction "yet" (אַךְ, akh) creates a contrast. Despite the affirmation, Jeremiah must speak about the specifics of God's ways in the world. This is not casual conversation but an earnest wrestling with divine governance concerning justice.
• "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are faithless live at ease?": These parallel rhetorical questions are the heart of Jeremiah's complaint and articulate the problem of theodicy. They highlight the apparent disparity between righteous living and its suffering, versus wicked living and its perceived reward or comfort. The "wicked" are resha'im, those fundamentally unjust, while the "faithless" (or treacherous, bogdim) specifically refer to those who violate loyalty, especially the covenant with God, common among Judah's leaders and people at the time. Their "ease" (שָׁלוּ, shaluv) speaks of an undisturbed peace and success, making their thriving even more jarring.

Jeremiah 12 1 Bonus section

Jeremiah's complaint in this verse is not merely a personal outburst; it embodies a theological genre known as "prophetic lament" or "the prophet's confessions." Unlike communal laments, these are individual cries directly to God, expressing deep anguish, confusion, and sometimes anger. They highlight the intense spiritual and psychological burden borne by those called to speak God's truth to a rebellious generation. The boldness with which Jeremiah confronts God, arguing his case, speaks to the unique intimacy and permissible frankness within the covenant relationship. This kind of interaction establishes a precedent for believers to bring their deepest struggles and questions honestly before God, even when those questions challenge God's apparent inactivity in the face of rampant evil. Jeremiah's struggle here sets the stage for God's surprising response, which doesn't directly answer why the wicked prosper but challenges Jeremiah to endure even greater difficulties (Jer 12:5-6), revealing a deeper plan and divine perspective on justice and its timing.

Jeremiah 12 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 12:1 is a profound expression of theological wrestling within biblical faith. It doesn't originate from a place of doubt about God's existence or power, but from an agonizing struggle to reconcile God's declared righteousness with the lived reality of injustice. Jeremiah initiates his complaint by acknowledging God's unassailable justice—"Righteous are you, O LORD"—a vital foundation for any legitimate complaint. This declaration prevents his questions from becoming irreverent or blasphemous; instead, they are the honest cries of a faithful servant grappling with divine mystery. His subsequent request, "yet let me talk with you about your judgments," frames his complaint as a legal plea, seeking clarification and vindication from the supreme Judge.

The essence of his struggle, common throughout scripture (e.g., Psalm 73, Job, Habakkuk), is the observation that the "way of the wicked prospers." In a covenant theology where obedience typically promises blessing and disobedience judgment, the visible success and ease of covenant-breakers ("all who are faithless") creates a deep spiritual crisis. This prosperity isn't just material wealth but a seeming peace and freedom from the consequences one would expect for their actions. For Jeremiah, a prophet called to pronounce judgment, this discrepancy made his message appear unsupported by immediate divine action, leading to immense personal suffering and the isolation seen in chapter 11. The verse therefore establishes a universal human dilemma of theodicy, expressing a righteous man's anguish at a world seemingly governed by contradictory principles. It's a prayer born of intellectual honesty and spiritual earnestness, challenging God's execution of justice rather than His nature of justice.