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.
But you, O Lord, know me completely: you have watched me and tested my heart's devotion to you. Pull them out like sheep being led to slaughter, and get them ready for the day when they will be killed.
Jeremiah is asking God to judge his enemies, reminding God that He knows Jeremiah's faithful heart while these wicked people deserve punishment.
📚 Historical Context
Jeremiah was a prophet in ancient Judah during a time of widespread moral decay and the looming threat of Babylonian invasion in the 7th-6th century BC. In this verse, he is pouring out his heart to God, expressing confidence that God sees and tests his loyalty amidst persecution from his enemies. Jeremiah's plea for God to judge the wicked, using the metaphor of sheep for slaughter, draws from the cultural practices of animal sacrifice to illustrate divine judgment.
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