This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord’s name.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “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;’
- KJV 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:
- BSB Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.”
- NKJV “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, lest you die by our hand’—
- NASB Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the people of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, saying: “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, so that you do not die by our hand”;
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God names Jeremiah's hometown of Anathoth as the source of the threats demanding he stop prophesying.
Overview
The plot came from Jeremiah's own townsmen, even his own family circle, making the betrayal deeply personal. They threatened his life to silence God's word, opposing the LORD by opposing His prophet. Like Christ, Jeremiah found that 'a prophet is not without honor except in his own hometown' (Mark 6:4).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Jer 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?
- Luke 13:33–34Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.’
- Amos 2:12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘Don’t prophesy!’
- Isa 30:10who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and to the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.
- Jer 20:10For 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 shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.”
- Luke 4:24He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
- Matt 22:6and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- Jer 38:1–6Shephatiah 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,
- Matt 21:35The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
- Jer 26:8When 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!
- Matt 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.
- Jer 20:1–2Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in Yahweh’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
- Mic 2:6–11“Don’t prophesy!” They prophesy. “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
- Amos 7:13–16but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
- Matt 23:34–37Therefore 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;
- Matt 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.
- Mic 7:6For 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.
- 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 11:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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