Jeremiah 11:21

21 Therefore the Lord saith these things to the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, and say, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and thou shalt not die in our hands. (And so the Lord saith these things to those people of Anathoth, who seek thy life, and say, Prophesy thou no more in the name of the Lord, and then thou shalt not die by our hands.)

Jeremiah 11:21 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 11:21

Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth
That is, "unto", or "concerning the men of Anathoth", the townsmen of Jeremiah, and who were the persons that combined together to destroy him; of this place, (See Gill on Jeremiah 1:1) that seek thy life;
or "soul"; that is, to take it away: saying, prophesy not in the name of the Lord;
without their leave, and such hard things as he did, unless he would prophesy smooth things, and then he might go on, otherwise he must expect to die: that thou die not by our hand;
or means; they intimate, that, should he persist in this way of prophesying, they should not stay to carry on a judicial process against him, to bring him and accuse him before a judge, or the sanhedrim, or any court of judicature; but should do as those called zealots in later times did; lay violent hands upon him, and dispatch him themselves at once; perhaps this they said after they found that the prophet had knowledge of their designs against him.

Jeremiah 11:21 In-Context

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.)

20 But thou, Lord of hosts, that deemest justly, and provest reins and hearts, see I thy vengeance of them; for to thee I showed my cause. (But thou, Lord of hosts, who judgest justly, and provest reins and hearts, let me see thy vengeance against them; for I have shown my cause to thee/for I have made my case to thee.)

21 Therefore the Lord saith these things to the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, and say, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and thou shalt not die in our hands. (And so the Lord saith these things to those people of Anathoth, who seek thy life, and say, Prophesy thou no more in the name of the Lord, and then thou shalt not die by our hands.)

22 Therefore the Lord of hosts saith these things, Lo! I shall visit on them; the young men of them shall die by sword, the sons of them, and the daughters of them, shall die for hunger; (And so the Lord of hosts saith these things, Lo! I shall punish them; their young men shall die by the sword, and their sons, and their daughters, shall die by hunger;)

23 and no remnants, either children left, shall be of them; for I shall bring in evil on the men of Anathoth, the year of the visitation of them. (and there shall be no remnant, or any children, left of them; for I shall bring in evil upon the people of Anathoth, yea, the time of their punishment.)