Jeremiah 20:12 kjv
But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
Jeremiah 20:12 nkjv
But, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You.
Jeremiah 20:12 niv
LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause.
Jeremiah 20:12 esv
O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
Jeremiah 20:12 nlt
O LORD of Heaven's Armies,
you test those who are righteous,
and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Jeremiah 20 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 1:8 | "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. | God's presence with Jeremiah |
| Jeremiah 1:19 | "They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. | God's promise of deliverance |
| Jeremiah 15:20 | I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they will not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you," declares the LORD. | God as a protective fortress |
| Jeremiah 17:18 | May they be put to shame who persecute me, but do not let me be put to shame; may they be terrified, but do not let me be terrified. Bring on them the day of evil, and crush them with double destruction. | Prayer for vindication |
| Isaiah 54:17 | No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD. | God's protection against enemies |
| Psalm 27:1-3 | The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, Came upon me to eat up my flesh, They stumbled and fell. | David's confidence in God |
| Psalm 35:4 | Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life; Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who plot my hurt. | Prayer against accusers |
| Psalm 118:10-12 | All nations surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will defeat them. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will defeat them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; In the name of the LORD I will defeat them. | Victory over enemies |
| Proverbs 28:1 | The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion. | Contrasting the wicked and righteous |
| Isaiah 8:9-10 | Be dismayed, O peoples, and you shall be broken in pieces; Give ear, all you far countries. Gird yourselves and be broken in pieces; Gird yourselves and be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us. | Assurance of God's presence |
| Romans 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's sovereignty |
| 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 | We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— | Paul's testimony of perseverance |
| Galatians 1:10 | For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I still pleased men, I would not be Christ’s bondservant. | Allegiance to God |
| 1 John 4:4 | You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. | Overcoming the world |
| 2 Timothy 4:16-18 | At my first defense no one stood with me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached through me with full hrall to the Gentiles. And I was delivered out of the lion's mouth. I will be delivered from every evil work and bring me to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen. | Paul's deliverance |
| Matthew 10:16 | Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. | Jesus' instructions to disciples |
| Acts 18:9-10 | Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” | Lord's encouragement to Paul |
| Jeremiah 23:39 | "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will punish them; the penalty for their sin will come. | God's judgment |
| Jeremiah 50:34 | Their Redeemer is mighty; The LORD of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their cause, That He may bring rest to the land, And anxiety to the inhabitants of Babylon. | Redeemer's power |
| Psalm 94:23 | He will bring upon them their own iniquity and cut them off in their wickedness; The LORD our God shall cut them off. | God's recompense |
Jeremiah 20 verses
Jeremiah 20 12 Meaning
The LORD is with me as a mighty, terrifying warrior. Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not overcome me. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal disgrace will never be forgotten. This verse expresses Jeremiah's confidence in God's protection and justice against his enemies.
Jeremiah 20 12 Context
Jeremiah chapter 20 finds Jeremiah facing intense persecution and opposition from his own people and even from within the priestly leadership, specifically from Pashur, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the temple. Pashur had Jeremiah flogged and put in the stocks (20:2). This verse emerges from Jeremiah's personal lament and prayer after this mistreatment. He is expressing his deep distress, but also his unwavering faith and assurance in the LORD's protection. The prophet is speaking prophetically of God's inevitable judgment upon those who oppose Him and His word, assuring himself and the faithful remnant that God will ultimately vindicate them. The historical context is the tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, where Jeremiah's prophecies of doom were met with scorn and resistance.
Jeremiah 20 12 Word Analysis
- YᵉHōwâ (יְהוָה): LORD (YHWH). The personal covenant name of God, emphasizing His unchanging faithfulness and power.
- ʿim·mā·ḏî: with me. Expresses intimate presence and support.
- kə·‘ḵê·ḇer: as a warrior, as a mighty one. This denotes immense power, skill, and effectiveness in battle. The Hebrew word often describes a strong and capable man.
- nā·‘ār: mighty, terrible. Describes strength that instills awe and fear.
- mā·‘ô·zeṯ: terror, dread. It implies something that causes great fear, signifying God's power to instill dread in enemies.
- šālôm: peace, wholeness. In this context, it contrasts with the "terror" attributed to God's strength, but implies a divinely ordered outcome.
- lə·ḵən: therefore. Connects God's power with the assured outcome for the persecutors.
- yə·ḵā·šəl·lū·nin (יְכַשְּׁלוּנִין): they will stumble, they will be overthrown. Implies a catastrophic failure and defeat.
- mî·lā·mû·ḏîm: persecutors, pursuers. Those who actively seek to harm or destroy.
- wə·lā: and not.
- yû·‘al: they will prevail, they will overcome.
- kî: for.
- ḵə·lîm: ashamed, disgraced.
- yî·rə·‘ǎ·la·yin: greatly ashamed, very ashamed. Emphasizes the totality of their disgrace.
- šə·qə·mî·la: for they will not succeed. Indicates complete failure in their endeavors.
- kā·‘ěṯ (עֶת): time, season.
- ’ē·ṯê·ḵēm: their eternal. Pertaining to perpetuity, lasting disgrace.
- šəm: shame, disgrace.
- lā: not.
- lə·‘ô·la·mîm: forever, for everlasting. Highlights the permanence of their shame.
- zə·ḵî: remembered. Their failure will be remembered perpetually.
Group Analysis:The phrase "a mighty, terrifying warrior" (kə·‘ḵê·ḇer nā·‘ār) personifies God's power and intervention on behalf of Jeremiah. The combined imagery of strength and terror suggests God's overwhelming ability to defeat His enemies and protect His servant. The phrase "they will stumble and not overcome me" (yə·ḵā·šəl·lū·nin wə·lā yû·‘al) encapsulates the assurance of divine protection leading to the utter defeat of persecutors. "Greatly ashamed" (ḵə·lîm yî·rə·‘ǎ·la·yin) and "eternal disgrace will never be forgotten" (šəm ’ē·ṯê·ḵēm lā zə·ḵî) predict a final, lasting humiliation for those who oppose God's prophet.
Jeremiah 20 12 Bonus Section
The imagery of God as a warrior is recurrent throughout the Old Testament, often referred to as Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts (e.g., Exod. 15:3). This concept assures believers that God's might is engaged on their behalf. Jeremiah's experience highlights the cost of prophetic ministry; prophets often faced rejection and severe persecution, yet they relied on God’s sovereign power and His promises of ultimate justice. The complete downfall and shame predicted for the persecutors reflects a principle of divine recompense, where actions against God and His people are met with corresponding judgment. The verse also anticipates the New Testament teaching on spiritual warfare, where believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, are equipped to stand against the schemes of the devil and his forces (Eph. 6:10-18).
Jeremiah 20 12 Commentary
This verse is a powerful declaration of faith in the face of intense suffering and opposition. Jeremiah, after being physically assaulted and humiliated, turns his heart to the Lord. He affirms that God is not merely present but is a formidable divine warrior. This understanding of God's power means that those who persecute His servant will ultimately fail, experiencing shame and a lasting, unforgettable disgrace. It speaks to the ultimate triumph of God's cause and the vindication of His faithful prophets, assuring them that their present afflictions will lead to their persecutors' eternal ruin and their own righteousness, upheld by God's mighty presence. The verse offers profound encouragement: no matter how formidable the enemy or how severe the suffering, God's presence ensures ultimate victory and the confoundment of the wicked.