11 3 A curse of them that obey not the word of God’s covenant. 10 The people of Judah following the steps of their fathers, worship strange gods. 15 The Lord forbiddeth Jeremiah to pray for them.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, [a]Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

Which I commanded unto your fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do according to all these things which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,

That I may confirm the oath, that I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land, which floweth with milk and honey, as appeareth this day. Then answered [b]I, and said, So be it, O Lord.

Then the Lord said unto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

For I have protested unto your fathers, when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt unto this day, [c]rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

Nevertheless they would not obey, nor incline their ear: but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his [d]wicked heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the [e]words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did it not.

And the Lord said unto me, A [f]conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words: and they went after other gods to serve them: thus the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring a plague upon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they cry unto me, [g]I will not hear them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense, but they shall not be able to help them in time of their trouble.

13 [h]For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars of confusion, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

14 Therefore thou shalt not [i]pray for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for when they cry unto me in their trouble, I will not hear them.

15 What should my [j]beloved tarry in mine house, seeing they have committed abomination with many, and the holy flesh [k]goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest evil, thou rejoicest.

16 The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: but with [l]noise and great tumult he hath set fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For the Lord of hosts that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickedness 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 unto Baal,

18 And the Lord hath taught me, and I know it, even then thou showedst me [m]their practices.

19 But I was like a lamb, or a bullock, that is brought to the slaughter, and I knew not that they had devised thus against me, saying, Let us [n]destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and cut him out of the land of the living, that his name may be no more in memory,

20 But O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, and triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy [o]vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

21 The Lord therefore speaketh thus of the men of [p]Anathoth, (that seek thy life, and say, [q]Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands.)

22 Thus therefore saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will visit them: the young men shall die by the sword: their sons and their daughters shall die by famine,

23 And none of them shall remain: for I will bring a plague upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 11:3 He calleth the Jews to the consideration of God’s mercy, who freely chose them, made a covenant of eternal felicity with them, and how he ever performed it on his behalf, and how they ever showed themselves rebellious and ingrate toward him, and brake it on their part, and so are subject to the curse of the Law, Deut. 27:26.
  2. Jeremiah 11:5 Thus he speaketh in the person of the people, which agreed to the covenant.
  3. Jeremiah 11:7 Read Jer. 7:13.
  4. Jeremiah 11:8 According to his own fantasy, and not as my word appointed him.
  5. Jeremiah 11:8 Meaning, the menaces and curses contained in the Law, Lev. 26:14; Deut. 28:16.
  6. Jeremiah 11:9 That is, a general consent to rebel against me.
  7. Jeremiah 11:11 Because they will not pray with true faith and repentance, but for the smart and grief which they feel, Prov. 1:28.
  8. Jeremiah 11:13 Read Jer. 2:28.
  9. Jeremiah 11:14 Read Jer. 7:16 and 14:11.
  10. Jeremiah 11:15 My people of Israel, whom I have hitherto so greatly loved.
  11. Jeremiah 11:15 Meaning, that they offer not in the Temple to God, but on the altars of Baal and the idols, and so rejoiced in their wickedness.
  12. Jeremiah 11:16 Of the Babylonians and Chaldeans.
  13. Jeremiah 11:18 Which went about privily to conspire my death.
  14. Jeremiah 11:19 Let us destroy the Prophet and his doctrine. Some read, Let us corrupt his meat with wood, meaning, poison.
  15. Jeremiah 11:20 Thus he spake, not for hatred, but being moved with the Spirit of God, he desireth the advancement of God’s glory, and the verifying of his word, which is by the destruction of his enemies.
  16. Jeremiah 11:21 To wit, both the Priests and the rest of the people: for this town was the Priests, and they dwelt in it, read Jer. 1:1.
  17. Jeremiah 11:21 Not that they could not abide to hear God named: (for herein they would show themselves most holy) but because they could not abide to be sharply reproved, and therefore desired to be flattered, Isa. 30:10, and to be maintained in their pleasures, Mic. 2:11, and not to hear vice condemned, Amos 7:12.

The Covenant Is Broken

11 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Listen to the terms of this covenant(A) and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed(B) is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,(C) out of the iron-smelting furnace.(D)’ I said, ‘Obey(E) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,(F) and I will be your God. Then I will fulfill the oath I swore(G) to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’(H)—the land you possess today.”

I answered, “Amen,(I) Lord.”

The Lord said to me, “Proclaim(J) all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow(K) them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again,(L) saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention;(M) instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(N) So I brought on them all the curses(O) of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.(P)’”

Then the Lord said to me, “There is a conspiracy(Q) among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors,(R) who refused to listen to my words.(S) They have followed other gods(T) to serve them.(U) Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant(V) I made with their ancestors. 11 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster(W) they cannot escape.(X) Although they cry(Y) out to me, I will not listen(Z) to them. 12 The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,(AA) but they will not help them at all when disaster(AB) strikes. 13 You, Judah, have as many gods(AC) as you have towns;(AD) and the altars you have set up to burn incense(AE) to that shameful(AF) god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’

14 “Do not pray(AG) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen(AH) when they call to me in the time of their distress.

15 “What is my beloved doing in my temple
    as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes?
    Can consecrated meat(AI) avert your punishment?(AJ)
When you engage in your wickedness,
    then you rejoice.[a]

16 The Lord called you a thriving olive tree(AK)
    with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
    he will set it on fire,(AL)
    and its branches will be broken.(AM)

17 The Lord Almighty, who planted(AN) you, has decreed disaster(AO) for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused(AP) my anger by burning incense to Baal.(AQ)

Plot Against Jeremiah

18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;(AR) I did not realize that they had plotted(AS) against me, saying,

“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
    let us cut him off from the land of the living,(AT)
    that his name be remembered(AU) no more.”
20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously(AV)
    and test the heart(AW) and mind,(AX)
let me see your vengeance(AY) on them,
    for to you I have committed my cause.

21 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth(AZ) who are threatening to kill you,(BA) saying, “Do not prophesy(BB) in the name of the Lord or you will die(BC) by our hands”— 22 therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men(BD) will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. 23 Not even a remnant(BE) will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 11:15 Or Could consecrated meat avert your punishment? / Then you would rejoice