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Jeremiah 12

Stung by the Anathoth plot, Jeremiah pushes the argument upward and asks God outright why the wicked prosper and the treacherous live at ease — men who keep God "near in their mouth, and far from their heart." It is a courtroom complaint laid before a judge the prophet still calls righteous. God's reply does not soothe him. If footmen have already worn you out, how will you race horses? Watch the comfort be withheld and the demand raised.

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1
You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?
2
You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
3
But you, LORD, know me. You see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4
How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
5
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?
6
For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.
7
“I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8
My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest. She has uttered her voice against me. Therefore I have hated her.
9
Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
10
Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trodden my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11
They have made it a desolation. It mourns to me, being desolate. The whole land is made desolate, because no one cares.
12
Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of the LORD devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.
13
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”
14
The LORD says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
15
It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16
It will happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the LORD lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the middle of my people.
17
But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it,” says the LORD.

When your own family turns

God warns that even Jeremiah's brothers and his father's house have dealt treacherously with him and "cried aloud" after him — so he must not trust their flattering words. The danger has moved from Anathoth to his own household.

The chapter then widens from the prophet's grief to God's: "I have forsaken my house," given the beloved heritage into enemy hands. Yet it closes with a startling turn toward the surrounding nations — uprooted, then possibly replanted among God's people if they learn to swear by his name.