Jeremiah 11 Study Notes

11:14 Again as in 7:16-17 (see note there), God did not permit Jeremiah to pray for the people. It was now too late (14:11-12; 15:1).

11:15 My “beloved” (Hb yadid) is the same name the prophet Nathan gave to Solomon—Jedidiah, “The Lord’s beloved one.” Judah had been the Lord’s “beloved” (12:7; Ps 78:68-72; 82:2). God asked, What right does my beloved have to be in my house? This same point was made in Jeremiah’s temple gate sermon (7:3-11). Like a son or daughter expelled for bad behavior, Judah’s sin caused her to lose her privileges.

11:16-17 In another metaphor that depicted the nation as a thing created by God, Jeremiah declared the Lord had planted the flourishing olive tree (2:21; 5:10; 6:9; Ps 52:8; 92:12-15; Hs 14:7).

11:18-23 This is another of Jeremiah’s “confessions” (see note at 4:19-22).

11:18-19 Because Jeremiah had not suspected all the plots and schemes arrayed against him, he was like a docile lamb led to slaughter. His enemies planned to destroy the tree with its fruit (lit “its bread”), a proverbial expression indicating that they would destroy both him and whatever he produced (“food” or “bread”). Jeremiah was not married, so this refers to the destruction of his life’s work, not a wife or children.

11:20 Out of a desire for justice, Jeremiah prayed for God’s vengeance on his enemies.

11:21-23 Jeremiah’s hometown of Anathoth plotted against him, presumably because his own family thought he had brought disgrace on them. Or did they regard him as a traitor because his pronouncements seemed to favor Babylon over Judah?