Jeremiah 11:14 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 11:14 nkjv
"So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:14 niv
"Do not pray for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.
Jeremiah 11:14 esv
"Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:14 nlt
"Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress.
Jeremiah 11 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 7:16 | Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, nor make intercession to me... | Direct parallel; previous instruction to cease intercession. |
| Jer 14:11 | Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. | Direct parallel; another explicit command to cease intercession. |
| Ex 32:10 | Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them... | God signals severe wrath, implying an end to intercession. |
| Psa 66:18 | If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. | God does not hear the prayers of those clinging to sin. |
| Prov 28:9 | He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. | God finds prayers detestable when one rejects His law. |
| Isa 1:15 | And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear... | God's refusal to hear the prayers of an unrighteous people. |
| Mic 3:4 | Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them... | God will ignore pleas for help in judgment, similar to Jer 11:14. |
| Zec 7:13 | Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts. | Reciprocal judgment: as they ignored God, God ignores them. |
| Eze 14:12-20 | Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness... | Impossibility of even righteous intercessors saving the land in fixed judgment. |
| 1 Sam 15:29 | And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. | God's unchangeable decree, especially concerning judgment. |
| Gen 6:3 | My spirit shall not always strive with man... | God's limit to His patience and grace before judgment. |
| Num 14:12 | I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them... (Moses intercedes here, but illustrates severe intent) | Divine judgment determined and almost irrevocable due to rebellion. |
| Isa 5:6 | I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns... | A vineyard (Israel) destined for utter desolation due to unfaithfulness. |
| Jer 5:3 | O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved... | People's hardened hearts and refusal to repent despite divine correction. |
| Deut 28:15ff | But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all his commandments... all these curses shall come upon you... | Covenant curses for disobedience, foreshadowing Judah's trouble. |
| Lev 26:14ff | But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments... | Another major covenant passage outlining consequences for disobedience. |
| Heb 6:4-6 | For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened... if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance... | Theological principle of a point beyond which repentance becomes impossible. |
| 1 Jn 5:16 | If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life... There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. | New Testament concept of a 'sin unto death' where intercession is withheld. |
| Hos 5:6 | They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. | God withdraws His presence and is unfindable when sought too late. |
| Isa 59:2 | But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. | Sin creates a barrier, preventing God from hearing. |
| Lam 3:8 | Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. | Experience of prayers being unanswered due to divine judgment. |
Jeremiah 11 verses
Jeremiah 11 14 Meaning
Jeremiah 11:14 reveals God's definitive instruction to Jeremiah, forbidding him from interceding for the people of Judah. This divine command signifies that Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness have reached a point where God's patience is exhausted, and irreversible judgment is set. God declares He will not listen to their cries for help when their promised troubles eventually come, because their appeals are devoid of true repentance.
Jeremiah 11 14 Context
Jeremiah 11 falls within a section where Jeremiah warns Judah of imminent judgment due to their persistent apostasy. Chapter 11 begins with God reminding Judah of the covenant made at Sinai (vv. 1-8), which they repeatedly broke by following other gods (vv. 9-13). This breach of the covenant, particularly their idolatry and deception, is the foundational reason for the severe declaration in verse 14. Judah's worship of foreign deities was rampant, even setting up altars to Baal in Jerusalem. This deep spiritual infidelity and their refusal to heed previous prophetic warnings, coupled with a superficial piety, had pushed God to this final and unalterable decision of judgment. Jeremiah's mission shifted from pleading for repentance to announcing unavoidable catastrophe, and this verse underscores the point of no return.
Jeremiah 11 14 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן, lā-ḵēn): A crucial conjunctive particle signifying a direct consequence. It links Judah's persistent sin (vv. 9-13) directly to God's impending, unwavering judgment and the command given to Jeremiah. It establishes a cause-and-effect relationship in divine decree.
- pray not thou (אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּל, ’al-tiṯ·palēl): This is a strong, immediate negative prohibition. The verb palēl (תְּפִלָּה, tĕp̄illâ 'prayer') is used, emphasizing direct communion with God. Jeremiah, as a prophet, typically acts as an intercessor; this command profoundly alters his primary role, underscoring the severity of Judah's state. It’s a command to stop interceding, signaling a closed door.
- for this people (בַּעַד־הָעָם הַזֶּה, ba‘ad-hā‘ām hazzeh): "This people" specifically refers to Judah, indicating a judgment reserved for this particular generation and their actions. It personalizes the national guilt. The phrase implies their corporate guilt as a specific rebellious entity.
- neither lift up cry (וְאַל־תִּשָּׂא בַעֲדָם רִנָּה, wə’al-tiśśā’ ḇa‘ăḏām rin·nāh): Literally, "and do not lift up for them a joyful shout/lament" (rinnah often implies a joyful shout, but here used for fervent prayer/lament). This further emphasizes any form of vocal pleading.
- nor prayer (וּתְפִלָּה, ūṯĕp̄illâ): While often a general term for prayer, its inclusion here after "cry/lament" highlights the comprehensive nature of the prohibition against any form of supplication. The repetition serves to intensify and confirm the ban.
- for them (בַּעֲדָם, ba‘adām): Repetition of the preposition, reinforcing the prohibition is specifically concerning the people of Judah.
- for I will not hear them (כִּי אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ, kî ’ê·ne·nî šō·mêa‘): The causal conjunction kî ("for/because") introduces the divine rationale. ’ê·ne·nî šō·mêa‘ is an emphatic declaration of God's refusal. Šōmēa‘ (שׁוֹמֵעַ) means "to hear," implying listening with attention and a view to respond. Here, it is an outright denial of response.
- in the time that they cry unto me (בְּעֵת קָרְאָם אֵלָי, bə‘êṯ qār·’ām ’êlāy): Specifies the precise moment of their future prayers. God anticipates their reactive, last-minute appeals for help in their distress, indicating these will be driven by pain, not true repentance. Qār’ām (קָרְאָם) implies crying out urgently for deliverance.
- for their trouble (לְצָרָתָם, ləṣar·rātām): Refers to the severe distress, calamity, or affliction they will experience as a result of God's impending judgment. It underscores the desperation of their future prayers, which will be motivated by suffering rather than a change of heart.
Words-group analysis:
- "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them": This phrase groups two distinct forms of negative command, amplifying the divine injunction. It prohibits both spontaneous, fervent outpourings of grief/petition ("cry") and formal, structured prayers ("prayer"). This total prohibition on intercession for Judah highlights the depth of their rebellion and the irreversible nature of the coming judgment. The prophet's most critical spiritual function is annulled by divine decree.
- "for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble": This statement presents God's justification for His command and serves as a future prediction. It illustrates that Judah's future prayers during affliction will be disregarded, not because God is deaf, but because their hearts remain unchanged and their pleas are merely born of circumstance and fear, not genuine repentance. This rejection is not an arbitrary act, but a just consequence of their prolonged unfaithfulness and defiance of His covenant.
Jeremiah 11 14 Bonus section
The command for Jeremiah to not intercede is remarkably severe, given that the role of a prophet often includes fervent prayer on behalf of the people. This divine injunction marks the third such command given to Jeremiah (see Jer 7:16; 14:11), each progressively hardening the divine resolve against Judah. The cumulative weight of these commands emphasizes that Judah's condition was past remedy. Historically, intercession often served as a potential bridge for restoration (e.g., Moses for Israel, Abraham for Sodom). By eliminating this bridge, God signifies that no amount of human appeal can now divert the predetermined path of judgment. This reflects the seriousness of covenant betrayal – it incurs an eventual, unchangeable consequence when prolonged and unrepented. The fact that the prayers would be "in the time of their trouble" suggests they would be opportunistic, arising from external suffering rather than genuine internal transformation and repentance.
Jeremiah 11 14 Commentary
Jeremiah 11:14 is a somber and pivotal verse, representing a critical juncture in Judah's spiritual trajectory. God's explicit command to Jeremiah, His prophet and faithful intercessor, to cease praying for the people signals an ultimate decision: divine judgment against Judah is now irrevocable. This is not a temporary disciplinary action but a deep, determined refusal stemming from their chronic rebellion against the Sinai covenant and their persistent embrace of idolatry. God foresees their future distress, when they will desperately cry out, yet He has already resolved not to hear. This divine silence is the most severe judgment against a people who previously experienced God's readiness to hear and respond. It underscores that there are limits to God's forbearance, a line beyond which even the fervent pleas of a righteous intercessor will not avail. For Judah, their national sins had crossed this boundary, transforming a compassionate God into a resolute judge whose mind was now set on justice.