Jeremiah11
King James Version · Public Domain
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O Lord.
6Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
9And the Lord said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
12Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
15What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
16The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17For the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
18And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
20But, 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.
21Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand:
22Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
23And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The disobedient Jews reproved. (1-10). Their utter ruin. (11-17). The people would be destroyed who sought the prophet's life. (18-23).
vv1-10
God never promised to bestow blessings on his rational creatures, while they persist in wilful disobedience. Pardon and acceptance are promised freely to all believers; but no man can be saved who does not obey the command of God to repent, to believe in Christ, to separate from sin and the world, to choose self-denial and newness of life. In general, men will hearken to those who speak of doctrines, promises, and privileges; but when duties are mentioned, they will not bend their ear.
vv11-17
Evil pursues sinners, and entangles them in snares, out of which they cannot free themselves. Now, in their distress, their many gods and many altars stand them in no stead. And those whose own prayers will not be heard, cannot expect benefit from the prayers of others. Their profession of religion shall prove of no use. When trouble came upon them, they made this their confidence, but God has rejected it. His altar shall yield them no satisfaction. The remembrance of God's former favours to them shall be no comfort under troubles; and his remembrance of them shall be no argument for their relief. Every sin against the Lord is a sin against ourselves, and so it will be found sooner or later.
vv18-23
The prophet Jeremiah tells much concerning himself, the times he lived in being very troublesome. Those of his own city plotted how they might cause his death. They thought to end his days, but he outlived most of his enemies; they thought to blast his memory, but it lives to this day, and will be blessed while time lasts. God knows all the secret designs of his and his people's enemies, and can, when he pleases, make them known. God's justice is a terror to the wicked, but a comfort to the godly. When we are wronged, we have a God to commit our cause to, and it is our duty to commit it to him. We should also look well to our own spirits, that we are not overcome with evil, but that by patient continuance in praying for our enemies, and in kindness to them, we may overcome evil with good.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
יִרְמְיָה: Jirmejah, the name of eight or nine Israelites
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
בְּרִית: a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
Cross References
Jeremiah 11Directly quoted: 'Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant' (Deut 27:26).
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Egypt is explicitly described as the metaphorical 'iron furnace' of affliction.
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Solomon's prayer also describes Egypt as the 'furnace of iron' from which God redeemed Israel.
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Paul uses this exact olive tree metaphor to discuss Israel's broken branches and Gentiles' grafting.
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God's repeated prohibition to Jeremiah against offering intercessory prayer for this apostate nation.
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Compares the righteous/covenant people to a green, fruitful olive tree in God's house.
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Jeremiah's trial ('like a lamb... to the slaughter') typifies the suffering Messiah of Isaiah 53.
Parallel plea where Jeremiah commits his cause to the Lord who tries the reins and heart.
The quintessential covenant promise: 'ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.'
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Ironic challenge to cry to false gods who cannot deliver in trouble.
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Connects Israel's apostasy to Baal with devotion to that 'shameful thing'.
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Repeats the indictment: 'according to the number of thy cities are thy gods'.
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Explains 'holy flesh is passed from thee'; external sacrifices cannot sanctify a defiled people.
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Parallels walking after the stubbornness or 'imagination of their evil heart'.
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Parallels the wicked mindset: 'when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest'.
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