Jeremiah 11:1-8

The Broken Covenant

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 "1Hear the words of this 2covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3 and say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, "3Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant
4 which I commanded your forefathers in the 4day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the 5iron furnace, saying, '6Listen to My voice, and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be 7My people, and I will be your God,'
5 in order to confirm the 8oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day."' " Then I said, "9Amen, O LORD."
6 And the LORD said to me, "10Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, '11Hear the words of this covenant and 12do them.
7 'For I solemnly 13warned your fathers in the 14day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, 15warning persistently, saying, "16Listen to My voice."
8 'Yet they 17did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the 18words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.' "

Jeremiah 11:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 11

This chapter gives an account of the covenant God had made with the people of the Jews; their breach of it; and the evils threatened them on that account; and particularly against the men of Anathoth, for their ill treatment of the prophet. It begins with the order to Jeremiah to rehearse the words of the covenant in the ears of the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 11:1-3, which covenant is described by the sanction of it; a curse in case of disobedience; and a promise of being their God, and bringing them into the good land, in case of obedience; and by the time when it was made, when the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, Jer 10:3-5, which order, the prophet agreeing to, is repeated, Jer 10:5,6 declaring the earnest protestation and exhortation of God to obey it, which they not observing, were threatened with the curses of it, Jer 11:7,8, the present Jews doing as their forefathers had done, breaking the covenant, particularly by their idolatry, are threatened also with punishment they should not escape, Jer 11:9-11 which is aggravated by a resolution to show no regard to their cries, Jer 11:11, by the impotence of their idols to save them, though so numerous, Jer 11:12,13, by forbidding the prophet to pray for them, Jer 11:14, by their having no longer a place and protection in the house of God, because of their wickedness, Jer 11:15, by comparing their former and present state together, having been as a beautiful and fruitful olive tree, but now burnt, and its branches broken, Jer 11:16, next follows an account of a design of the men of Anathoth against the prophet, to take away his life, which he was ignorant of, till the Lord gave him knowledge of it, Jer 11:17-19, when he imprecates vengeance on them, Jer 11:20, and, under a spirit of prophecy from the Lord, foretells their utter ruin and destruction, Jer 11:21,22.

Cross References 18

  • 1. Jeremiah 11:6
  • 2. Exodus 19:5
  • 3. Deuteronomy 27:26; Jeremiah 17:5; Galatians 3:10
  • 4. Exodus 24:3-8; Jeremiah 31:32
  • 5. Deuteronomy 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51
  • 6. Leviticus 26:3; Deuteronomy 11:27; Jeremiah 7:23; Jeremiah 26:13
  • 7. Jeremiah 24:7; Zechariah 8:8
  • 8. Exodus 13:5; Deuteronomy 7:12; Psalms 105:9; Jeremiah 32:22
  • 9. Jeremiah 28:6
  • 10. Jeremiah 3:12; Jeremiah 7:2
  • 11. Jeremiah 11:2
  • 12. John 13:17; Romans 2:13; James 1:22
  • 13. 1 Samuel 8:9
  • 14. Jeremiah 11:4
  • 15. Exodus 15:26; 2 Chronicles 36:15; Jeremiah 7:25
  • 16. Jeremiah 11:7
  • 17. Jeremiah 7:24; Jeremiah 9:14; Jeremiah 35:15; Ezekiel 20:8
  • 18. Leviticus 26:14-43

Footnotes 2

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