Jeremías 11:18-23

18 El SEÑOR me lo hizo saber y lo comprendí. Me mostró las maldades que habían cometido.

19 Pero yo era como un manso cordero que es llevado al matadero; no sabía lo que estaban maquinando contra mí, y que decían:«Destruyamos el árbol con su fruto,arranquémoslo de la tierra de los vivientes,para que nadie recuerde más su nombre».

20 Pero tú, SEÑOR Todopoderoso,que juzgas con justicia,que pruebas los sentimientos y la mente,¡déjame ver cómo te vengas de ellos,porque en tus manos he puesto mi causa!

21 «Por eso, así dice el SEÑOR en contra de los hombres de Anatot, que buscan quitarte la vida y afirman: “¡No profetices en nombre del SEÑOR, si no quieres morir a manos nuestras!”

22 Por eso, así dice el SEÑOR Todopoderoso: “Voy a castigarlos. Los jóvenes morirán a filo de espada, y sus hijos y sus hijas se morirán de hambre.

23 No quedará ni uno solo de ellos. En el año de su castigo haré venir una calamidad sobre los hombres de Anatot”».

Jeremías 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.