“Therefore Yahweh says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in Yahweh’s name, that you not die by our hand;’
Parallel Translations
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“Therefore Yahweh says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in Yahweh’s name, that you not die by our hand;’
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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:
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Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying: 'Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand';
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to Jeremiah 11:21 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Isaiah 30:10 who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.
- Jeremiah 12:5-6 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan? For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.
- Jeremiah 20:10 For I have heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”
- Amos 2:12 “But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘Don’t prophesy!’
- Luke 13:33-34 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.’ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
- Jeremiah 20:1-2 Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in Yahweh’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in Yahweh’s house.
- Jeremiah 26:8 When Jeremiah had finished speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You shall surely die!
- Jeremiah 38:1-6 Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying, “Yahweh says, ‘He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live, and he will escape with his life, and he will live.’ Yahweh says, ‘This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’ ” Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death; because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them: for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.” Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.” Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.
- Amos 7:13-16 but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!” Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs; and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore listen to Yahweh’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach against the house of Isaac.’
- Micah 2:6-11 “Don’t prophesy!” They prophesy. “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.” Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?” But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle. You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever. Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;” he would be the prophet of this people.
- Micah 7:6 For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
- Matthew 10:21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
- Matthew 10:34-36 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
- Matthew 21:35 The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
- Matthew 22:6 and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- Matthew 23:34-37 Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
- Luke 4:24 He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
- Acts 7:51-52 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain The Prophet here expressly denounces vengeance on his own…
The Prophet here expressly denounces vengeance on his own people: for we have seen at the beginning of this book that he belonged to the town of Anathoth. Now it appears from this passage, that the holy man had not only to contend with the king and his courtiers, and the priests, who were at Jerusalem; but that when he betook himself to a corner to live quietly with his own people, he had even there no friend, but that all persecuted him as an enemy. We hence see how miserable was the condition of the Prophet; for he had no rest, even when he sought retirement and fled to his own country. That he was not safe even there, is a proof to us how hardly God exercised and tried him for the many years in which he performed his prophetic office.
As the citizens of Anathoth had grievously sinned, so he denounces on them an especial calamity. It is indeed certain that the Prophet was not kindly received at Jerusalem; nay, he met there, as we shall hereafter see, with enemies the most cruel: but when he hoped for some rest and relaxation in his own country, he was even there received as we find here. This is the reason why God commanded him to threaten the citizens of Anathoth with destruction. I cannot finish the whole today.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain To wit, both the Priests and the rest of…
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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jer 11:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the…
Jer 11:21 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:
Ver. 21. Of the men of Anathoth that seek thy life.] Where shall a man find worse friends than at home? A prophet is nowhere so little set by as in his own country. {Mat 13:57} Probatissimuset optimus quisque peregre vivit, saith Ennius, in Cicero. {a}
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Saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord.] A desperate speech, proceeding from a height of hatred, and coasting upon the unpardonable sin.
{a} Epist. Famil., lib. vii. cap. 6.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold, I…
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold, I will punish them,..... Or, visit "them" (r); look into this matter, try this cause, bring it to an issue, and pass sentence on them; which is as follows:
the young men shall die by the sword; by the sword of the Chaldeans, in the field, going out in battle against them; or rather when their town was taken and plundered, since they were the sons of priests:
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their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; that is, their little ones, male and female; so that the famine, it seems, was not only in Jerusalem at the time of its siege, but in other parts also: no mention is made of the parents themselves.
(r) "visitans super eos", Montanus, Schmidt; "visito", Pagninus, Vatablus, Cocceius.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jer 11:21. Thus saith the Lord of the men…
Jer 11:21. Thus saith the Lord of the men that seek thy life — That are combined to kill thee; saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord —
The meaning is, that those men of Anathoth threatened that they would kill him if he did not cease to prophesy such things as he did in the name of the Lord, namely, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, the desolation of Judea, and the carrying away of the people into captivity. For if he had spoken falsely in the name of the Lord, and promised them peace and prosperity, they would have heard him prophesy gladly: they were thus exasperated at him, and opposed his prophesying, because he told them those truths which they had no mind to hear. This passage sufficiently shows that Jeremiah is to be understood in the literal sense here, which, however, does not by any means forbid our considering him in this instance as a type of Christ, and prefiguring, by his sufferings, those of the Redeemer of mankind. It manifests also the usage which the prophets generally met with from their own countrymen, who became their enemies because they told them the truth. The people of their own towns, even their friends and relations, could not bear to hear the solemn warnings which they gave them, and the prediction of those judgments which were coming upon them for their sins.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Life. What precedes, was spoken concerning the prophet, though…
Life. What precedes, was spoken concerning the prophet, though it regarded Christ also in a proper but more elevated sense. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Prophesy not-- (Isa 30:10; Amo 2:12; Mic 2:6). If…
Prophesy not-- (Isa 30:10; Amo 2:12; Mic 2:6). If Jeremiah had not uttered his denunciatory predictions, they would not have plotted against him. None were more bitter than his own fellow townsmen. Compare the conduct of the Nazarites towards Jesus of Nazareth (Luk 4:24-29).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (21) Thus saith the Lord.—The “men of Anathoth,” it…
(21) Thus saith the Lord.—The “men of Anathoth,” it would seem, had at first tried to stop the preaching of Jeremiah by threats, as Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, had tried to stop that of Amos (Amo_7:12-13). Failing in this, after the manner of the men of Nazareth in their attack on the Christ (Luk_4:28-29), and of the later Jews in their dealings with St. Paul, they conspired against his life (Act_9:23; Act_9:29; Act_14:19; Act_23:12).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Prophesy not, etc. The men of Anathoth tried first…
Prophesy not, etc. The men of Anathoth tried first of all to effect their object by threatening. In the name of the Lord should be rather, by the name, etc. The phrase is exactly parallel to Psa_55:1, "Save me, O God, by thy Name, and judge me by thy strength." The Name of God is equivalent to his revealed presence or personality. Baal"s prophets prophesied "by Baal", (Jer_2:8) i.e. by an impulse thought to proceed from Baal; Jehovah"s by the consciousness of his revealed presence.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that…
Jer_11:21
Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand.
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Intimidating the prophet
Think of Bunyan when he is brought before the judge, and the judge says, You! a tinker! to go about preaching! Hold your tongue, sir! I cannot hold my tongue, says Bunyan. Then I must send you back to prison unless you promise never to preach again. If you put me in prison till the moss grows on my eyelids, I will preach again the first moment I get out, by the help of God. (Life of John Bunyan.)
Intimidators put to silence:--There is the story of a conversation between the burgomaster in Hamburg and holy Dr. Ducken when he first began to preach. The burgomaster said to him, Do you see that little finger, sir? While I can move that little finger, I will put the Baptists down. Mr. Ducken said, With all respect to your little finger, Mr. Burgomaster, I would ask you another question. Do you see that arm? No, I do not see it. Just so, said Mr. Ducken, but I do; and while that great arm moves, you cannot put us down, and if it comes to a conflict between your little finger and that great arm, I know how it will end. It was my great joy to see the burgomaster sitting in the chapel at Hamburg, among the audience that listened to my sermon at the opening of the new chapel. The little finger had willingly given up its opposition, and the great arm was made bare. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 This is the name of a special city where…
Anathoth
This is the name of a special city where priests live. (See: How to Translate Names)
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seeking your life
This phrase represents wanting or trying to kill someone. AT: "wanting to kill you" (See: Metaphor)
They say
"They say to me." The men are speaking to Jeremiah.
you will die by our hand
Here the men refer to their "hand" to emphasize that they plan to kill him themselves. AT: "we ourselves will kill you" (See: Synecdoche)
Yahweh of hosts says this
Jeremiah often uses these words to introduce an important message from Yahweh. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 6:6.
See
This word is used here to draw someone's attention to what is said next. AT: "Listen"
vigorous young men
men at the strongest time of their lives
will die by the sword
Here the "sword" represents battle. AT: "will die in battle" (See: Metonymy)
None of them will be left
This can be stated in active form. AT: "I will leave none of them" (See: Active or Passive)
a year of their punishment
The word "year" here is a idiom that describes a specific period of time that Yahweh decides. AT: "in the time of their punishment" or "for the time of their punishment is coming" (See: Idiom)
translationWords
prophet
die
hand
punish
sword
famine
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 11:21-23 Jeremiah’s enemies even included family and relatives in…
11:21-23 Jeremiah’s enemies even included family and relatives in his hometown of Anathoth, over whose fate he grieved (10:20). They demanded that he should stop prophesying in the Lord’s name. In line with the Lord’s promise to take care of him (1:19), the Lord told Jeremiah that even the families of his foes, including their boys and girls, would lose their lives when their time of punishment came.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.