Jeremiah 11:17

17 And the Lord of hosts that planted thee, spake evil on thee, for the evils of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they did to themselves, and offered to Baalim, to stir me to wrath. (And the Lord of hosts who planted thee, spoke evil against thee, for the evils of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they did to themselves, when they stirred me to anger, by offering to Baal.)

Jeremiah 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 11:17

For the Lord of hosts that planted thee
As a green olive tree, and gave thee all thy verdure, fruitfulness, happiness, and prosperity; when he first put thee into the possession of the good land, and distinguished thee by so many favours and blessings; as he is able to take them away, so he will: for he hath pronounced evil against thee;
he hath determined it in his mind, and he hath declared it by his prophets: for the evil of the house of Israel;
the ten tribes, who had committed sin, and for which the evil pronounced had been executed on them already, being some time ago carried captive: and of the house of Judah;
who had taken no warning by them, but had followed them in their iniquities, and even exceeded them; and therefore must expect the like punishment for their sins: which they have done against themselves;
for sin is not only against God, his nature, will, and law; but it is against the sinner himself, and is to his hurt and ruin, both temporal and eternal: to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal;
this particularly was the evil which was so provoking to God; and therefore he determined to bring the evil of punishment upon them; and shows the cause and reason of it; and which is a sufficient vindication of his justice.

Jeremiah 11:17 In-Context

15 What is it, that my darling doeth many great trespasses in mine house? whether holy fleshes shall do away from thee thy malice, in which thou hast glory? (What right hath my darling to be in my House, she who doeth so many great trespasses? shall holy flesh do away from thee thy malice, in which thou hast so much glory?)
16 The Lord called thy name an olive tree, fair, full of fruit, shapely; at the voice of a great speech, fire burnt on high therein, and the bushes thereof be burnt. (Once the Lord called thee an olive tree, yea, beautiful, full of fruit, and shapely; but now, at the sound of a great shout, fire shall burn on high there, and its bushes shall be burned down.)
17 And the Lord of hosts that planted thee, spake evil on thee, for the evils of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they did to themselves, and offered to Baalim, to stir me to wrath. (And the Lord of hosts who planted thee, spoke evil against thee, for the evils of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they did to themselves, when they stirred me to anger, by offering to Baal.)
18 Forsooth, Lord, thou showedest to me, and I knew; thou showedest to me the studies of them. (But, Lord, thou hast shown me, and so I knew; yea, thou hast shown me their deeds.)
19 And I am as a mild lamb, which is borne to slain sacrifice; and I knew not, that they thought counsels on me, and said, Send we a tree into the bread of him, and raze we him away from the land of livers, and his name be no more had in mind. (And I am like a meek lamb, which is carried to the slain sacrifice; and I knew not that they thought up plans against me, and said, Destroy we the tree with its fruit, and raze we him down from the land of the living, and his name shall no longer be remembered.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.