Yirmeyah 11:17

17 For Hashem Tzva’os, that planted thee, hath pronounced ra’ah against thee, for the evil of Bais Yisroel and of Bais Yehudah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering ketoret (incense) unto Ba’al.

Yirmeyah 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 11:17

For the Lord of hosts that planted thee
As a green olive tree, and gave thee all thy verdure, fruitfulness, happiness, and prosperity; when he first put thee into the possession of the good land, and distinguished thee by so many favours and blessings; as he is able to take them away, so he will: for he hath pronounced evil against thee;
he hath determined it in his mind, and he hath declared it by his prophets: for the evil of the house of Israel;
the ten tribes, who had committed sin, and for which the evil pronounced had been executed on them already, being some time ago carried captive: and of the house of Judah;
who had taken no warning by them, but had followed them in their iniquities, and even exceeded them; and therefore must expect the like punishment for their sins: which they have done against themselves;
for sin is not only against God, his nature, will, and law; but it is against the sinner himself, and is to his hurt and ruin, both temporal and eternal: to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal;
this particularly was the evil which was so provoking to God; and therefore he determined to bring the evil of punishment upon them; and shows the cause and reason of it; and which is a sufficient vindication of his justice.

Yirmeyah 11:17 In-Context

15 What hath My yadid (beloved [See 12:7] to do in Mine Bais [HaMikdash], seeing she hath with rabbim (many) wrought clever [ritual] schemes—can basar kodesh turn away from thee thy disaster, that thou can rejoice?

16 Hashem called thy shem, A green zayit (olive tree), yafeh, and of goodly pri (fruit); with the noise of a great tumult He hath kindled eish upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For Hashem Tzva’os, that planted thee, hath pronounced ra’ah against thee, for the evil of Bais Yisroel and of Bais Yehudah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering ketoret (incense) unto Ba’al.

18 And Hashem hath given me da’as (knowledge) of it, and I know it; then Thou opened my eyes to their deeds.

19 But I was like an innocent keves (lamb) that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised machashavot (plots) against me, saying, Let us destroy the etz (tree) with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from Eretz Chayyim, that shmo may be no more remembered.