Jeremiah 11

Covenant and conspiracy
Text
Comments
 1 ¶ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
 2  Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
 3  And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
.4  Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
 5  That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
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  1 - The word came See je0101, je0201. The Temple Discourse je0701 and was later given to the whole nation. See verse 6. The message is important, the law having been discovered during the time of Josiah. 2ki2208 to 2ki2308. The scroll that was discovered is thought to be the book of Deuteronomy or part of it.
   "[D]uring the first Passover celebrated by Hezekiah, provision had been made for the daily public reading of the book of the law to the people by teaching priests. It was the observance of the statutes recorded by Moses, especially those given in the book of the covenant, which forms a part of Deuteronomy, that had made the reign of Hezekiah so prosperous. 
Comments begin below text at left.

    But Manasseh had dared set aside these statutes; and during his reign the temple copy of the book of the law, through careless neglect, had become lost. Thus for many years the people generally were deprived of its instruction.
    The long-lost manuscript was found in the temple by Hilkiah, the high priest, while the building was undergoing extensive repairs in harmony with King Josiah's plan for the preservation of the sacred structure. The high priest handed the precious volume to Shaphan, a learned scribe, who read it and then took it to the king with the story of its discovery.
     Josiah was deeply stirred as he heard read for the first time the exhortations and warnings recorded in this ancient manuscript. Never before had he realized so fully the plainness with which God had set before Israel "life and death, blessing and cursing" (Deuteronomy 30:19). (Prophets and Kings, pp. 392, 393.)
  2 - Covenant Reference is to the Sinai covenant v4ex1905, le2612.
  3 - Cursed See de2726.
  3 - Obeyeth From shama' meaning "to hear" or "to obey."
  4 - Iron furnace A metaphor referring to bondage in Egypt de0420.
  5 - Oath See le2603-13, de0708, de0818.
  5 - Milk and honey A phrase indicating the goodness of the land of promise, Palestine ex0308, de0603.

.6  Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim 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.
.7  For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
 8  Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
.9  And the LORD said unto me, A 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: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

  6 - So be it Or the Hebrew word amen. See ne0806, ps04113, ps10648. The English word "amen" comes from this root.
  6 - Proclaim ... in the cities This shows us something about the scope of Jeremiah's ministry.
  7 - Protested ... fathers ... Egypt See ex0606.
  7 - Rising early See on je0713.
  9 - A conspiracy The Hebrew word qesher emphasizes a binding together. Amplified by verse 10.
 11 ¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
 12  Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
 13  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 to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
  11 - Not hearken Or "not seriously listen." He would not relieve their lesson of punishment.
  12 - Cry unto the gods Similarly, after Saul turned his back on the Lord he tried to communicate through the spirit medium of Endor 1sa2806,7.
  13 - According ... number See on je0228.
  13 - That shameful thing Worshipping Baal. Manasseh revived Baal worship 2ch3301-3.
14  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
 15  What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
 16  The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
.17  For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, 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 unto Baal.
  14 - Pray not Seems like a strange order. They weren't going to change. They would want relief from their troubles without repentance. The Lord could only leave them to the trouble they had brought on themselves.
.18 ¶ And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
.19  But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
  18 - Knowledge of it That is, of the evil.
  19 - "But I was like a docile lamb being brought to the slaughter. And I did not know that they had plotted evils 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 be remembered no more." (MKJV)
.20  But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
.21  Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:
 22  Therefore thus saith 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.
  20 - Thy vengeance on them The Lord knew the problem.
  21 - Men of Anathoth The city had been given to the priests jos2118 and was Jeremiah's home je0101. The apostasy was great v9. Seeing the plot to kill him, the prophet realized the seriousness of this evil against the Lord he served v20, je1201, je1718.
  23 - No remnant They would all be carried captive to Babylon. Some would return ez0223.
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