TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore ADONAI says, "I am going to bring on them a disaster which they will not be able to escape; and even if they cry to me, I will not listen to them.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
American Standard Version
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto them.
World English Bible Messianic
Therefore thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will bring a plague vpon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they crye vnto me, I will not heare them.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am bringing in unto them evil, That they are not able to go out from, And they have cried unto Me, And I do not hearken unto them.
In the KJVVerse 19,238 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 11 verses 11–17
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.
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.
This paragraph, which contains so much of God's wrath, might very well be expected to follow upon that which goes next before, which contained so much of his people's sin. When God found so much evil among them we cannot think it strange if it follows, Therefore I will bring evil upon them (Jer 11:11), the evil of punishment for the evil of sin; and there is no remedy, no relief: the decree has gone forth and the sentence will be executed.
I. They cannot help themselves, but will be found too weak to contest with God's judgments: it is evil which they shall not be able to escape, or to go forth out of, by any evasion whatsoever. Note, Those that will not submit to God's government shall not be able to escape his wrath. There is no fleeing from his justice, no avoiding his cognizance. Evil pursues sinners and entangles them in snares out of which they cannot extricate themselves.
II. Their God will not help them; his providence shall no way favour them: Though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken to them. In their affliction they will seek the God whom before they slighted, and cry to him whom before they would not vouchsafe to speak to. But how can they expect to speed? For he has plainly told us that he that turns away his ears from hearing the law, as they did, for they inclined not their ear (Jer 11:8), even his prayer shall be an abomination to him, as the word of the Lord was now to them a reproach.
III. Their idols shall not help them, Jer 11:12. They shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they now offer incense, and put them in mind of the costly services wherewith they had honoured them, expecting they should now have relief from them, but in vain. They shall be sent to the gods whom they served (Jdg 10:14; Deu 32:37, Deu 32:38), and what the better? They shall not save them at all, shall do nothing towards their salvation, nor give them any prospect of it; they shall not afford them the least comfort, nor relief, nor mitigation of their trouble. It is God only that is a friend at need, a present powerful help in time of trouble. The idols cannot help themselves; how then should they help their worshippers? Those that make idols of the world and the flesh will in vain have recourse to them in a day of distress. If the idols could have done any real kindness to their worshippers, they would have done it for this people, who had renounced the true God to embrace them, had multiplied them according to the number of their cities (Jer 11:13), nay, in Jerusalem, according to the number of their streets. Suspecting both their sufficiency and their readiness to help them, they must have many, lest a few would not serve; they must have them dispersed in every corner, lest they should be out of the way when they had occasion for them. In Jerusalem, the city which God had chosen to put his name there, publicly in the streets of Jerusalem, in every street, they had altars to that shameful thing, that shame, even to Baal, which they ought to have been ashamed of, with which they did reproach the Lord and bring confusion upon themselves. But now in their distress their many gods, and many altars, should stand them in stead. Note, Those that will not be ashamed of their commission of sin as a wicked thing will be ashamed of their expectations from sin as a fruitless thing.
IV. Jeremiah's prayers shall not help them, Jer 11:14. What God had said to him before (Jer 7:16) he here says again, Pray not thou for this people. This is not designed for a command to the prophet, so much as for a threatening to the people, that they should have no benefit by the prayers of their friends for them. God would give no encouragement to the prophets to pray for them, would not stir up the spirit of prayer, but cast a damp upon it, would put it into their hearts to pray, not for the body of the people, but for the remnant among them, to pray for their eternal salvation, not for their deliverance from the temporal judgments that were coming upon them; and what other prayers were put up for them should not be heard. Those are in a sad case indeed that are cut off from the benefit of prayer. "I will not hear them when they cry, and therefore to not thou pray for them." Note, Those that have so far thrown themselves out of God's favour that he will not hear their prayers cannot expect benefit by the prayers of others for them.
V. The profession they make of religion shall stand them in no stead, Jer 11:15. They were originally God's beloved, his spouse, he was married to them by the covenant of peculiarity; even the unbelieving Jews are said to be beloved for the fathers' sake, Rom 11:28. As such they had a place in God's house; they were admitted to worship in the courts of his temple; they partook of God's altar; they ate of the flesh of their peace-offerings here called the holy flesh, which God had the honour of and they had the comfort of. This they gloried in, and trusted to. What harm could come to those who were God's beloved, who were under the protection of his house? Even when they did evil yet they rejoiced and gloried in this, made a mighty noise of this. And when their evil was (so the margin reads it), when trouble came upon them, they rejoiced in this, and made this their confidence; but their confidence would deceive them, for God has rejected it, they themselves having forfeited the privileges they so much boasted of. They have wrought lewdness with many, have been guilty of spiritual whoredom, have worshipped many idols; and therefore, 1. God's temple will yield them no protection; it is fit that the adulteress, especially when she has so often repeated her whoredoms and has grown so impudent in them and irreclaimable, should be put away, and turned out of doors: "What has my beloved to do in my house? She is a scandal to it, and therefore it shall no longer be a shelter to her." 2. God's altar will yield them no satisfaction, nor can they expect any comfort from that: "The holy flesh has passed from thee, that is, an end will soon be put to thy sacrifices, when the temple shall be laid in ruins; and where then will the holy flesh be, that thou art so proud of?" A holy heart will be a comfort to us when the holy flesh has passed from us; an inward principle of grace will make up the want of the outward means of grace. But woe unto us if the departure of the holy flesh be accompanied with the departure of the Holy Spirit.
VI. God's former favours to them shall stand them in no stead, Jer 11:16, Jer 11:17. Their remembrance of them shall be no comfort to them under their troubles, and God's remembrance of them shall be no argument for their relief. 1. It is true God had done great things for them; that people had been favourites above any people under the sun; they had been the darlings of heaven. God had called Israel's name a green olive-tree, and had made them so, for he miscalls nothing; he had planted them (Jer 11:17), had formed them into a people, with all the advantages they could have to make them a fruitful and flourishing people, so good was their law and so good was their land. One would think no other than that a people so planted, so watered, so cultivated, should be, as the olive-tree is, ever green, in respect both of piety and prosperity, Psa 52:8. God called them fair and of goodly fruit, both good for food and pleasant to the eye, both amiable and serviceable to God and man, for which the greenness and fatness of the olive both are honoured, Jdg 9:9. 2. It is as true that they have done evil things against God. He had planted them a green olive, a good olive, but they had degenerated into a wild olive, Rom 11:17. Both the house of Israel. and the house of Judah had done evil, had provoked God to anger in burning incense unto Baal, setting up other mediators between them and the supreme God besides the promised Messiah; nay, setting up other gods in competition with the true and living God, for they had gods many, as well as lords many. 3. When they have conducted themselves so ill they can expect no other than that, notwithstanding what good he has done to them and designed for them, he should now bring upon them the evil he has pronounced against them. He that planted this green olive-tree, and expected fruit from it, finding it barren and grown wild, has kindled fire upon it, to burn it as it stands; for, being without fruit, it is twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Jde 1:12), it is cut down and cast into the fire, the fittest place for trees that cumber the ground, Mat 3:10. The branches of it, the high and lofty boughs (so the word signifies), are broken are broken down, both princes and priests cut off. And thus it proves that the evil done against God, to provoke him to anger, is really done against themselves; they wrong their own souls; God is out of their reach, but they ruin themselves. See Jer 7:19. Note, Every sin against God is a sin against ourselves, and so it will be found sooner or later.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–17. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
FRAGMENTS ON JEREMIAH 7
Though God justly does not hear those who do not hear him, the demons will be unable to save the just in those who burn incense to them, whenever the time of troubles arrives. Thus, whenever God does not listen, it is dangerous to seek help from demons. But one must depend on God, who has turned away from us due to sins, yet who does not disregard the great and lasting refuge in himself.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 11, 12.) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am bringing upon them evil from which they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them. And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer libations, but they will not save them in their time of distress. God does not listen in the time of necessity and distress because they also refused to listen to the voice of the Lord, just as Saul did. For when he was terrified by the Philistine armies and could not receive the word of the Lord, he turned to the Pythoness in order to learn from idols what he should have obtained through instant prayer and tears from the Lord (1 Kings 21). From this we learn that even if the Lord does not hear, we must by no means give up or turn to demons, who cannot help their worshipers, but to the Lord's help, who is quickly moved to anger and changes his mind if those who angered him are changed. But all that is now said pertains to the tribe of Judah and the city of Jerusalem, against which captivity threatens.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 11:11 presents a solemn and unyielding divine decree from the LORD, announcing an inevitable and severe judgment upon the people of Judah and Jerusalem. This pronouncement is a direct consequence of their persistent and profound breach of the Mosaic Covenant, highlighting the gravity of their rebellion. The verse declares that the impending calamity will be so absolute that no human effort or desperate plea can avert it, signifying a decisive and irreversible withdrawal of God's favorable attention and intervention in their time of distress.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 11:11 is strategically placed within a pivotal section of Jeremiah's prophetic message (chapters 11-12), which intensely focuses on Judah's covenant unfaithfulness and the resulting divine judgment. Immediately preceding this verse, the prophet Jeremiah has been commissioned by God to reiterate the terms of the Mosaic Covenant, reminding the people of their solemn agreement with Yahweh and their subsequent, egregious failure to uphold its stipulations (Jeremiah 11:2-8). The narrative emphasizes that despite God's repeated warnings, patient appeals, and calls to repentance, the people have stubbornly refused to listen, instead turning wholeheartedly to idolatry and moral corruption, even engaging in conspiracies against Jeremiah himself (Jeremiah 11:18-20). Therefore, verse 11 functions as the climactic and direct consequence of this sustained rebellion and covenant violation, serving as a stark declaration of the LORD's determined and imminent action against a people who have utterly forsaken their foundational relationship with Him. It sets the stage for the prophet's lament and the escalating prophecies of judgment that unfold in the subsequent chapters.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecy in Jeremiah 11:11 resonates deeply with the turbulent historical and cultural landscape of Judah during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, likely delivered during or shortly after the reign of King Josiah, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The people of Judah had a prolonged and deeply entrenched history of syncretism and idolatry, frequently blending the exclusive worship of Yahweh with the abhorrent practices of Canaanite deities, a direct and egregious violation of the Mosaic Covenant's foundational command for singular devotion to the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Despite significant periods of reform and revival, particularly under Josiah's leadership, the nation's collective heart consistently reverted to rebellion. Culturally, the concept of a "covenant" (Hebrew: berit) was a well-understood legal and social construct in the ancient Near East, involving mutual obligations, stipulated blessings for obedience, and severe curses for disobedience. The "evil" (calamity) threatened in this verse directly aligns with the comprehensive list of curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28, which promised devastating consequences such as famine, pestilence, siege, and ultimately, exile for national apostasy. The looming historical backdrop of the powerful Babylonian empire and its impending invasion makes the "inescapable" nature of the judgment particularly poignant, as Judah was on the precipice of losing its cherished land, its sacred Temple, and its very national identity.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 11:11 powerfully articulates several profound and pervasive themes found throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it unmistakably underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, presenting God not as a passive observer but as the righteous and active Judge who intervenes to bring just consequences for sustained sin. This is portrayed as a deliberate act of divine justice, not merely an allowance for natural evil. Secondly, the verse highlights the Inevitability of Consequences for Covenant Breach. Despite God's boundless patience and repeated calls for repentance through His prophets (e.g., Jeremiah 7:23-26), a critical point is reached where divine patience is exhausted, and the decreed judgment becomes absolute and unavoidable, powerfully emphasized by the phrase "which they shall not be able to escape." Thirdly, and perhaps most chillingly, the theme of Divine Silence in Response to Desperate Cries is profoundly significant. The declaration, "though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them," marks a tragic culmination of their rebellion, where their future pleas for deliverance will be met with a decisive and unyielding refusal. This echoes solemn warnings found elsewhere in scripture about the dire consequences of persistently ignoring divine wisdom and grace (e.g., Proverbs 1:28). It illustrates the tragic reality that prolonged and hardened unfaithfulness can lead to a state where even desperate repentance appears to come too late for temporal deliverance.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 11:11 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. The most prominent is the Prophetic Oracle, a direct divine pronouncement introduced by the formula "Thus saith the LORD," which immediately establishes the absolute authority, veracity, and certainty of the message. This direct address from God Himself lends immense, undeniable weight to the impending judgment, leaving no room for doubt about its origin or inevitability. Anthropomorphism is clearly evident in the phrase "I will not hearken unto them," where human-like sensory perception (hearing) and a volitional, emotional response (refusal to respond favorably) are attributed to God. This device makes God's action relatable and profoundly emphasizes the deliberate and intentional nature of His judicial withdrawal. The verse also utilizes Hyperbole or Intensification to underscore the extreme severity and totality of the judgment; phrases like "not be able to escape" and "will not hearken" convey an absolute and unyielding decree, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the impending disaster and the finality of God's judicial decision. Finally, there is a profound and poignant Irony at play: the people who consistently refused to "hearken" (listen with attention and obey) to the LORD's voice throughout their extended period of grace will themselves cry out in desperation, only to find that the LORD will not "hearken" to them in their time of dire need. This serves as a powerful illustration of poetic justice, highlighting the reciprocal nature of their relationship with God and the devastating consequences of persistent spiritual deafness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 11:11 stands as a profound theological statement on the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the undeniable reality of divine justice. It reveals that while God is indeed infinitely patient, merciful, and slow to anger, His patience is not limitless or without boundaries. When His covenant people persistently reject His warnings, spurn His abundant grace, and stubbornly cling to idolatry and deeply entrenched sin, there comes a critical point of no return where judgment becomes not only inevitable but also utterly inescapable. This verse powerfully underscores God's absolute holiness, His unwavering righteousness, and His steadfast commitment to upholding the sanctity of His covenant, even if it necessitates bringing severe and painful discipline upon His own beloved people. It serves as a stark and sobering reminder that true, life-altering repentance must occur while the door of mercy and opportunity is still open, for there are indeed times when even desperate, anguished pleas will not avert the decreed consequences of prolonged, hardened rebellion.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 11:11, though a prophecy of ancient judgment against a specific nation, carries enduring and profound spiritual weight for believers across all generations. It serves as a solemn and urgent warning against the perilous spiritual complacency of presuming upon God's boundless grace and infinite patience. While we, as New Covenant believers, live under a dispensation where forgiveness and reconciliation are abundantly available through the atoning work of Christ, the underlying spiritual principle remains: persistent, unrepentant, and willful rebellion against God's revealed will can lead to severe and painful spiritual consequences, a hardening of the heart, and a diminished capacity to experience His presence and intervention. This verse profoundly challenges each of us to cultivate a posture of deep humility, immediate responsiveness, and eager obedience to God's living Word, ensuring that our hearts remain tender and pliable to His gentle promptings and convicting Spirit. It serves as a powerful reminder that our choices, both individual and corporate, have profound and lasting spiritual ramifications. Delaying genuine repentance can indeed lead to a hardened heart, a spiritual deafness, and a tragic state where our desperate cries for deliverance from self-inflicted spiritual distress may be met with divine silence. Ultimately, it compels us to seek God earnestly, consistently, and wholeheartedly as a lifestyle of devotion, not merely as a last resort in moments of crisis, ensuring that our relationship with Him is characterized by intimate fellowship, loving obedience, and unwavering trust, rather than by desperate, belated pleas.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "evil" mean in this context?
Answer: In Jeremiah 11:11, the word "evil" (Hebrew: raʻ) primarily refers to calamity, disaster, or affliction, rather than moral evil itself. While it is a direct and just consequence of Judah's moral evil and their profound breach of the covenant, the "evil" that God declares He will bring is a devastating, physical manifestation of judgment. This includes severe punishments such as war, famine, pestilence, and exile, which were the explicitly promised curses for national disobedience under the Mosaic Covenant, as comprehensively detailed in Deuteronomy 28. It signifies the destructive, harmful, and grievous consequences that God, in His righteous and holy judgment, will bring upon a rebellious and unrepentant people.
Does God truly refuse to hear prayers?
Answer: This verse presents a sobering and specific truth that God can, in certain extreme circumstances, refuse to "hearken" (listen favorably or respond with intervention) to prayers. This is not a general rule applicable to all prayer or all people, but a specific, judicial consequence for a covenant people who have persistently, willfully, and definitively rejected God's covenant, ignored His repeated warnings through His prophets, and hardened their hearts over a prolonged period. It's a declaration of divine judicial silence, a point where their rebellion has reached such a degree that their desperate cries for temporal deliverance will not be met with divine intervention or compassion. Other scriptures confirm this principle for those who spurn God's grace, such as Proverbs 1:28-31 where Wisdom declares she will mock those who ignored her call, or Isaiah 1:15 where God proclaims He will hide His eyes from the prayers of those whose hands are full of blood and injustice. For believers living under the New Covenant, access to God's ear is graciously provided through Christ, but the principle of God's holiness and the seriousness of unrepentant, defiant sin remains a profound spiritual reality.
Why is this judgment inescapable?
Answer: The judgment described in Jeremiah 11:11 is declared "inescapable" because it is a direct, sovereign, and determined act of God in righteous response to a prolonged, definitive, and unrepentant breach of covenant. The numerous opportunities for genuine repentance and averting the impending disaster had long passed; Judah had consistently and stubbornly refused to heed God's warnings delivered through His prophets. At this critical juncture, the divine decree had been finalized, and no human effort, military might, political maneuvering, or desperate, belated plea could reverse the determined course of God's justice. It signifies that the cumulative consequences of their actions had matured to a point where the only remaining option was the full and unmitigated execution of the promised curses, ultimately leading to the devastating Babylonian exile.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 11:11, with its stark declaration of inescapable judgment and unheeded cries, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in a direct messianic prophecy, but in the comprehensive way Christ embodies and ultimately resolves the very issues of sin, covenant, and divine judgment that this verse highlights. The "evil" (calamity) that God brings upon Judah for their covenant breach serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment for all human sin, a judgment that was fully and perfectly borne by Jesus Christ on the cross. He willingly became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, enduring the full weight of divine wrath and the agonizing separation from God that humanity justly deserved. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ offers a true, eternal "escape" from condemnation that Judah could not find from temporal disaster, providing redemption for all who believe (Romans 5:8-9). Furthermore, the terrifying reality of God not "hearkening" to the desperate cries of a rebellious people stands in stark and glorious contrast to the intimate access believers now have to God through Christ. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and ongoing intercession, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ensuring that our cries for mercy, grace, and help are not only heard but are met with divine favor and intervention (Hebrews 4:16). While Jeremiah 11:11 speaks of a closed door due to unfaithfulness, Christ is the door through whom anyone who enters will be saved, offering an open, eternal invitation for all who would turn to Him. He fulfills the promise of a new covenant, where God's law is written not on stone tablets but on hearts, and sins are remembered no more (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, the terrifying judgment of Jeremiah 11:11 powerfully highlights the immense grace, profound mercy, and complete salvation offered in Christ, who bore the judgment so that we might find an eternal escape and an ever-open ear from our Heavenly Father.