Jeremiah 11:20

20 But [O] Yahweh of hosts, who judges [in] righteousness, who tests [the] {inmost being}, and [the] {mind}, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have revealed my legal case.

Jeremiah 11:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 11:20

But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously
This is the prophet's appeal to God, as the Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; he found there was no justice to be done him among men; he therefore has recourse to a righteous God, who he knew judged righteous judgment: that triest the reins and the heart;
of all men; as of his own, so of his enemies; and which he mentions, not so much on his own account as theirs: let me see thy vengeance on them;
which imprecation arose from a pure zeal for God, for his glory, and the honour of his justice; and not from private revenge; and so no ways inconsistent with the character of a good man; though some consider the words as a prediction of what would befall them, and he should live to see accomplished; and render them, "I shall see &c." F17; and so the Targum,

``I shall see the vengeance of thy judgment on them:''
for unto thee have I revealed my cause;
as a client to his patron; told his whole case, and left it with him, believing he would manage it for him, and do him justice. The Apostle Peter seems to have this passage in view, when speaking of Christ, ( 1 Peter 2:23 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F17 (hara) "videbo", Munster, Schmidt; "visurus sum", Junius & Tremellius.

Jeremiah 11:20 In-Context

18 Moreover, Yahweh let [it be] made known to me, and I knew. Then you showed me their deeds.
19 And I [was] like a gentle ram-lamb that is brought to slaughter, and I did not know that they planned plans against me, [saying], "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from [the] land of [the] living, so that his name will no longer be remembered."
20 But [O] Yahweh of hosts, who judges [in] righteousness, who tests [the] {inmost being}, and [the] {mind}, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have revealed my legal case.
21 {Therefore} thus says Yahweh concerning the people of Anathoth who seek your life, {saying}, "You shall not prophesy in the name of Yahweh {or} you will die by our hand."
22 {Therefore} thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Look, I [am about to] punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by the famine.

Footnotes 2

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.