he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize a victim;
he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.

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    like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(A)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(B)

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12 They are[a] like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 17:12 Lit He is

12 They are like a lion(A) hungry for prey,(B)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

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29 Their roaring is like a lion’s;(A)
they roar like young lions;(B)
they growl and seize their prey
and carry it off,
and no one can rescue it.

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29 Their roar is like that of the lion,(A)
    they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize(B) their prey
    and carry it off with no one to rescue.(C)

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15 The young lions have roared at him;(A)
they have roared loudly.
They have laid waste his land.(B)
His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.

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15 Lions(A) have roared;
    they have growled at him.
They have laid waste(B) his land;
    his towns are burned(C) and deserted.(D)

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Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down.(A)
A wolf from arid plains will ravage them.
A leopard(B) stalks their cities.
Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces
because their rebellious acts are many,(C)
their unfaithful deeds numerous.(D)

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Therefore a lion from the forest(A) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage(B) them,
a leopard(C) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.(D)

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The Lord’s Response

If you have raced with runners
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in a peaceful land,
what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:5 Or you are secure

God’s Answer

“If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in safe country,
    how will you manage in the thickets(A) by[b] the Jordan?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
  2. Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of

38 He has left his den like a lion,
for their land has become a desolation
because of the sword[a] of the oppressor,(A)
because of his burning anger.

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Footnotes

  1. 25:38 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg; other Hb mss read burning

38 Like a lion(A) he will leave his lair,
    and their land will become desolate(B)
because of the sword[a] of the oppressor(C)
    and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger

The Return of God’s People

17 Israel is a stray lamb, chased by lions.(A)
The first who devoured him was the king of Assyria;
the last who crushed his bones
was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.(B)

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17 “Israel is a scattered flock(A)
    that lions(B) have chased away.
The first to devour(C) them
    was the king(D) of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones(E)
    was Nebuchadnezzar(F) king(G) of Babylon.”

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Listen to the wail(A) of the shepherds,(B)
for their glory is destroyed.
Listen to the roar of young lions,(C)
for the thickets of the Jordan(D) are[a] destroyed.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:3 Lit for the majesty of the Jordan is

Listen to the wail of the shepherds;
    their rich pastures are destroyed!
Listen to the roar of the lions;(A)
    the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined!(B)

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