“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;’ 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. There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’ ”
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;’
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.
There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’ ”
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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:
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:
And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
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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';
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;
And there shall be no remnant unto them; for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Cross-references (37)
- Jeremiah 23:12 (v23) Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on…
- Jeremiah 18:21 (v22) Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and…
- 2 Chronicles 36:17 (v22) Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had…
- Isaiah 30:10 (v21) 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 (v21) “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…
Show all 37 cross-references
- Jeremiah 20:10 (v21) 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…
- Jeremiah 50:27 (v23) Kill all her bulls. Let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their visitation.
- Hosea 9:7 (v23) The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is…
- Amos 2:12 (v21) “But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘Don’t prophesy!’
- Micah 7:4 (v23) The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come;…
- Luke 13:33-34 (v21) 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.’…
- Luke 19:44 (v23) and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the…
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 (v22) who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us…
- Isaiah 14:20-22 (v23) You will not join them in burial, because you have destroyed your land. You have killed your people. The offspring of evildoers will not be…
- Jeremiah 5:9 (v23) Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Jeremiah 5:29 (v23) “Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Jeremiah 6:9 (v23) Yahweh of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the…
- Jeremiah 8:12 (v23) Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall…
- Jeremiah 9:21 (v22) For death has come up into our windows. It has entered into our palaces to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the…
- Jeremiah 11:19 (v23) 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…
- Jeremiah 20:1-2 (v21) Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in Yahweh’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur…
- Jeremiah 26:8 (v21) 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…
- Jeremiah 38:1-6 (v21) 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…
- Jeremiah 44:27 (v23) Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword…
- Jeremiah 46:21 (v23) Also her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back. They have fled away together. They…
- Jeremiah 48:44 (v23) “He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare: for I will bring on…
- Lamentations 2:21 (v22) “The youth and the old man lie on the ground in the streets. My virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword. You have killed them in…
- Amos 7:13-16 (v21) 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…
- Micah 2:6-11 (v21) “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…
- Micah 7:6 (v21) 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…
- Matthew 10:21 (v21) “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…
- Matthew 10:34-36 (v21) “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…
- Matthew 21:35 (v21) The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
- Matthew 22:6 (v21) and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- Matthew 23:34-37 (v21) 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…
- Luke 4:24 (v21) He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
- Acts 7:51-52 (v21) “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…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On v21 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 On v21 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 On vv21–23 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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v23 The prayers of God’s prophets, though they may sometimes…
The prayers of God’s prophets, though they may sometimes have too much passion and human infirmity mixed with them, yet are heard of God, and many times answered in righteousness by terrible things, as to those against whom they are directed. The same thing they designed to do against the prophet God threateneth to do against them, utterly to consume them, so as no remembrance of them should remain.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv21–22 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.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv22–23 Verse 22. Behold, I will punish them] And the…
Verse 22. Behold, I will punish them] And the punishment is, Their young men shall die by the sword of the Chaldeans; and their sons and daughters shall die by the famine that shall come on the land through the desolations occasioned by the Chaldean army.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv21–22 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.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv22–23 The young men - i. e., those of the…
The young men - i. e., those of the legal age for military service.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv21, 23 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 On vv21–23 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.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v23 23. No remnant — They shall be utterly destroyed.…
23. No remnant — They shall be utterly destroyed. But this language is not to be pressed to the extreme of mathematical nicety. It is not contradicted by the fact that a hundred and twenty-eight men of Anathoth returned from the exile. Ezr_2:23; Neh_7:27.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv22–23 22. punish] lit. as mg. visit upon.
22. punish] lit. as mg. visit upon.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv21–23 (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 On vv21–23 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 On v21 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 On v21 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 On v21 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.