1 The word H1697 that came to Jeremiah H3414 from the LORD, H3068 saying, H559
2 Hear H8085 ye the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285 and speak H1696 unto the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and to the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389
3 And say H559 thou unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel; H3478 Cursed H779 be the man H376 that obeyeth H8085 not the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285
4 Which I commanded H6680 your fathers H1 in the day H3117 that I brought them forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the iron H1270 furnace, H3564 saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice, H6963 and do H6213 them, according to all which I command H6680 you: so shall ye be my people, H5971 and I will be your God: H430
5 That I may perform H6965 the oath H7621 which I have sworn H7650 unto your fathers, H1 to give H5414 them a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey, H1706 as it is this day. H3117 Then answered H6030 I, and said, H559 So be it, H543 O LORD. H3068
6 Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Proclaim H7121 all these words H1697 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and in the streets H2351 of Jerusalem, H3389 saying, H559 Hear H8085 ye the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285 and do H6213 them.
7 For I earnestly H5749 protested H5749 unto your fathers H1 in the day H3117 that I brought them up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 even unto this day, H3117 rising early H7925 and protesting, H5749 saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice. H6963
8 Yet they obeyed H8085 not, nor inclined H5186 their ear, H241 but walked H3212 every one H376 in the imagination H8307 of their evil H7451 heart: H3820 therefore I will bring H935 upon them all the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285 which I commanded H6680 them to do; H6213 but they did H6213 them not.
9 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, A conspiracy H7195 is found H4672 among the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and among the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem. H3389
10 They are turned back H7725 to the iniquities H5771 of their forefathers, H7223 H1 which refused H3985 to hear H8085 my words; H1697 and they went H1980 after H310 other H312 gods H430 to serve H5647 them: the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and the house H1004 of Judah H3063 have broken H6565 my covenant H1285 which I made H3772 with their fathers. H1
11 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon them, which they shall not be able H3201 to escape; H3318 and though they shall cry H2199 unto me, I will not hearken H8085 unto them.
12 Then shall the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 go, H1980 and cry H2199 unto the gods H430 unto whom they offer incense: H6999 but they shall not save H3467 them at all H3467 in the time H6256 of their trouble. H7451
13 For according to the number H4557 of thy cities H5892 were thy gods, H430 O Judah; H3063 and according to the number H4557 of the streets H2351 of Jerusalem H3389 have ye set up H7760 altars H4196 to that shameful thing, H1322 even altars H4196 to burn incense H6999 unto Baal. H1168
14 Therefore pray H6419 not thou for this people, H5971 neither lift up H5375 a cry H7440 or prayer H8605 for them: for I will not hear H8085 them in the time H6256 that they cry H7121 unto me for their trouble. H7451
15 What hath my beloved H3039 to do in mine house, H1004 seeing she hath wrought H6213 lewdness H4209 with many, H7227 and the holy H6944 flesh H1320 is passed H5674 from thee? when thou doest evil, H7451 then thou rejoicest. H5937
16 The LORD H3068 called H7121 thy name, H8034 A green H7488 olive tree, H2132 fair, H3303 and of goodly H8389 fruit: H6529 with the noise H6963 of a great H1419 tumult H1999 he hath kindled H3341 fire H784 upon it, and the branches H1808 of it are broken. H7489
17 For the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 that planted H5193 thee, hath pronounced H1696 evil H7451 against thee, for H1558 the evil H7451 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and of the house H1004 of Judah, H3063 which they have done H6213 against themselves to provoke me to anger H3707 in offering incense H6999 unto Baal. H1168
18 And the LORD H3068 hath given me knowledge H3045 of it, and I know H3045 it: then thou shewedst H7200 me their doings. H4611
19 But I was like a lamb H3532 or an ox H441 that is brought H2986 to the slaughter; H2873 and I knew H3045 not that they had devised H2803 devices H4284 against me, saying, Let us destroy H7843 the tree H6086 with the fruit H3899 thereof, and let us cut him off H3772 from the land H776 of the living, H2416 that his name H8034 may be no more remembered. H2142
20 But, O LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 that judgest H8199 righteously, H6664 that triest H974 the reins H3629 and the heart, H3820 let me see H7200 thy vengeance H5360 on them: for unto thee have I revealed H1540 my cause. H7379
21 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of the men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 that seek H1245 thy life, H5315 saying, H559 Prophesy H5012 not in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 that thou die H4191 not by our hand: H3027
22 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Behold, I will punish H6485 them: the young men H970 shall die H4191 by the sword; H2719 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 shall die H4191 by famine: H7458
23 And there shall be no remnant H7611 of them: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon the men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 even the year H8141 of their visitation. H6486
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 11
Commentary on Jeremiah 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Jer 11:1-23. Epitome of the Covenant Found in the Temple in Josiah's Reign. Judah's Revolt from It, and God's Consequent Wrath.
2. this covenant—alluding to the book of the law (De 31:26) found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, five years after Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (2Ki 22:8-23:25).
Hear ye—Others besides Jeremiah were to promulgate God's will to the people; it was the duty of the priests to read the law to them (Mal 2:7).
3. (De 27:26; Ga 3:10).
4. in the day—that is, when. The Sinaitic covenant was made some time after the exodus, but the two events are so connected as to be viewed as one.
iron furnace—(De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51). "Furnace" expresses the searching ordeal; "iron," the long duration of it. The furnace was of earth, not of iron (Ps 12:6); a furnace, in heat and duration enough to melt even iron. God's deliverance of them from such an ordeal aggravates their present guilt.
do them—namely, the words of the covenant (Jer 11:3).
so, &c.—(Le 26:3, 12).
5. oath—(Ps 105:9, 10).
a land flowing with milk and honey—(See on Nu 14:8).
as it is this day—These are the concluding words of God to the Israelites when formerly brought out of Egypt, "Obey … that I may at this time make good the promise I made to your fathers, to give," &c. [Maurer]. English Version makes the words apply to Jeremiah's time, "As ye know at this time, that God's promise has been fulfilled," namely, in Israel's acquisition of Canaan.
So be it—Hebrew, Amen. Taken from De 27:15-26. Jeremiah hereby solemnly concurs in the justice of the curses pronounced there (see Jer 11:3).
6. Jeremiah was to take a prophetic tour throughout Judah, to proclaim everywhere the denunciations in the book of the law found in the temple.
Hear … do—(Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22).
7. rising early—(Jer 7:13).
8. imagination—rather, "stubbornness."
will bring—The words, "even unto this day" (Jer 11:7), confirm English Version rather than the rendering of Rosenmuller: "I brought upon them."
words—threats (Jer 11:3; De 27:15-26).
9. conspiracy—a deliberate combination against God and against Josiah's reformation. Their idolatry is not the result of a hasty impulse (Ps 83:5; Eze 22:25).
11. cry unto me—contrasted with "cry unto the gods," (Jer 11:12).
not hearken—(Ps 18:41; Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15; Mic 3:4).
12. cry unto the gods … not save—(De 32:37, 38). Compare this verse and beginning of Jer 11:13; Jer 2:28.
in the time of their trouble—that is, calamity (Jer 2:27).
13. shameful thing—Hebrew, "shame," namely, the idol, not merely shameful, but the essence of all that is shameful (Jer 3:24; Ho 9:10), which will bring shame and confusion on yourselves [Calvin].
14. There is a climax of guilt which admits of no further intercessory prayer (Ex 32:10, in the Chaldee version, "leave off praying"; Jer 7:16; 1Sa 16:1; 15:35; 1Jo 5:16). Our mind should be at one with God in all that He is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate.
for their trouble—on account of their trouble. Other manuscripts read, "in the time of their trouble;" a gloss from Jer 11:12.
15. my beloved—My elect people, Judea; this aggravates their ingratitude (Jer 12:7).
lewdness with many—(Eze 16:25). Rather, "that great (or, manifold) enormity"; literally, "the enormity, the manifold"; namely, their idolatry, which made their worship of God in the temple a mockery (compare Jer 7:10; Eze 23:39) [Henderson].
holy flesh—(Hag 2:12-14; Tit 1:15), namely, the sacrifices, which, through the guilt of the Jews, were no longer holy, that is, acceptable to God. The sacrifices on which they relied will, therefore, no longer protect them. Judah is represented as a priest's wife, who, by adultery, has forfeited her share in the flesh of the sacrifices, and yet boasts of her prerogative at the very same time [Horsley].
when thou doest evil—literally, "when thy evil" (is at hand). Piscator translates, "When thy calamity is at hand (according to God's threats), thou gloriest" (against God, instead of humbling thyself). English Version is best (compare Pr 2:14).
16. called thy name—made thee.
olive—(Ps 52:8; Ro 11:17). The "olive" is chosen to represent the adoption of Judah by the free grace of God, as its oil is the image of richness (compare Ps 23:5; 104:15).
with … noise of … tumult—or, "at the noise," &c., namely, at the tumult of the invading army (Isa 13:4) [Maurer]. Or, rather, "with the sound of a mighty voice," namely, that of God, that is, the thunder; thus there is no confusion of metaphors. The tree stricken with lightning has "fire kindled upon it, and the branches are broken," at one and the same time [Houbigant].
17. that planted thee—(Jer 2:21; Isa 5:2).
against themselves—The sinner's sin is to his own hurt (see on Jer 7:19).
18, 19. Jeremiah here digresses to notice the attempt on his life plotted by his townsmen of Anathoth. He had no suspicion of it, until Jehovah revealed it to him (Jer 12:6).
the Lord … thou—The change of person from the third to the second accords with the excited feelings of the prophet.
then—when I was in peril of my life.
their doings—those of the men of Anathoth. His thus alluding to them, before he has mentioned their name, is due to his excitement.
19. lamb—literally, a "pet lamb," such as the Jews often had in their houses, for their children to play with; and the Arabs still have (2Sa 12:3). His own familiar friends had plotted against the prophet. The language is exactly the same as that applied to Messiah (Isa 53:7). Each prophet and patriarch exemplified in his own person some one feature or more in the manifold attributes and sufferings of the Messiah to come; just as the saints have done since His coming (Ga 2:20; Php 3:10; Col 1:24). This adapted both the more experimentally to testify of Christ.
devices—(Jer 18:18).
tree with … fruit—literally, "in its fruit" or "food," that is, when it is in fruit. Proverbial, to express the destruction of cause and effect together. The man is the tree; his teaching, the fruit. Let us destroy the prophet and his prophecies; namely, those threatening destruction to the nation, which offended them. Compare Mt 7:17, which also refers to prophets and their doctrines.
20. triest … heart—(Re 2:23).
revealed—committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance was not personal but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant (Ps 37:34; 54:7; 112:8; 118:7).
21. Prophesy not—(Isa 30:10; Am 2:12; Mic 2:6). If Jeremiah had not uttered his denunciatory predictions, they would not have plotted against him. None were more bitter than his own fellow townsmen. Compare the conduct of the Nazarites towards Jesus of Nazareth (Lu 4:24-29).
22. The retribution of their intended murder shall be in kind; just as in Messiah's case (Ps 69:8-28).
23. (Jer 23:12).
the year of … visitation—The Septuagint translates, "in the year of their," &c., that is, at the time when I shall visit them in wrath. Jerome supports English Version. "Year" often means a determined time.