12:1 Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet
let me speak with thee of [thy] judgments: Why doth the way of
the wicked prosper? [why] are they all happy that deal very
treacherously?
12:2 Thou hast planted them, yes, they have taken root: they
grow, yes, they bring forth fruit: thou [art] near in their
mouth, and far from their reins.
12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried
my heart towards thee: pull them out like sheep for the
slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
12:4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field
wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the
beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He will
not see our last end.
12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied
thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and [if] in the
land of peace, [in which] thou hast trusted, [they wearied
thee], then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
12:6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even
they have dealt treacherously with thee; yes, they have called
a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak
fair words to thee.
12:7 I have forsaken my house, I have left my heritage; I have
given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her
enemies.
12:8 My heritage is to me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out
against me: therefore have I hated it.
12:9 My heritage [is] to me [as] a speckled bird, the birds
around [are] against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of
the field, come to devour.
12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden
my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a
desolate wilderness.
12:11 They have made it desolate, [and being] desolate it
mourneth to me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man
layeth [it] to heart.
12:12 The spoilers have come upon all high places through the
wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the
[one] end of the land even to the other [end] of the land: no
flesh shall have peace.
12:13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put
themselves to pain, [but] shall not profit; and they shall be
ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the
LORD.
12:14 Thus saith the LORD against all my evil neighbors, that
touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to
inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck
out the house of Judah from among them.
12:15 And it shall come to pass, after I have plucked them out I
will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them
again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
12:16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn
the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as
they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be
built in the midst of my people.
12:17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and
destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
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