Jeremiah 11:11

11 This is what the LORD says: I'm going to bring a disaster on them that they can't escape. Although they will cry out to me, 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, "Conspiracy exists among the people of Judah and among those who live in Jerusalem.

10 They've gone back to the evil ways of their ancestors and refused to obey my words. They are following other gods and worshiping them. The nations of Israel and Judah have rejected the promise that I made to their ancestors.

11 This is what the LORD says: I'm going to bring a disaster on them that they can't escape. Although they will cry out to me, I won't listen to them.

12 Then the cities of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem will cry to the gods to whom they've been sacrificing. But these gods will never rescue them when they're in trouble.

13 Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities. You have set up many altars [in Jerusalem] to sacrifice to Baal. You have as many altars as there are streets in Jerusalem.