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 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 12:1 | "Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead for thee: yet let me talk of thy judgments with thee: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" | Direct Statement of Question |
| Psalm 37:1 | "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity." | Dealing with prosperity of wicked |
| Psalm 73:2-3 | "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." | Experiencing similar doubts |
| Job 21:7-8 | "Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes." | Observation of wicked prosperity |
| Ecclesiastes 8:14 | "There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity." | Perceived injustice |
| Habakkuk 1:2-4 | "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and the sentence of wicked judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore righteous judgment proceedeth perverted." | Similar questioning of God's action |
| Jeremiah 15:10 | "For I shall not return to take my goods: for there shall be a curse upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the LORD." | Jeremiah's personal lament |
| Jeremiah 15:15-18 | "O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy long-suffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered reproof. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I was alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" | Personal struggle and weariness |
| Isaiah 1:17 | "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow." | God's expectation of righteousness |
| Proverbs 11:31 | "Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner." | Ultimate outcome reversal |
| Malachi 3:15 | "And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered." | Similar observation in a later time |
| Romans 3:23-24 | "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" | God's ultimate righteousness |
| 1 Corinthians 4:5 | "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." | Judgment is ultimately God's |
| Hebrews 12:1-2 | "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." | Endurance and focusing on Christ |
| Galatians 6:9 | "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." | Perseverance in good deeds |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" | Trials as normal for believers |
| Matthew 5:45 | "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." | God's impartial provision |
| John 16:33 | "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." | Christ's assurance in tribulation |
| Revelation 19:11 | "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." | Christ's final righteous judgment |
Jeremiah 12 verses
Jeremiah 12 1 Meaning
Jeremiah questions the justice of God's dealings, specifically concerning the prosperity of the wicked. Despite their wrongdoing, they seem to flourish, leading Jeremiah to question God's judgment and his own calling to prophesy against such individuals.
Jeremiah 12 1 Context
Jeremiah chapter 12 begins with a strong lament from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the prosperity of the wicked. This follows a series of prophetic messages condemning Judah and warning of impending judgment. The preceding chapters detail the corruption within Jerusalem and the surrounding nations, with Jeremiah articulating God's wrath against these injustices. Within this immediate context, Jeremiah is voicing a genuine spiritual struggle. He observes that those who practice wickedness and treachery seem to thrive, while he, a faithful servant of God, faces opposition and suffering for delivering God's message. This verse is an outpouring of his internal turmoil, questioning God's perceived impartiality in dispensing justice and fortune. The historical backdrop is the reign of kings like Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah in Judah, a period marked by spiritual decay and political turmoil, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
Jeremiah 12 1 Word Analysis
Righteous art thou, O LORD,
- "Righteous" (Hebrew: tsaddîq): Implies just, fair, and morally upright. Jeremiah acknowledges God's inherent righteousness.
- "art thou, O LORD" (Hebrew: atta YHWH): Direct address to God, emphasizing His sovereignty and divine nature.
when I plead for thee:
- "plead" (Hebrew: riyb): Can mean to contend, to dispute, to argue, or to make a case. Jeremiah is bringing his argument and his pain before God, not to accuse, but to understand. It's an honest engagement with God about difficult realities.
yet let me talk of thy judgments with thee:
- "talk" (Hebrew: dîyb): To speak, reason, or converse. Jeremiah seeks dialogue and clarity regarding God's actions or perceived inaction.
- "judgments" (Hebrew: miŝpâţ): Refers to God's decrees, decisions, and righteous administration of justice. Jeremiah acknowledges these exist but struggles to reconcile them with observable prosperity of the wicked.
Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?
- "Wherefore" (Hebrew: lammeh): "Why?" a direct question expressing bewilderment.
- "way" (Hebrew: derek): Refers to their path, manner of life, actions, and conduct.
- "wicked" (Hebrew: rôŝea): Those who are morally corrupt, unjust, and evil.
- "prosper" (Hebrew: tsalêyâĥ): To succeed, flourish, advance, or have good success. The question highlights the apparent success and flourishing of unrighteous living.
wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
- "happy" (Hebrew: §âqôl): Can mean secure, comfortable, safe, or to go on easily and prosperously.
- "deal very treacherously" (Hebrew: bôgêd bôgîym): Emphasizes extreme betrayal, deceitfulness, and infidelity. This highlights the severe moral corruption of those Jeremiah is observing. The repetition of the root bôgêd ("betrayer") intensifies the meaning, suggesting those who are utterly perfidious.
Jeremiah 12 1 Bonus Section
The lament in this verse reflects a theological tension addressed throughout Scripture: the problem of the prosperity of the wicked. Many biblical figures, like Asaph in Psalm 73, echo Jeremiah's sentiment. The New Testament also acknowledges this apparent paradox, with Jesus teaching about God's impartial providence (Matt 5:45) and urging believers not to be discouraged by worldly success of evil people, reminding them of the ultimate judgment and reward. The Christian understanding emphasizes that God’s ultimate justice operates on a different timeline, culminating in Christ’s return and final judgment, where all will be fully recompensed. Jeremiah’s struggle highlights the importance of trusting God’s sovereignty even when His ways are mysterious and His judgments seem delayed or contrary to our earthly observations. This honest questioning and eventual submission to God's plan demonstrates growth in faith, moving from confusion to steadfast trust.
Jeremiah 12 1 Commentary
Jeremiah, as a prophet, experiences profound distress when he observes that outwardly wicked individuals seem to succeed while he, a faithful messenger of God, faces hardship and rejection. This verse encapsulates a common human and spiritual struggle: trying to reconcile the concept of a just God with the reality of a world where virtue is not always rewarded and wickedness is not always punished immediately. Jeremiah's question is not a rebellion against God's character but a wrestling with understanding God's temporal justice. He acknowledges God's righteousness but seeks to comprehend the workings of His judgments in light of the observable prosperity of the unrighteous. This honesty with God, even in doubt, is a powerful aspect of faith. The difficulty arises from seeing deceptive and treacherous people thrive, questioning the fairness of divine administration.