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1. Lord, if I argue with you, you are always right. But I want to ask you about some things that don't seem right. Why are wicked people successful? Why do people you cannot trust have such easy lives?
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1. Righteous H6662 art thou H859 , O LORD H3068 , when H3588 I plead H7378 with H413 thee: yet H389 let me talk H1696 with H854 thee of thy judgments H4941 : Wherefore H4069 doth the way H1870 of the wicked H7563 prosper H6743 ? wherefore are all H3605 they happy H7951 that deal very treacherously H898 H899 ?
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2. You have put these wicked people here like plants with strong roots. They grow and produce fruit. With their mouths they say that you are near and dear to them, but in their hearts they are really far away from you.
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2. Thou hast planted H5193 them, yea H1571 , they have taken root H8327 : they grow H1980 , yea H1571 , they bring forth H6213 fruit H6529 : thou H859 art near H7138 in their mouth H6310 , and far H7350 from their reins H4480 H3629 .
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3. But you know my heart, Lord. You see me and test my mind. Drag the evil people away like sheep to be killed. Choose them for the day of slaughter.
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3. But thou H859 , O LORD H3068 , knowest H3045 me : thou hast seen H7200 me , and tried H974 mine heart H3820 toward H854 thee : pull them out H5423 like sheep H6629 for the slaughter H2878 , and prepare H6942 them for the day H3117 of slaughter H2028 .
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4. How much longer will the land be dry? How long will the grass be dry and dead? The birds and the animals of this land have all died, and it is the fault of the wicked. Yet they are saying, "Jeremiah will not live long enough to see what happens to us."
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4. How long H5704 H4970 shall the land H776 mourn H56 , and the herbs H6212 of every H3605 field H7704 wither H3001 , for the wickedness H4480 H7451 of them that dwell H3427 therein? the beasts H929 are consumed H5595 , and the birds H5775 ; because H3588 they said H559 , He shall not H3808 see H7200 H853 our last end H319 .
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5. "Jeremiah, if you get tired running in a footrace with men, how will you race against horses? If you get tired in a safe place, what will you do in a dangerous place? What will you do in the thornbushes that grow along the Jordan River?
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5. If H3588 thou hast run H7323 with H854 the footmen H7273 , and they have wearied H3811 thee , then how H349 canst thou contend H8474 with H854 horses H5483 ? and if in the land H776 of peace H7965 , wherein thou H859 trustedst H982 , they wearied thee , then how H349 wilt thou do H6213 in the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 ?
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6. These men are your own brothers. Members of your own family are making plans against you. People from your own family are shouting at you. Don't trust them, even when they speak to you like friends.
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6. For H3588 even H1571 thy brethren H251 , and the house H1004 of thy father H1 , even H1571 they H1992 have dealt treacherously H898 with thee; yea H1571 , they H1992 have called H7121 a multitude H4392 after H310 thee: believe H539 them not H408 , though H3588 they speak H1696 fair words H2896 unto H413 thee.
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7. "I have abandoned my house. I have left my own property. I have given Judah, the one I love, to her enemies.
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7. I have forsaken H5800 H853 mine house H1004 , I have left H5203 H853 mine heritage H5159 ; I have given H5414 H853 the dearly beloved H3039 of my soul H5315 into the hand H3709 of her enemies H341 .
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8. My own people turned against me like a wild lion. They roared at me, so I turned away from them.
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8. Mine heritage H5159 is H1961 unto me as a lion H738 in the forest H3293 ; it crieth out H5414 H6963 against H5921 me: therefore H5921 H3651 have I hated H8130 it.
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9. My own people have become like a dying animal surrounded by vultures. These birds are circling around her. Come on, wild animals. Come get something to eat.
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9. Mine heritage H5159 is unto me as a speckled H6641 bird H5861 , the birds H5861 round about H5439 are against H5921 her; come H1980 ye, assemble H622 all H3605 the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 , come H857 to devour H402 .
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10. Many shepherds have ruined my vineyard. They have trampled the plants in my field. They have made my beautiful field a desert.
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10. Many H7227 pastors H7462 have destroyed H7843 my vineyard H3754 , they have trodden my portion under foot H947 H853 H2513 , they have made H5414 H853 my pleasant H2532 portion H2513 a desolate H8077 wilderness H4057 .
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11. They have turned it into an empty desert. It is dry and dead. The whole land has been ruined, and no one is left to care for it.
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11. They have made H7760 it desolate H8077 , and being desolate H8076 it mourneth H56 unto H5921 me ; the whole H3605 land H776 is made H6213 desolate H8074 , because H3588 no H369 man H376 layeth H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 .
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12. The empty hills are covered with soldiers who have come to destroy everything. The Lord is using them to punish that land from one end to the other. No one is safe.
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12. The spoilers H7703 are come H935 upon H5921 all H3605 high places H8205 through the wilderness H4057 : for H3588 the sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 shall devour H398 from the one end H4480 H7097 of the land H776 even to H5704 the other end H7097 of the land H776 : no H369 H3605 flesh H1320 shall have peace H7965 .
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13. The people will plant wheat, but they will harvest only thorns. They will work hard until they are very tired, but they will get nothing for all their work. They will be ashamed of their crop. The Lord's anger caused this."
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13. They have sown H2232 wheat H2406 , but shall reap H7114 thorns H6975 : they have put themselves to pain H2470 , but shall not H3808 profit H3276 : and they shall be ashamed H954 of your revenues H4480 H8393 because of the fierce H4480 H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 .
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14. This is what the Lord says: "I will tell you what I will do for all those who live around the land of Israel. They are very wicked. They have destroyed the land I gave to the people of Israel. I will pull the evil people up and throw them out of their land, and I will pull the people of Judah up with them.
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14. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 against H5921 all H3605 mine evil H7451 neighbors H7934 , that touch H5060 the inheritance H5159 which H834 I have caused H853 my people H5971 H853 Israel H3478 to inherit H5157 ; Behold H2009 , I will pluck them out H5428 of H4480 H5921 their land H127 , and pluck out H5428 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 from among H4480 H8432 them.
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15. But after I pull them up out of their land, I will feel sorry for them. I will bring each family back to its own property and to its own land.
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15. And it shall come to pass H1961 , after that H310 I have plucked them out H5428 H853 I will return H7725 , and have compassion H7355 on them , and will bring them again H7725 , every man H376 to his heritage H5159 , and every man H376 to his land H776 .
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16. I want these people to learn their lessons well. In the past they taught my people to use Baal's name to make promises. Now, I want them to learn to use my name. I want them to say, 'As the Lord lives �.' If they do that, I will allow them to be successful, and I will let them live among my people.
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16. And it shall come to pass H1961 , if H518 they will diligently learn H3925 H3925 H853 the ways H1870 of my people H5971 , to swear H7650 by my name H8034 , The LORD H3068 liveth H2416 ; as H834 they taught H3925 H853 my people H5971 to swear H7650 by Baal H1168 ; then shall they be built H1129 in the midst H8432 of my people H5971 .
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17. But if a nation does not listen to my message, I will completely destroy it. I will pull it up like a dead plant." This message is from the Lord.
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17. But if H518 they will not H3808 obey H8085 , I will utterly pluck up H5428 H5428 and destroy H6 H853 that H1931 nation H1471 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
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