Chapter 12

Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, when I plead⁴ with thee: yet let me talk¹⁷ with thee of [thy] judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?¹ [wherefore] are all they happy¹ that deal very treacherously?⁶

Thou hast planted¹ them, yea, they have taken root:¹⁹ they grow,⁴ yea, they bring forth¹ fruit: thou [art] near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

But thou, O LORD, knowest¹ me: thou hast seen⁴ me, and tried¹ mine heart toward thee: pull them out⁵⁴ like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare⁵⁴ them for the day of slaughter.

How long shall the land mourn,⁴ and the herbs of every field wither,⁴ for the wickedness of them that dwell⁶ therein? the beasts are consumed,¹ and the birds; because they said,¹ He shall not see⁴ our last end.

If thou hast run¹ with the footmen, and they have wearied⁵⁵ thee, then how canst thou contend⁹⁶ with horses? and [if] in the land of peace, [wherein] thou trustedst,⁶ [they wearied thee], then how wilt thou do⁴ in the swelling of Jordan?

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously¹ with thee; yea, they have called¹ a multitude after thee: believe⁵⁵ them not, though they speak¹⁷ fair words unto thee.

I have forsaken¹ mine house, I have left¹ mine heritage; I have given¹ the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.⁶

Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth¹ out against me: therefore have I hated¹ it.

Mine heritage [is] unto me [as] a speckled bird, the birds round about [are] against her; come³ ye, assemble³ all the beasts of the field, come⁵⁴ to devour.

Many pastors⁶ have destroyed¹⁴ my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot,³¹ they have made¹ my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

They have made¹ it desolate, [and being] desolate it mourneth¹ unto me; the whole land is made desolate,⁸ because no man layeth⁶ [it] to heart.

The spoilers⁶ are come¹ upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour⁶ from the [one] end of the land even to the [other] end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

They have sown¹ wheat, but shall reap¹ thorns: they have put themselves to pain,⁸ [but] shall not profit:⁵⁵ and they shall be ashamed¹ of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

Thus saith¹ the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch⁶ the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit;⁵² Behold, I will pluck⁶ them out of their land, and pluck out⁴ the house of Judah from among them.

And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out² I will return,⁴ and have compassion¹⁴ on them, and will bring them again,⁵² every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently² learn⁴ the ways of my people, to swear⁹ by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught¹⁴ my people to swear⁹ by Baal; then shall they be built⁸ in the midst of my people.

But if they will not obey,⁴ I will utterly² pluck up¹ and destroy¹⁵ that nation, saith⁷ the LORD.