Jeremías 11:17-23

17 Pues Jehová de los ejércitos, que te plantó, ha pronunciado mal contra ti, á causa de la maldad de la casa de Israel y de la casa de Judá, que hicieron á sí mismos, provocándome á ira con incensar á Baal.

18 Y Jehová me lo hizo saber, y conocílo: entonces me hiciste ver sus obras.

19 Y yo como cordero inocente que llevan á degollar, pues no entendía que maquinaban contra mí designios, diciendo: Destruyamos el árbol con su fruto, y cortémoslo de la tierra de los vivientes, y no haya más memoria de su nombre.

20 Mas, oh Jehová de los ejércitos, que juzgas justicia, que sondas los riñones y el corazón, vea yo tu venganza de ellos: porque á ti he descubierto mi causa.

21 Por tanto, así ha dicho Jehová de los varones de Anathoth, que buscan tu alma, diciendo: No profetices en nombre de Jehová, y no morirás á nuestras manos:

22 Así pues ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos: He aquí que yo los visito; los mancebos morirán á cuchillo; sus hijos y sus hijas morirán de hambre;

23 Y no quedará resto de ellos: porque yo traeré mal sobre los varones de Anathoth, año de su visitación.

Jeremías 11:17-23 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.