Jeremias 11:21

21 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, Thou shalt not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if thou dost, thou shalt die by our hands:

Jeremias 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.

Jeremias 11:21 In-Context

19 But I as an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, knew not: against me they devised an evil device, saying, Come and let us put wood into his bread, and let us utterly destroy him from off the land of the living, and let his name not be remembered any more.

20 O Lord, that judgest righteously, trying the reins and hearts, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee I have declared my cause.

21 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, Thou shalt not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if thou dost, thou shalt die by our hands:

22 behold, I will visit them: their young men shall die by the sword; and their sons and their daughters shall die of famine:

23 and there shall be no remnant of them; for I will bring evil upon the dwellers in Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.