The Prosperity of the Wicked 1 Brenton Righteous art thou, O Lord, that I may make my defence to thee, yea, I will speak to thee of judgments. Why is it that the way of ungodly men prospers? that all that deal very treacherously are flourishing? BSB BSB: Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2 Brenton Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root; they have begotten children, and become fruitful; thou art near to their mouth, and far from their reins. BSB BSB: You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.
3 Brenton But thou, Lord, knowest me; thou hast proved my heart before thee; purify them for the day of their slaughter. BSB BSB: But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.
4 Brenton How long shall the land mourn, and the grass of the field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell in it? the beasts and birds are utterly destroyed; because the people said, God shall not see our ways. BSB BSB: How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”
God’s Answer to Jeremiah 5 Brenton Thy feet run, and they cause thee to faint; how wilt thou prepare to ride upon horses? and thou hast been confident in the land of thy peace? how wilt thou do in the roaring of Jordan? BSB BSB: “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?
6 Brenton For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, even these have dealt treacherously with thee; and they have cried out, they are gathered together in pursuit of thee; trust not thou in them, though they shall speak fair words to thee. BSB BSB: Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.
7 Brenton I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given my beloved one into the hands of her enemies. BSB BSB: I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul into the hands of her enemies.
8 Brenton My inheritance has become to me as a lion in a forest; she has uttered her voice against me; therefore have I hated her. BSB BSB: My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me; therefore I hate her.
9 Brenton Is not my inheritance to me a hyæna's cave, or a cave round about her? Go ye, gather together all the wild beasts of the field, and let them come to devour her. BSB BSB: Is not My inheritance to Me like a speckled bird of prey with other birds of prey circling against her? Go, gather all the beasts of the field; bring them to devour her.
10 Brenton Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have defiled my portion, they have made my desirable portion a trackless wilderness; BSB BSB: Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of ground. They have turned My pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.
11 Brenton it is made a complete ruin: for my sake the whole land has been utterly ruined, because there is none that lays the matter to heart. BSB BSB: They have made it a desolation; desolate before Me, it mourns. All the land is laid waste, but no man takes it to heart.
12 Brenton The ravagers are come to every passage in the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other: no flesh has any peace. BSB BSB: Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace.
13 Brenton Sow wheat, and reap thorns; their portions shall not profit them: be ashamed of your boasting, because of reproach before the Lord. BSB BSB: They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
A Message for Israel’s Neighbors (Amos 1:1–15)
14 Brenton For thus saith the Lord concerning all the evil neighbours that touch mine inheritance, which I have divided to my people Israel; Behold, I will draw them away from their land, and I will cast out Juda from the midst of them. BSB BSB: This is what the LORD says: “As for all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people Israel, I am about to uproot them from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them.
15 Brenton And it shall come to pass, after I have cast them out, that I will return, and have mercy upon them, and will cause them to dwell every one in his inheritance, and every one in his land. BSB BSB: But after I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.
16 Brenton And it shall be, if they will indeed learn the way of my people, to swear by my name, saying , The Lord lives; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall that nation be built in the midst of my people. BSB BSB: And if they will diligently learn the ways of My people and swear by My name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’—just as they once taught My people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among My people.
17 Brenton But if they will not return, then will I cut off that nation with utter ruin and destruction. BSB BSB: But if they will not obey, then I will uproot that nation; I will uproot it and destroy it, declares the LORD.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.