Scripture Readings

Thursday, April 4, 1991

Jeremiah 11:18-12:5, 9-11, 14-15 (1st Hour)

18
The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then thou didst show me their evil deeds.
19
But, I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.”
20
But, O Lord of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I committed my cause.
21
Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of An’athoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand”
22
therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;
23
and none of them shall be left. For I will bring evil upon men of An’athoth, the year of their punishment.”
1
Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
2
Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart.
3
But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
4
How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because men said, “He will not see our latter end.”
5
If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you fall down, how will you do in the jungle of the Jordan?
9
My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture; The vultures all around are against her. Come, assemble all the beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!
10
“Many rulers have destroyed My vineyard, They have trodden My portion underfoot; They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11
They have made it desolate; Desolate, it mourns to Me; The whole land is made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart.
14
Thus says the Lord: “Against all My evil neighbors who 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.
15
Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land.