Jeremiah 11:20
in Jeremiah 11O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But, O Jehovah of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, I shall see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
KJV
But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
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This verse in Jeremiah 11
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(Verse 20) But you, Lord of hosts, who judge justly and test the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for I have revealed my cause to you. But on the contrary, in accordance with the sacrament of the assumed body, the Son speaks to the Father, and he calls for his judgment, while praising his justice, and invokes God, the observer of the kidneys and the heart, that he may give to the people what they deserve.
This site's exposition
And the LORD informed me, so I knew
on Jeremiah 11:18-20
This unit opens the run of confessions the book carries through chapter 20. He was “like a gentle lamb led to slaughter” and “did not know that they had plotted against me”. Verse 20 answers with the appeal the confessions repeat, “let me see Your vengeance upon them”.
This site's exposition
O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read it as part of his office, in line with what God had already made known against the men who plotted. Matthew Henry sees human frailty, and Adam Clarke reads the verb as a plain future: the prophet will see the vengeance of the LORD.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
There was a reason that God allowed the prophet to be tested by troubles. Since Jeremiah had often tried to offer intercession for the transgressors—in his desire to convince Jeremiah that God was not compassionate but the harsh treasury of goodness—he allowed the rebellion to …
"Lord of the powers, who judge righteous things, who test the reins and hearts, may I see the vengeance from you upon them." Prophetically he prays these things, to see the vengeance from God upon them; for "Jerusalem is encircled by armies, and its desolation has drawn near," and it has been said to her, "Behold, your house is left to you." "May I see," then, "the vengeance from you upon them, because to you I have revealed my case."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Hence they rightly believed and confessed that as God he knew all things and that as the Son of God He had come from God. It is a clear indication of divinity to know the secret things of another's thoughts, as Solomon affirmed when he …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Jeremiah prays judgment against them: " Let me see thy vengeance on them, that is, do justice between me and them in such a way as thou pleasest." Some think there was something of human frailty in this prayer; at least Christ has taught us another lesson, both by precept and by pattern, which is to pray for our persecutors.
But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
triest . . . heart-- (Re 2:23). revealed--committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance was not personal but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant (Ps 37:34;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
Let me see thy vengeance on them - Rather, I shall see (אראה ereh) thy punishment indicted on them.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיהוָ֤ה | vayahweh | and O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָאוֹת֙ | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| שֹׁפֵ֣ט | shofet | [who] judges | H8199 → | 202 times |
| צֶ֔דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| בֹּחֵ֥ן | bochen | [who] tests | H974 → | 29 times |
| כְּלָי֖וֹת | kelayot | kidneys | H3629 → | 31 times |
| וָלֵ֑ב | valev | and heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אֶרְאֶ֤ה | ʾereh | let me see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ | nikmatecha | vengeance your | H5360 → | 27 times |
| מֵהֶ֔ם | mehem | from <the> them | ||
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵלֶ֖יךָ | ʾeleikha | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גִּלִּ֥יתִי | giliti | I have made known | H1540 → | 186 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רִיבִֽי׃ ס | rivi | case my | H7379 → | 61 times |
וַֽיהוָ֤הand O Yahweh
vayahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָאוֹת֙of hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
שֹׁפֵ֣ט[who] judges
shofetH8199 →202 times
צֶ֔דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
בֹּחֵ֥ן[who] tests
bochenH974 →29 times
כְּלָי֖וֹתkidneys
kelayotH3629 →31 times
וָלֵ֑בand heart
valevH3820 →595 times
אֶרְאֶ֤הlet me see
ʾerehH7200 →1300 times
נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙vengeance your
nikmatechaH5360 →27 times
מֵהֶ֔םfrom <the> them
mehem
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵלֶ֖יךָto you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
גִּלִּ֥יתִיI have made known
gilitiH1540 →186 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רִיבִֽי׃ סcase my
riviH7379 →61 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 16:7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
- Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
- 1 Peter 3:4
but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
- Isaiah 55:8–9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 17:10
Through
Jeremiah 17:10I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
it leads to
- Romans 8:27
And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…
- Revelation 2:23
Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
- Romans 8:27
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 2:12; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JEREMIAH 10 and Theodoret of Cyrus, ON JEREMIAH 3:11.20.