Jeremiah 11:8-18

8 Yet they didn't obey, nor turn their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn't do them.

9 The LORD said to me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Yehudah, and among the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Yisra'el and the house of Yehudah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them.

12 Then shall the cities of Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13 For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Yehudah; and according to the number of the streets of Yerushalayim have you set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Ba`al.

14 Therefore don't you pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.

15 What has my beloved to do in my house, seeing she has worked lewdness [with] many, and the holy flesh is passed from you? when you do evil, then you rejoice.

16 The LORD called your name, A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire on it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For the LORD of Hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Yisra'el and of the house of Yehudah, which they have worked for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Ba`al.

18 The LORD gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then you shown me their doings.

Jeremiah 11:8-18 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.