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Jeremiah 11

Judah’s refusal to hear God’s covenant brings judgment, while threats against Jeremiah expose the cost of proclaiming God’s word.

YHWH sends Jeremiah to proclaim the covenant’s demands in Judah and Jerusalem. He recalls bringing their ancestors out of Egypt and commands the people to hear and obey. Judah and Israel have broken that covenant by serving other gods, so YHWH announces disaster and forbids Jeremiah to intercede. The focus then turns to Jeremiah himself: YHWH exposes a plot against his life, and Jeremiah appeals for judgment against the men of Anathoth.

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2“Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3and say to them, the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Cursed is the man who doesn’t hear the words of this covenant,
4which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace,’ saying, ‘Obey my voice and do them, according to all which I command you; so you shall be my people, and I will be your God;
5that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is today.” Then I answered, and said, “Amen, LORD.”
6The 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.
7For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, “Obey my voice.”
8Yet they didn’t obey, nor turn their ear, but everyone walked 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.’”
9The LORD said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone 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.
11Therefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on them which they will not be able to escape; and they will cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
12Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will 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.
13For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal.’
14“Therefore don’t pray for this people. Don’t lift up cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.
15What has my beloved to do in my house, since she has behaved lewdly with many, and the holy flesh has passed from you? When you do evil, then you rejoice.”
16The LORD called your name, “A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit.” With the noise of a great roar he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken.
17For the LORD of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.
18The LORD gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings.
19But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plans against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.”
20But, LORD of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.
21“Therefore the LORD says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in the LORD’s name, that you not die by our hand’—
22therefore the LORD of Armies says, ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.
23There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Jeremiah 11:4God grounds his command to obey in his rescue from Egypt and his covenant bond with the people.
Jeremiah 11:7The repeated command to obey shows that Judah’s rebellion followed generations of warnings from God.
Jeremiah 11:20Facing a plot against his life, Jeremiah entrusts his cause to the God who judges hearts and minds.
Where this chapter reaches

Exodus and Deuteronomy share the chapter’s account of rescue from Egypt, covenant commands, and the promised land; Deuteronomy also sets out curses for covenant disobedience. Psalm shares Jeremiah’s appeal to God as the judge who examines hearts and hears the cause of those facing enemies.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What does the repeated command to hear and obey reveal about the covenant Judah has broken?

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What do you notice about Jeremiah’s appeal to God after the plot against him is exposed?

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Questions people ask about Jeremiah 11

Why does God tell Jeremiah not to pray for the people in Jeremiah 11?

God’s command follows the charge that Judah has broken the covenant and worshiped other gods despite repeated warnings. Judgment has been pronounced, and God says he will not hear their cries when trouble comes. This is a specific prohibition concerning this people under judgment, rather than a general rule against intercession.

Who wanted to kill Jeremiah in Jeremiah 11?

The chapter identifies the men of Anathoth as those seeking Jeremiah’s life. They threaten to kill him unless he stops prophesying in YHWH’s name. Jeremiah says he had been unaware of their plans until God revealed them. The chapter names no individual conspirators and ends with judgment against them.

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What the Bible says about anger →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).