They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
They have grown fat and sleek from their wealth. They have gone beyond even what wicked people do: they refuse to defend the innocent or give justice to orphans, yet they continue to prosper; and they won't stand up for the rights of the poor.
God is condemning wealthy leaders who have grown comfortable in their prosperity while ignoring their duty to protect and provide justice for the vulnerable and needy.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of the prophet Jeremiah, around 600 BC, the kingdom of Judah was plagued by moral decay and social injustice as the nation faced the threat of Babylonian invasion due to their unfaithfulness to God. The wealthy and powerful elite were accumulating riches through exploitation, neglecting God's laws that commanded care for the vulnerable like orphans and the poor, which highlighted a broader pattern of corruption among leaders. This verse serves as a divine indictment of their hypocrisy, warning that their prosperity was temporary and would lead to judgment.
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