Jeremiah 11

1 This is the word [message, declaration] that came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]: word study 2 “Listen [hear and obey, give ear] to the words [things, matters] of this [specific, particular] covenant [agreement, promise] and tell [speak, communicate] them to the men [individuals, people] of Judah [the tribe, region] and the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem [the city, capital]. word study 3 You must tell them that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob and his descendants], says: Cursed [to curse, to execrate] is the man [a male person, an individual] who does not obey [does not hear, does not listen] the words [a matter, an affair] of this [specific, particular] covenant [a promise, an agreement between God and people], word study 4 which I commanded [to give orders, appoint] your forefathers [ancestors, fathers] when I brought them out of the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], out of the iron [a strong metal] furnace [a place of refining, smelting], saying, ‘Obey [listen, heed] Me, and do [make, perform] everything I command [give orders, appoint] you, and you will be [exist, come into being] My people [a nation, community], and I will be [exist, come into being] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator].’ word study 5 This was in order to establish [fulfill, bring to pass] the oath [promise, vow] I swore [made a solemn promise, vowed] to your forefathers [ancestors, fathers], to give [bestow, grant] them a land [territory, region] flowing [abundant, overflowing] with milk and honey [sweetness, delight], as it is [remains, continues] to this day [present time, today].” “Amen [so be it, truly], LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God],” I answered [responded, said]. word study 6 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to me, “Proclaim [cry out, announce publicly] all these words [messages, declarations] in the cities [towns, urban areas] of Judah [the southern kingdom, the tribe of Judah] and in the streets [public squares, marketplaces] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital], saying: Hear [listen, obey] the words [terms, conditions] of this covenant [agreement, promise] and carry them out [fulfill, obey them]. word study 7 For [since, because of this reason] from the time I brought your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] out of the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] until today [this present day, the current time], I strongly warned [earnestly protested, testified against] them again and again, saying [commanding, speaking to], ‘Obey [hear and listen to, give attention to] My voice [sound, utterance, the expression of My will].’ word study 8 Yet they would not obey [refused to listen, did not heed] or incline their ears [turn their attention, give heed], but each one followed [walked in, persisted in] the stubbornness [hard-heartedness, obstinacy] of his evil [wicked, sinful] heart [inner being, mind]. So I brought on them all [every, the entire] the curses [judgments, punishments] of this covenant [agreement, promise] I had commanded [instructed, ordered] them to follow [obey, keep] but they did not keep [did not obey, neglected].” word study 9 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] told me, “There is a [rebellion, evil design] conspiracy [unlawful alliance, plot] among the men [individuals, males] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] and the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine]. word study 10 They have returned [to the iniquities of their forefathers, turned back] to the sins [moral evil, wickedness] of their forefathers who refused [to hear] to obey My words [commands, teachings]. They have followed [gone after, pursued] other gods [false deities, idols] to serve [worship, obey] them. The house [family, nation] of Israel and the house of Judah have broken [violated, frustrated] the covenant [agreement, promise] I made with their fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 11 Therefore [in this manner, thus] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster [evil, calamity] that they cannot escape [be able to go out from, overcome]. They will cry out [call loudly, shout for help] to Me, but I will not listen [hear, heed] to them [toward them, in their direction]. word study 12 Then the cities [towns, settlements] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] and the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] will go [walk, proceed] and cry out [call aloud, shout for help] to the gods [idols, false deities] to which they have been burning incense [offering sacrifices, making perfume], but these gods [Elohim, supernatural beings] certainly will not save [deliver, rescue] them in their time [season, moment] of disaster [trouble, affliction, moral or natural harm]. word study 13 Your gods [deities, idols] are indeed as numerous [as many as, a multitude of] as your cities [towns, settlements], O Judah [the tribe of Judah]; the altars [places of sacrifice, shrines] of shame [disgrace, humiliation] you have set up [established, erected]—the altars [sacred platforms] to burn incense [offer fragrant smoke] to Baal [a false god, a Phoenician deity]—are as many [a large number, countless] as the streets [roads, highways] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital].’ word study 14 As for you [the prophet, Jeremiah], do not pray [intercede, make supplication] for these people [this nation, the Amaw]. Do not raise up [lift, elevate] a cry [loud, ringing shout] or a prayer [supplication, request] on their behalf [for their sake, in their favor], for I will not be listening [hearing, giving attention] when they call out [cry, shout] to Me in their time [season, moment] of disaster [trouble, affliction, moral or natural harm]. word study 15 What right [or authority] has My beloved [loved one, cherished] in My house [dwelling place, temple], having carried out [done, committed] so many [numerous, multiple] evil [bad, wicked] schemes [plots, plans]? Can consecrated [holy, set-apart] meat [flesh, sacrifice] avert [prevent, turn away] your doom [calamity, disaster], so that you can rejoice [exult, be triumphant]? word study 16 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] once called you a flourishing [green, luxuriant] olive tree [an olive berry], beautiful [fair, lovely] with well-formed [goodly, pleasant] fruit [the product of God’s blessing and care]. But with a mighty [great, powerful] roar [noise, tumult] He will set it on fire [kindle a flame, burn with passion], and its branches [thin, delicate] will be consumed [broken, shattered]. word study 17 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [a large group of people or things, often referring to an army], who planted [established, fixed] you, has decreed [spoken, pronounced] disaster [evil, adversity] against you on account of the evil [moral or natural harm, adversity] that the house [dwelling place, family] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] and the house of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] have brought upon themselves [done to themselves], provoking [making angry, arousing] Me to anger [wrath, indignation] by burning incense [offering perfume, worshiping] to Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god].” word study 18 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] informed [caused me to know, gave me knowledge of] me, so I knew [ascertained by seeing, learned]. Then You [as my Provider, the One who sees and cares for me] showed [revealed, made clear] me their [evil] deeds [actions, practices]. word study 19 For I was like a gentle [tame, meek] lamb [young ram] led to slaughter [to be killed, ruthlessly destroyed]; I did not know [was unaware, had no knowledge] that they had plotted [devised plans, conspired] against me: “Let us destroy [ruin, cut off] the tree [strong and firm] with its fruit [food, produce]; let us cut him off [sever, eliminate] from the land [earth, territory] of the living [alive, having life], that his name [identity, reputation] may be remembered [recalled, honored] no more [not at all, never again].” word study 20 O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things], who judges [to shaphat, to govern or vindicate] righteously [with righteousness, according to God’s character], who examines [to test, to prove] the heart [feelings, will, and intellect] and mind [thoughts and intentions], let me see [to look after, to care for] Your vengeance [avengement, punishment of the wicked] upon them, for [because, showing cause] to You I have committed [revealed, uncovered] my cause [strife, dispute or quarrel]. word study 21 Therefore [thus, in this manner] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says concerning the people [men, individuals] of Anathoth [a city near Jerusalem, meaning answers to prayer] who are seeking [searching for, trying to find] your life [soul, living being] and saying [speaking, commanding], “You must not [shall not, do not] prophesy [speak under the influence of the divine spirit] in the name [identity, honor, and character] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], or [lest, otherwise] you will die [pass away, meet your end] by our hand [by our power, at our command].” word study 22 So this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, a large group of people or things] says: “I will punish [visit, oversee, or reckon with] them. Their young men [chosen or select individuals, in their prime] will die [perish, come to an end] by the sword [a cutting instrument, including knives and tools], their sons and daughters [male and female children, or descendants] by famine [hunger, a lack of food or spiritual nourishment]. word study 23 There will be no [absolutely none, no remaining balance] remnant, for I will bring [cause to come, inflict] disaster [evil, calamity] on the people [men, inhabitants] of Anathoth [answers to prayer, a city near Jerusalem] in the year [period of time, season] of their [appointed time of] punishment [visitation, reckoning].” word study