Jeremiah 11:11

11 Therefore, the LORD proclaims: I will bring upon them a disaster from which they won't be able to escape. They will cry out to me, but I won't listen to them.

Jeremiah 11:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 11:11

Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold, I will bring evil upon
them
The evil of punishment for the evil of their sins, such as famine, the sword, captivity, which latter is the evil more especially designed; and there is no evil of this nature but what is of God; it is of his sending and bringing; see ( Amos 3:6 ) : which they shall not be able to escape;
they should not have wisdom enough to form a scheme, nor power enough to put one in execution when formed, whereby they could extricate themselves out of the difficulties they would be in; doubtless reference is had to their being besieged by the Chaldean army, the evil that should come out of the north, ( Jeremiah 1:14 ) , which should so closely surround them, that none should escape: and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them:
because their prayers were hypocritical, and not attended with faith and true repentance; otherwise, when men cry to God, under a sense of sin, being truly sorry for it, and put their trust in him, he hears them, and delivers them; but these would be concerned only for the evil that was come upon them, and not the evil they had been guilty of; and such sinners, when they pray to him, the Lord hears not. The Targum is,

``and they shall pray before me, and I will not receive their prayers.''

Jeremiah 11:11 In-Context

9 The LORD said to me: A conspiracy is taking place among the people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem.

10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to obey my words. They too are following other gods and serving them. The people of Israel and the people of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their ancestors.

11 Therefore, the LORD proclaims: I will bring upon them a disaster from which they won't be able to escape. They will cry out to me, but I won't listen to them.

12 Then the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem will call upon the gods they worship, but they won't save them when disaster strikes.

13 You have as many gods as you have towns, Judah, and you have as many shameful altars for worshipping Baal as you have streets in Jerusalem.