The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Jeremiah 11
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from
Yahweh, 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, Yahweh, the God of
Israel says: ‘Cursed is the man who doesn’t
hear the words of this covenant,
4 which 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;
5 that 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, Yahweh.”
6 Yahweh 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 earnestlyprotestedto your fathers
in the day thatI brought them up out ofthe
land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early
and protesting, saying, “Obey my voice.”
8 Yet 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.’ ”
9 Yahweh 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. 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.
11 Therefore Yahweh 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.
12 Then the cities ofJudah 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.
13 For 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.
15 What 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.”
16 Yahweh called your name, “A greenolive
tree, beautiful with goodly fruit.”
With the noise of a great roar he has kindled fire on it,
and its branches are broken.
17 For Yahweh 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.
18 Yahweh gave me knowledge ofit, and I
knew it. Then you showed me their doings.
19 But 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.
20 But, Yahweh 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 Yahweh says concerning
the men of Anathoth, who seek your life,
saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in
Yahweh’sname,that younotdieby ourhand’
22 therefore Yahweh 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.
23 There will be no remnant to them, for
I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth,
even the year of their visitation.’