Jeremiah 11:18-23

Plots against Jeremiah

18 Moreover, the LORD 1made it known to me and I knew it; Then You showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle 2lamb led to the slaughter; And I did not know that they had 3devised plots against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, And 4let us cut him off from the 5land of the living, That his 6name be remembered no more."
20 But, O LORD of hosts, who 7judges righteously, Who 8tries the feelings and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause.
21 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of 9Anathoth, who 10seek your life, saying, "11Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, so that you will not 12die at our hand ";
22 therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, I am about to 13punish them! The 14young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine;
23 and a remnant 15will not be left to them, for I will 16bring disaster on the men of Anathoth -17the year of their punishment."

Jeremiah 11:18-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 11

This chapter gives an account of the covenant God had made with the people of the Jews; their breach of it; and the evils threatened them on that account; and particularly against the men of Anathoth, for their ill treatment of the prophet. It begins with the order to Jeremiah to rehearse the words of the covenant in the ears of the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 11:1-3, which covenant is described by the sanction of it; a curse in case of disobedience; and a promise of being their God, and bringing them into the good land, in case of obedience; and by the time when it was made, when the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, Jer 10:3-5, which order, the prophet agreeing to, is repeated, Jer 10:5,6 declaring the earnest protestation and exhortation of God to obey it, which they not observing, were threatened with the curses of it, Jer 11:7,8, the present Jews doing as their forefathers had done, breaking the covenant, particularly by their idolatry, are threatened also with punishment they should not escape, Jer 11:9-11 which is aggravated by a resolution to show no regard to their cries, Jer 11:11, by the impotence of their idols to save them, though so numerous, Jer 11:12,13, by forbidding the prophet to pray for them, Jer 11:14, by their having no longer a place and protection in the house of God, because of their wickedness, Jer 11:15, by comparing their former and present state together, having been as a beautiful and fruitful olive tree, but now burnt, and its branches broken, Jer 11:16, next follows an account of a design of the men of Anathoth against the prophet, to take away his life, which he was ignorant of, till the Lord gave him knowledge of it, Jer 11:17-19, when he imprecates vengeance on them, Jer 11:20, and, under a spirit of prophecy from the Lord, foretells their utter ruin and destruction, Jer 11:21,22.

Cross References 17

  • 1. 1 Samuel 23:11, 12; 2 Kings 6:9, 10; Ezekiel 8:6
  • 2. Isaiah 53:7
  • 3. Jeremiah 18:18; Jeremiah 20:10
  • 4. Psalms 83:4; Isaiah 53:8
  • 5. Job 28:13; Psalms 52:5
  • 6. Psalms 109:13
  • 7. Genesis 18:25; Psalms 7:8; Jeremiah 20:12
  • 8. 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 7:9; Jeremiah 17:10
  • 9. Jeremiah 1:1
  • 10. Jeremiah 12:5, 6; Jeremiah 20:10
  • 11. Amos 2:12
  • 12. Jeremiah 26:8; Jeremiah 38:4
  • 13. Jeremiah 21:14
  • 14. 2 Chronicles 36:17; Jeremiah 18:21
  • 15. Jeremiah 6:9
  • 16. Jeremiah 23:12; Hosea 9:7; Micah 7:4
  • 17. Luke 19:44

Footnotes 3

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