Jeremiah 11:19 kjv
But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
Jeremiah 11:19 nkjv
But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more."
Jeremiah 11:19 niv
I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more."
Jeremiah 11:19 esv
But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more."
Jeremiah 11:19 nlt
I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! "Let's destroy this man and all his words," they said. "Let's cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever."
Jeremiah 11 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 18:18 | They said, "Come, let us devise schemes against Jeremiah. For the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with his tongue, and do not give attention to any of his words." | Predictive of plot against Jeremiah |
| Psalm 22:1-2 | My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from my words of groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. | Expresses similar abandonment and suffering |
| Psalm 35:4 | Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who plot my hurt! | Prayer for adversaries' shame |
| Psalm 55:12-14 | For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals arrogantly with me— then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. | Grief over betrayal by a friend |
| John 15:18-20 | "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. | Jesus on being hated by the world |
| Acts 7:54 | Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him. | Stephen's stoning, facing similar rejection |
| Acts 23:12 | When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. | Plotting against Paul |
| 2 Corinthians 4:9 | Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed— | Paul's resilient ministry |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you, as though something struck you as strange. | Warning against surprise at persecution |
| Jeremiah 1:8 | Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD. | God's reassurance to Jeremiah |
| Jeremiah 15:10 | Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet each of them curses me. | Jeremiah's earlier lament and struggle |
| Isaiah 49:7 | Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, Israel’s Holy One, who has chosen you.” | Prophetic suffering and eventual exaltation |
| Psalm 13:1 | To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? | Cry of distress and perceived abandonment |
| Matthew 26:37 | And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. | Jesus' agony in Gethsemane |
| Romans 9:2 | that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. | Paul's deep sorrow for Israel |
| Matthew 5:10-12 | “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so were the prophets who came before you. | Beatitudes on persecution |
| Acts 4:29-30 | And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” | Prayer for boldness amid threats |
| 2 Timothy 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, | The certainty of persecution for believers |
| 2 Timothy 4:16 | At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! | Paul's experience of desertion |
| Jeremiah 11:21 | therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die at our hands,” | The specific threat against Jeremiah |
| Jeremiah 11:20 | It is a great thing, O LORD of hosts, that you judge justly, that you try the heart and the kidneys! | Jeremiah's prayer to God's justice |
Jeremiah 11 verses
Jeremiah 11 19 Meaning
Jeremiah 11:19 speaks of the prophet's internal suffering due to the violent opposition he faced from his own people. They sought to destroy him, perceiving him as a dangerous deceiver. This verse highlights the profound emotional and psychological toll of prophetic ministry, especially when faced with such intense rejection from those the prophet cared for and was sent to. It reflects a lament over betrayal and a prayer for vindication.
Jeremiah 11 19 Context
Jeremiah 11:19 occurs within a chapter where Jeremiah recounts a plot against him by the inhabitants of his hometown, Anathoth. They intended to kill him because they resented his prophecies of judgment against Judah. This section reveals the intense personal danger and psychological distress Jeremiah experienced throughout his ministry. The people he knew and from whom he was descended actively conspired against his life, not because of his personal flaws, but because of the divine message he delivered. This betrayal from his own kin is a significant aspect of Jeremiah's burden as the prophet of doom to a disobedient nation. The chapter as a whole illustrates the isolation and persecution faced by prophets of God.
Jeremiah 11 19 Word Analysis
- הָיָה (HAYAH): "came to pass," "became," or "was." This verb indicates the development of a situation.
- בְּפִ֑י (BEPHI): "in the mouth," used idiomatically here to mean "by mouth" or "through." It refers to speaking.
- לְלָשׁוֹן (LELAZON): "to tongue," often translated as "to wag the tongue," meaning to slander, mock, or speak critically. The Septuagint has "slander." This points to verbal assault and the spreading of malicious talk against the prophet.
- וְנָבְזֶה (WENAVZEH): "and despiser" or "and scorned." This participle signifies a state of being looked down upon and rejected with contempt.
- אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (ANAHNU): "we." Emphasizes the collective action and sentiment of the people plotting against Jeremiah.
- עָלֶיךָ (ALEIKA): "against you." Specifies the direct target of their machinations and words.
- כִּי (KI): "for" or "because." Introduces the reason or motivation behind their actions and words.
- מִבְּלִי (MIBELI): "without," indicating a lack of something or someone's hindrance.
- לַ֫חֶ֫תֶר (LAHETHRE): This word is rare and its meaning is debated. It's often connected to a root meaning "to weave" or "to contrive." It is typically rendered as "to make to perish" or "to destroy." Some scholars suggest a meaning related to subtle, insidious destruction, like a plan being woven. The understanding here implies their intention was to bring about his utter ruin or death.
- בְּלִ֫י (BLIY): "without" or "destitute of."
Group Analysis:The phrase "בְּפִ֑י לְלָשׁוֹן וְנָבְזֶה אֲנַ֫חְנוּ עָלֶיךָ" (BEPHI LELAZON WENAVZEH ANACHNU ALEIKA) "by mouth to tongue and despiser we [plot] against you" encapsulates the multifaceted opposition. It wasn't just a lack of support, but active verbal assault ("wagging the tongue") and utter contempt ("despiser"). The people united ("we") in this animosity ("against you"). Their ultimate goal, "מִבְּלִי לַ֫חֶ֫תֶר" (MIBELI LAHETHRE), was his complete destruction or nullification.
Jeremiah 11 19 Bonus Section
This verse serves as a profound insight into the psychological weight of prophetic ministry. It is not merely about proclaiming difficult truths, but about enduring the personal cost of rejection, slander, and even death threats from those one identifies with. Jeremiah’s lament here anticipates the suffering of Christ, who was also betrayed by those close to him and rejected by his own people. It highlights the reality that faithful service to God often leads to suffering and misunderstanding in the earthly realm, even as God himself is appealed to for justice. The sentiment also finds echoes in the apostle Paul’s extensive sufferings for the sake of the Gospel, as recorded in the New Testament.
Jeremiah 11 19 Commentary
Jeremiah expresses the personal agony of facing his own community's malicious intent. They not only rejected his divine message but actively plotted to silence and destroy him, not through reasoned argument but through slander and scorn. This verse reveals the prophet's feeling of deep hurt and betrayal. He feels uniquely targeted, not by outsiders, but by those who should have been his allies—his own people, even from his hometown. His anguish is tied to their plot, not to physical harm alone, but to the deliberate and hateful verbal attacks aimed at his character and purpose. This experience echoes the suffering of other righteous individuals throughout Scripture who were targeted by those close to them, underscoring the difficult path of faithfully delivering God's word in the face of persistent opposition.