The Word of the Lord to Jeremiah

Chapter 11

Jeremiah proclaims God's covenant, 1-7; rebukes the Jews' disobeying thereof, 8-10; prophesies evils to come upon them, 11-17; and upon the men of Anathoth for conspiring to kill him, 18-23.

1 A word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 "Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 3 And say to them, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant, 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth from the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, 'Obey my voice, and do according to all which I command you. Then you shall be my people, and I will be your God,' 5 So that I may perform the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day."'" Then I answered, and said, "So be it, O LORD."

6 Then the LORD said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, 'Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I earnestly testified to your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and testifying, saying, "Obey my voice." 8 Yet they did not obey, nor incline their ear, but each walked in the imagination of his evil heart. Therefore, I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did not do them.'"

9 And the LORD said to me, "A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear my words, and they went after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers." 11 Therefore, thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape. And though they shall cry to me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem shall go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense, but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal.

14 "Therefore, do not pray for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time when they cry to me for their trouble.

15 "What has my beloved to do in my house,/
seeing she has wrought lewdness with many,/
and the holy flesh is passed from you?/
When you do evil, you rejoice."

16 The LORD called your name,/
"A green olive tree, fair, and with good fruit."/
With the noise of a great tumult/
he has kindled fire upon it,/
and its branches are broken.

17 For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense to Baal.

18 And the LORD has given me knowledge of it, and I know it./
Then you showed me their doings.

19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter./
And I did not know that they had devised devices against me, saying,/
"Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,/
and let us cut him off from the land of the living/
so that his name may no longer be remembered."

20 But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously,/
who tries the mind and the heart,/
let me see your vengeance on them,/
for to you I have revealed my cause.

21 Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, "Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD so that you do not die by our hand." 22 Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters shall die by famine. 23 And there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation."

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Jeremiah, Chapter 11[➚]

Notes

[v.20] - "who tries the mind" - Reference, 1st Chronicles 28:9, 29:17; Psalms 7:9; Proverbs 17:3; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27; 1st Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 2:23.

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