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Jeremiah 11:21

21 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, "You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand"—

Jeremiah 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.

Jeremiah 11:21 In-Context

19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. And I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered!"
20 But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who try the heart and the mind, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.
21 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, "You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand"—
22 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: I am going to punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;
23 and not even a remnant shall be left of them. For I will bring disaster upon the people of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.