The Meaning of Jeremiah 12:3 Explained

Jeremiah 12:3

KJV: But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

YLT: And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a day of slaughter.

Darby: But thou, Jehovah, knowest me; thou hast seen me, and proved my heart toward thee. Drag them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

ASV: But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But thou, O LORD,  knowest  me: thou hast seen  me, and tried  mine heart  toward thee: pull them out  like sheep  for the slaughter,  and prepare  them for the day  of slaughter. 

What does Jeremiah 12:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord knew that Jeremiah"s attitude toward Him was entirely different than those hypocrites. The prophet prayed that the Lord would drag them off to punishment like sheep going to the slaughter (cf. Jeremiah 11:19). He prayed that God would reserve them for special destruction, as He had set Jeremiah apart for his ministry ( Jeremiah 1:5).

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 12

1  Jeremiah, complaining of the prosperity of the wicked, by faith sees their ruin
5  God admonishes him of his brothers' treachery against him;
7  and laments his heritage
14  He promises to the penitent return from captivity

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 12:3 mean?

But You Yahweh know me You have seen me and You have tested my heart toward You Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter -
וְאַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ יְדַעְתָּ֔נִי תִּרְאֵ֕נִי וּבָחַנְתָּ֥ לִבִּ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ הַתִּקֵם֙ כְּצֹ֣אן לְטִבְחָ֔ה וְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖ם לְי֥וֹם הֲרֵגָֽה ס

וְאַתָּ֤ה  But  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יְדַעְתָּ֔נִי  know  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
תִּרְאֵ֕נִי  You  have  seen  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וּבָחַנְתָּ֥  and  You  have  tested 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּחַן  
Sense: to examine, try, prove.
לִבִּ֖י  my  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
אִתָּ֑ךְ  toward  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
הַתִּקֵם֙  Pull  them  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָתַק  
Sense: to pull or tear or draw off or away or apart, draw out, pluck up, break, li ft, root out.
כְּצֹ֣אן  like  sheep 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
לְטִבְחָ֔ה  for  the  slaughter 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: טִבְחָה  
Sense: slaughtered meat, a slaughter, flesh, meat, thing slaughtered.
וְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖ם  and  prepare  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
לְי֥וֹם  for  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הֲרֵגָֽה  of  slaughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: הֲרֵגָה  
Sense: a killing, slaughter.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation