Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 11:19

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Jeremiah 11:19. I was like a lamb or an ox — Dahler translates, "I was like a fattened lamb that is led to the slaughter." Blayney, "I was like a tame lamb that is led to slaughter." The word אלוף alluph, which we translate ox, is taken by both as an adjective, qualifying the noun כבש kebes, a lamb. It may probably signify a lamb brought up in the house-fed at home, (אלוף alluph,) instructed or nourished at home; perfectly innocent and unsuspecting, while leading to the slaughter. This meaning the word will bear in Arabic, for [Arabic] alaf signifies accustomed, familiar, (to or with any person or thing;) a companion, a comrade, an intimate friend. I therefore think that ככבש אלוף kechebes alluph signifies, like the familiar lamb - the lamb bred up in the house, in a state of friendship with the family. The people of Anathoth were Jeremiah's townsmen; he was born and bred among them; they were his familiar friends; and now they lay wait for his life! All the Versions understood אלוף alluph as an epithet of כבש kebes, a chosen, simple, innocent lamb.

Let us destroy the tree with the fruit — Let us slay the prophet, and his prophecies will come to an end. The Targum has, Let us put mortal poison in his food; and all the Versions understand it something in the same way.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

A plot against Jeremiah (11:18-23)

The people of Anathoth, Jeremiah’s home town, had become angry with Jeremiah. They did not like his uncompromising opposition to their false religious practices and his constant predictions of certain judgment. When God warned Jeremiah that they were plotting to kill him, Jeremiah cried to God for help (18-21). God now replies with a promise that he will protect Jeremiah and punish his would-be murderers (22-23).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"But I was like a gentle lamb that was led 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 be no more remembered."

Just as Christ was rejected in his home town of Nazareth, Jeremiah's home town of Anathoth was a party to this plot to kill him, reminding us of what the Lord said, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." Another similarity in the lives of Jeremiah and of our Lord is seen in this mention of his being like "a lamb led to the slaughter." It was such similarities that caused some of the people to think that perhaps Christ himself was Jeremiah risen from the dead (Matthew 16:14).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Like a lamb or an ox - Rather, “like a tame lamb.” Jeremiah had lived at Anathoth as one of the family, never suspecting that, like a tame lamb, the time would come for him to be killed.

The tree with the fruit thereof - The words are those of a proverb or dark saying. All the Churches agree in understanding that under the person of Jeremiah these things are said by Christ.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

The Prophet adds here, as I think, that he did not retaliate private wrongs: for the Jews might, under this pretext, have rejected his doctrine, and have said, that he was moved by anger to treat them sharply and severely. And doubtless, whosoever allows his own reelings to prevail in the least degree, cannot teach in sincerity; for he who prepares himself for the prophetic office, ought to put off all the affections of the flesh, and to manifest a pure, and, so to speak, a limpid zeal, and also a calm mind, so that he may seek nothing, and have no object but the glory of God and the salvation of those to whom he is sent a teacher. Whosoever then is under the influence of private feelings cannot act otherwise than violently, so that he cannot either faithfully or profitably discharge the office of a prophet or a teacher.

Hence the Prophet now adds, in the second place, that he did not plead his own cause, nor had respect, as they say, to his own person; for he knew not what the Jews had devised against him. They who join the two verses think that they have some reason for doing so, as they suppose that the Prophet now expresses more fully what he had before briefly touched upon: but if any maturely considers the whole passage, he will easily see that Jeremiah had another object in view, and that was, to secure authority to his doctrine. The Jews probably employed two ways to discredit the holy Prophet: “O, thou divinest! — the same thing, as we have said, is done now by many.” He therefore summons the Jews here before God’s tribunal, and shews that it was nothing strange, that he brought to light what they thought to be hidden, because it had been revealed to him by the Spirit of God. Even Christ said the same,

“The Spirit, when he comes, shall judge the world.”
(John 16:8)

The Spirit did not appear except in the doctrine of the Apostles; but he exercised by the Apostles his own functions. The Apostle also seems to have this in view in Hebrews 4:12, when he says, that the word of God is like a two — edged sword, which penetrates into the inmost thoughts and hidden feelings, even to the marrow and bones, so as to distinguish between thoughts and feelings.

Then the Prophet, in the first place, shews that it was nothing strange that he ascended above all human judgments, for he was endued with the authority of the Holy Spirit. And he adds, in the second place, that he was not influenced by carnal feelings, but by a pure zeal for God, for he knew not their wicked designs; and he says that he was like a lamb and an ox, or a calf. There is here no conjunction, and hence some join the two words, “And I am like a lamb a year old:” for the Hebrews, they say, call a lamb a year old כבש, cabesh, and then a ram; but this is, in my view, a forced meaning, and a copulative or a disjunctive may be supposed to be understood. I am then as a lamb or as a calf, which is led to the slaughter (to be sacrificed or kined) Here the Prophet intimates that he was not violent, as angry men are wont to be, who are excited either by indignation or great grief. He then testifies that he was moved by no such feeling, for he differed nothing from a lamb or a calf that is led to the slaughter. ⁽⁴⁹⁾

For the sake of amplifying, he adds, I knew not that they devised devices against me, that is, this did not come to my mind. The Prophet, indeed, might have suspected or even have known this; but as he disregarded himself, and even his own life, he testifies here that he had acted with so much simplicity as not to regard what they planned and contrived.

He then adds, Let us spoil wood in his bread They think rightly, according to my judgment, who consider that there is here a change of case; for it ought rather to be, “Let us spoil with wood his bread:” for that exposition is too unmeaning, “Let us spoil or destroy wood,” as though they spoke of a thing of no value: for what has this to do with the subject? On the contrary, if we retain, as they say, the letter, the Prophet might think that wood would be spoiled in bread, as it would become rotten: but wood in bread, except by becoming rotten, would do no harm. But doubtless the Prophet speaks here metaphorically, as David does in Psalms 69:22, when he says,

“They have put gall in my bread, and vinegar in my drink.”

Jeremiah also, in Lamentations 3:15, complains that his food was mingled with poison. Similitudes of this kind often occur; for when the very food of man is corrupted, there is no more any support for life. The meaning then is, that his enemies had acted cruelly towards the Prophet, as they sought in every way to destroy him, even by poison.

Some take wood for poison, but I know not whether that can be done. They indeed imagine that a poisonous wood is what is here meant; but this is too refined. I take the meaning to be simply this, as though they had said, “Let us spoil with wood his food,” that is, “Let us give him wood instead of bread; and this, by its hardness, will hurt his teeth, ulcerate his throat, and cannot be digested so as to become nourishment.” To spoil this bread with wood is to cause the wood to spoil the food either by its hardness or by its putridity. In this sense there is nothing ambiguous.

The ancients perverted this passage in the most childish manner when they applied it to the body of Christ. The Papists too, at this day, boast wonderfully of this allegory, though they make the most absurd use of it; for they seek to prove by it that bread is converted, or, as they say, transubstantiated into the body of Christ; and they quote Origen and Irenaeus, and others like them: “Behold, explained is that passage of Jeremiah, let us send wood for his bread, (such is the meaning of the Vulgate) for the body of Christ has been crucified;” and then they add, “For he said, ‘Take and eat, this is my body.’”We see how extremely absurd this is; and it must appear ridiculous even to children. But so great is the dishonesty and wantonness of the Papists, that they cast off all shame, and only boastfully pretend the authority of the ancients; and whatever Origen may have foolishly and falsely said, they will have it to be regarded as something oracular, provided their errors are thereby confirmed. But if we grant that the Prophet was a type of Christ, what has this to do with the similitude of his body, since he speaks here only of food? It is as though he had said, that his aliment was corrupted, as it were, with poison, and that he was so cruelly treated by his enemies, that they sought to destroy him by the means of his food. ⁽⁵⁰⁾

It then follows, Let us cut him off from the land of the living This kind of speaking often occurs: the land or region of the living means the state of the present life. He at last adds, That his name may not be in remembrance any more In short, the Prophet meant in these words to set forth the extreme savageness with which his enemies were inflamed; for they were not content with intrigues or with open violence, but wished to destroy him by poison, and wholly to obliterate his name. it follows —

(49) All the early versions, and the Targum render אלוף as a participle or an adjective, — “ἄκακον, innocent,” by the Septuagint; “mansuetus, meek,” by the Vulgate; simple, by the Syriac; and choice or chosen by the Targum. The word used as a verb means to teach, to train, to guide; and it seems here to be a passive participle, taught, trained, and may be rendered here docile, meek or innocent, —

But I — as a meek lamb led to be killed was I
And I knew not, that against me they had devised devices.

The Septuagint render the last words “they have thought an evil thought,” and, “I knew not,” is connected with the former line thus, —

But I, as an innocent lamb led to be slain, I knew not:
Against me have they thought an evil thought.

But the construction in the other versions, and in the Targum, is according to the former rendering. — Ed.

(50) But the best meaning is that given by the Syriac, and has been adopted in our version, and by Gataker, Venema, Henry, Horsley, Scott, and Adam Clarke, — “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit;” that is, the Prophet and his prophecy. “In this case,” says Horsley, “the man is the tree; his doctrine the fruit.” But there seems to be an allusion in the words to “the olive” mentioned in Jeremiah 11:16, which was threatened with destruction: and Jeremiah’s enemies, adopting his simile, by way of irony apply it to himself: “Well, thou comparest us to an olive devoted to ruin; we shall now deal with thee accordingly: thou art a tree, and we shall cut thee down and destroy thee and all the fruit thou bearest.”

The whole verse I would render as follows, —

19.And I — as a meek lamb led to be killed was I And I knew not that against me they had devised these devices: — “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, Yea, let us cut him down from the land of the living; And his name, let it be remembered no more.”

— Ed.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn to Jeremiah the eleventh chapter as we continue our study through the book of Jeremiah.

Chapter 11 begins a new section of the book, not a whole new division, but it's a new message, and Jeremiah is divided into many messages that the Lord gave to him. With chapter 10 we concluded the message of the Lord to Jeremiah that he was to give at the temple gate. Now he is to give a message to the people concerning their broken covenant with God.

Now you remember when God brought the children of Israel into the land, it was on a conditional basis. It was conditioned upon their obedience to God and to His commandments. So they were commanded when you come into the country, you take it over. There in the valley where Shechem is, there are two hills. One is Gerizim; one is Mount Ebal. And a part of the tribes were to... some of the men from the tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim; others were to stand on Mount Ebal. And from Mount Ebal, they were to cry out the curses that would come upon the people if they disobeyed the covenant and the commandments of God. "Cursed be he." And all the people down the valley, as these guys would yell out these various curses that would come upon those that turn from God, they would answer and respond, "Amen, Amen." And then from the other side at Gerizim, they pronounced the blessings. And, of course, these are found in Deuteronomy as God laid forth for them the covenant and, really, the conditions by which you will inherit this land. "Blessed are they that obey the law of the Lord." "Amen, Amen." "Blessed are they that walk in His statutes. Blessed are they." And so it must have been quite a scene as more than a million people gathered in the valley and these guys were calling down these curses and blessings, which were the basis, the covenant, the basis by which they were to inherit this land that God had promised unto Abraham.

Now God is officially declaring to them that they have broken that covenant. So God is no longer bound by that covenant to give to them this land, for they have broken the covenant of God. And so this is,

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant ( Jeremiah 11:1-3 ),

Now, this is one of the curses that was cried from mount Ebal. And so he is repeating the one cry from Ebal.

When I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God ( Jeremiah 11:4 ):

That's the condition. If you will obey these commandments and do them.

Now Paul speaks of one of the mistakes that the Jews had made in his epistle to the Romans, and that was, having the law, just because they have the law, they felt they were all right. But he said, "It isn't having the law, it's keeping the law that is important." Just because you have the law really doesn't mean anything. In fact, it could be greater condemnation if you're not keeping it. James said, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only" ( James 1:22 ), because that's deceptive. So many times because we do hear the law of God, because we know the law of God, because God has given us His commandments, we feel that's enough. No, with knowledge is responsibility, and the greater the knowledge, the greater the responsibility. The responsibility to obey and to do what we know is right. "He that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, it's evil" ( James 4:17 ). So it isn't just having the law of God. It isn't just having the covenant. It is keeping, it is obeying, and the emphasis, doing that which God has commanded.

Now God said, "The commandment that I gave to your fathers when I said, 'Obey My voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be My people.' On this basis you will be My people, I will be your God. This is the basis upon which I will claim you as My people upon which you can claim Me as your God."

That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land that is flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day ( Jeremiah 11:5 ).

"Now I promised to give them a land flowing with milk and honey. Look around, the land is flowing with milk and honey. I kept My part of the covenant," God is saying. "I've kept my promise. The oath that I made to Abraham when I said I would give to you and your seed this land." God said, "I've kept My part of the covenant, but the people have broken their part."

Then answered I, and said, Amen, O LORD ( Jeremiah 11:5 ).

So be it means... or Amen means, So be it. And in the Hebrew it is, "Amen, O Lord." So he responded with the cry that the people cried out there in the valley at Shechem when the guys were up on a mountain giving the curses and the blessings. He responded as the people did. As God said to him, "This is the basis upon which I'll be your God and you'll be My people." And he says, "Amen, so be it, O Lord."

Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them ( Jeremiah 11:6 ).

So it isn't enough to hear. We must be doers.

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not ( Jeremiah 11:7-8 ).

So God is speaking to the nation in an official sense concerning their having broken that covenant and thus they can expect those curses that were pronounced upon them from Mount Ebal and the curses that would befall them for their breaking of that covenant of God.

Now if you go back into Deuteronomy the twenty-eighth chapter, here in, beginning with chapter 27 the verse Jeremiah 11:9 it tells you about this incident there at Mount Ebal and how that, "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people." And then on verse Jeremiah 11:13 , the tribes that were to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curses. And so in verse Jeremiah 11:15 , "Cursed be the man that makes any graven image, an abomination unto the Lord." God is telling in the broken covenant here that as many as are there cities, that's how many gods they have. That they've... in Jerusalem on every corner have built an altar to some pagan deity. And so the very first thing that God pronounces a curse upon, they're guilty of these false gods that they were worshipping. And so all of these curses. You notice each verse beginning with sixteen on to the end of the chapter begins with a curse upon them if they would break the covenant. And it tells the covenant and all.

Now in chapter 28, God enumerates what the curses will be and in verse Jeremiah 28:16 , "Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store." Or their food supplies would run low. "Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of the land, the increase of your cattle, and the flocks of your sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when you come in, and cursed shalt thou be when you go out. The Lord will send upon you the cursing, vexation," and so forth. He'll make the pestilence to cleave to you. "The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption," verse Jer 28:22 . And verse Jer 28:25 , "He'll cause you to be smitten before your enemies." "The Lord will smite you," verse Jer 28:27 , "with the botch of Egypt." Whatever that was. But it doesn't sound good, does it? And so He tells all of these things that are going to transpire if they break the covenant.

Now Jeremiah is pronouncing, "You've done it. You've broken the covenant of God. Therefore, the curses are going to be coming upon you because they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but they walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart. Therefore I will bring upon them the words of the covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not."

And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. 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 ( Jeremiah 11:9-11 ).

What a tragic position for a person to get into where he has gone so far that God says, "That's it. Even when they cry unto Me, I'm not going to listen. They've gone too far. They've taken that step over and it's gone too far and even though they cry unto Me I will not listen." Very, very tragic indeed. And we find God even telling Jeremiah, "Look, don't even pray for them anymore. That's it. They've had it. I've had it. And I'm not going to handle anymore."

Now you remember this morning we had explained to you the historic background. Josiah the king, a good king, who had reigned for thirty-one years, who had brought the spiritual reforms, had died in a battle against Pharaoh Necho there at Megiddo. And he was killed in that battle and so Jehoahaz seized the throne.

Now Jehoahaz was an extremely wicked man and immediately reintroduced the worship of Baal and all of these other gods that Josiah had sort of cleansed out of the land. Now Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, was the most wicked king of all. He was the one that really started the whole downward trend into that never-never land of oblivion away from God. But Josiah had instituted reforms. But now Jehoahaz plunges them right back in to the sins of your forefathers or the sins that were brought upon them by Manasseh. And so God complains to them, "They have broken the covenant which I made with your fathers because you turned back to the iniquities of your forefathers." That would be during the time of Manasseh.

So God declares, verse Jeremiah 11:12 :

Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods ( Jeremiah 11:12 )

If they cry unto Me I'm not going to hear. Let them cry unto their gods.

unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble ( Jeremiah 11:12 ).

These little gods that they were worshipping had no power to help, to hear. Actually, you remember how that so often in the Psalms and in the prophecy of Isaiah God spoke out, or the psalmist spoke out against the worship of these false gods and showed the idiocy of it all. Because a man would take a stick and from this stick carve out a little idol. And with part of the stick he would kindle his fire to bake his bread. And yet to this part of the stick that he carved out as a little God he says, "That's my God." But with the same stick part of it is being burned in the fire, being consumed. And yet the idiocy to say, "Hey, this little wood thing is a god." And to pray to it and to worship and so forth, it's a work of his hands. He's created it himself. And he put eyes on it, the psalmist said, but they can't see. He put ears on it but it can't hear. He put feet on it but they can't walk. How foolish. You got a god that can't hear. You got a god that can't see. A god that can't talk.

So they'll cry unto their gods but they won't hear. Why? Because they can't hear. They are not really gods. But that's when, of course, when the chips are down, when trouble comes, that's when you really want to call upon God. But it's tragic if you've turned your back upon God so long that when you get to that place of desperation and you call upon God, you say, "O God, God, help me." And He just shakes His head and says, "I'm not your God. You haven't been worshipping Me. You've been living after your own pleasure. You've been walking after your own desires. You're not serving Me. Don't call unto Me; I'm not your God. Don't call Me God. I haven't been your God." That would be tragic indeed. And yet God said that's what's going to happen. "They'll call unto Me but I'll say, I'm not your God. You call unto your gods that you've been worshipping because I'm not going to hear you. I'm not going to answer you." For God said,

For according to the number of thy cities were also 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 to Baal ( Jeremiah 11:13 ).

Now isn't that horrible? Here is the city of God, glorious Jerusalem, on every corner an altar, an incense burning unto the god Baal.

Therefore [God said,] don't pray to me for this people ( Jeremiah 11:14 ),

Jeremiah, just don't pray to Me anymore about them.

neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble ( Jeremiah 11:14 ).

So Jeremiah is commanded not to pray for them anymore. I mean, a person is really out when God says, "Hey, don't pray for them anymore." In another place God said, "Don't pray for their good. If you do, I'm not going to hear you." How tragic when God says of a person, "That's it, that's enough, don't even pray for them anymore. They've gone too far." You say, "Is it possible for a man to go that far?" The scripture teaches it is. God said, "My Spirit will not always strive with man" ( Genesis 6:3 ). Man can go so far in his rejection of Jesus Christ that God says, "Okay, that's it. You want to live that way, you want to walk that way, have at it. But never call unto Me. For if you do, I won't even listen." "Therefore they could not believe," Joh 12:39 of his gospel. So Israel had gone over the line from which there is no return.

What hath my beloved to do in my house [God said], seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when you do evil, you rejoice in it. The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 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. And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showedst me their doings ( Jeremiah 11:15-18 ).

So this is the message that Jeremiah had to take to the people. No wonder the people didn't like it. No wonder they were going to kill him. Man, he was saying harsh things. So Jeremiah now in verse Jeremiah 11:19 speaks of himself and the problems that he was running into.

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 ).

So there were men that were conspiring to kill him.

But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins ( Jeremiah 11:20 )

Now the reins are that which guides and directs the animal. You use the reins for leading or guiding. And so that is the guiding area of your life. And a lot of people haven't given the reins over to the Lord. They're trying to guide their lives themselves. But God tries the reins.

and the heart, let me see thy vengeance ( Jeremiah 11:20 )

And now Jeremiah's praying, "Oh God, let me see Your vengeance. They're plotting to kill me, Lord. Now let me see Your vengeance."

on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause ( Jeremiah 11:20 ).

There is within the Christian circles today sort of a, I feel it's a phony kind of a, "Oh, but we're to love everybody, brother, you know, and even the wicked and all." And you know, we're never to think any thoughts of vengeance or we're never to think any thoughts of, "God destroy the wicked" kind of a thing but... and there's almost a weakness in our position against wickedness and against sin because of this prevailing attitude. "Oh well, we ought to be forgiving and all." Yes, we ought to be forgiving. Yes, we ought to love and I don't deny that and I'm not denying that. But there is also a time when we need to be calling for God's righteous judgment. And I think that a part of our whole moral laxity in the nation today has come from a very tolerant, soft attitude towards evil, towards wickedness. And I think that that's a dangerous attitude. And so Jeremiah is saying, "God, let me see Your vengeance on them: for unto Thee have I revealed my cause. God, let me see You wipe them out."

Therefore thus saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 11:21 )

God answers Jeremiah.

of the men of Anathoth, that seek your life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hands ( Jeremiah 11:21 ):

Quit prophesying in God's name, we're going to kill you.

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 a 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 ( Jeremiah 11:22-23 ).

So God promises He's going to bring judgment upon these who have conspired to kill the prophet of God.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

He had preached to the people without realizing that some of them were plotting his death. He was as unaware of their intention as a lamb going to its slaughter (cf. Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 2:21). They planned to get rid of him, the tree, as well as his messages, the fruit, so all memory of Jeremiah would end. [Note: Keil, 1:218, believed this was a proverbial or figurative saying.] This would be a tragedy since the existence of descendants demonstrated God’s blessings on one’s life under the Old Covenant.

"It will be recalled that Anathoth was the home of the priestly house of Abiathar, a friend of David. The house was deposed by Solomon, who supplanted it with the house of Zadok. Anathothites resented Jeremiah’s favoring the deposition of the sanctuaries other than Jerusalem. This seemed to them like siding with Zadok against their own ancestor Abiathar. Furthermore, being priests, they doubtless hated his castigation of empty priestly ritual." [Note: Feinberg, p. 456.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

But I was like a lamb, or an ox,.... The word "alluph", rendered an ox, is by many considered as an adjective to the word lamb n; since the disjunctive particle or is not in the next; and is differently translated; by the Vulgate Latin version, "as a meek or tame lamb"; by the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "as an harmless lamb": and by the Syriac version, "as a pure" or "clean lamb"; and by the Targum,

"as a choice lamb;''

and so R. Menachem in Jarchi, a large or principal one; but the words respect not the excellency, the meekness, patience, innocence, and harmlessness of the prophet; but his security and insensibility of danger, like one or both of these creatures:

that is brought to the slaughter; to be sacrificed by the priest, or killed by the butcher; not knowing but it is going to the pasture to feed in, or to the fold or stall to lie down in; so ignorant was the prophet of the designs of his townsmen against him, and not at all jealous that they wished him ill; since he meant none to them, but sought their good:

and I knew not that they had devised devices against me; that they had met and consulted together, and devised mischief against him:

saying, let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof; meaning either the prophet and his family, root and branch; or him and his prophecies; for taking away his life would put an end to his prophesying. Some think this respects the manner in which they proposed to take away his life, as by poison; so the Targum,

"let us cast (put) poison (or the savour of death) into his food;''

for the word rendered fruit signifies bread; and so the Septuagint, Arabic, and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "let us cast, or put wood into his bread" o; either some poisonous plant or tree, or rotten wood; or give him wood instead of bread, and so starve him. De Dieu observes, that לחם, translated "fruit", signifies, both in the Hebrew and Arabic languages, "flesh"; and renders it, "let us break wood upon his flesh", p or body; that is, beat him with staves till they are broken upon him, and so kill him. The ancient fathers understand this of Christ, who is the bread of life, and of his crucifixion upon the wood of the cross. Jerom says it is the consent of all the churches that these things are said of Christ in the person of Jeremiah, even in this and the preceding verse, and the following one:

let us cut him off from the land of the living. The Targum explains it of the land of Israel; but it designs the world in general, and the taking away of his life out of it, and from among men:

that his name may be remembered no more; that he and his prophecies may be buried in everlasting oblivion; he no more spoken of, and his predictions no more regarded: but, as they failed in the former in taking away his life, he outliving many of them, so in the latter; for as what he foretold exactly came to pass, his name and his prophesying are in remembrance to this day; and, as the wise man says, "the memory of the just is blessed", Proverbs 10:7.

n ככבש אלף "quasi agnus mansuetus", V. L. "agnus assuefactus"; so some in De Dieu; "tanquam agnus amicabilis", De Dieu; "un agneau aimable", Gallic version. o נשחיתה עץ בלחמו "mittamus lignum in panem ejus", V. L. "corrumpamus veneno cibum", Pagninus; "corrumpamus lignum in pane ejus", Montanus, Vatablus, Calvin. p "Rumpamus lignum in earnem ejus", De Dieu.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showedst me their doings.   19 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.   20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.   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:   22 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:   23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

      The prophet Jeremiah has much in his writings concerning himself, much more than Isaiah had, the times he lived in being very troublesome. Here we have (as it should seem) the beginning of his sorrows, which arose from the people of his own city, Anathoth, a priest's city, and yet a malignant one. Observe here,

      I. Their plot against him, Jeremiah 11:19; Jeremiah 11:19. They devised devices against him, laid their heads together to contrive how they might be in the most plausible and effectual manner the death of him. Malice is ingenious in its devices, as well as industrious in its prosecutions. They said concerning Jeremiah, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof--a proverbial expression, meaning, "Let us utterly destroy him root and branch. Let us destroy both the father and the family" (as, when Naboth was put to death for treason, his sons were put to death with him), or rather "both the prophet and the prophecy; let us kill the one and defeat the other. Let us cut him off from the land of the living, as a false prophet, and load him with ignominy and disgrace, that his name may be no more remembered with respect. Let us sink his reputation, and so spoil the credit of his predictions." This was their plot; and 1. It was a cruel one; but so cruel have the persecutors of God's prophets been. They hunt for no less than the precious life, and very precious the lives are that they hunt for. But, (2.) It was a baffled one. They thought to put an end to his days, but he survived most of his enemies; they thought to blast his memory, but it lives to this day, and will be blessed while time lasts.

      II. The information which God gave him of this conspiracy against him. He knew nothing of it himself, so artfully had they concealed it; he came to Anathoth, meaning no harm to them and therefore fearing no harm from them, like a lamb or an ox, that thinks he is driven as usual to the field, when he is brought to the slaughter; so little did poor Jeremiah dream of the design his citizens that hated him had upon him. None of his friends could, and none of his enemies would, give him any notice of his danger, that he might shift for his own safety, as Paul's sister's son gave him intelligence of the Jews that were lying in wait for him. There is but a step between Jeremiah and death; but then the Lord gave him knowledge of it, by dream or vision, or impression upon his spirit, that he might save himself, as the king of Israel did upon the notice Elisha gave him, 2 Kings 6:10. Thus he came to know it. God showed him their doings; and such were their devices that the discovering of them was the defeating of them. If God had not let him know his own danger, it would have been improved by unreasonable men against the reputation of his predictions, that he who foretold the ruin of his country could not foresee his own peril and avoid it. See what care God takes of his prophets: He suffers no man to do them wrong; all the rage of their enemies cannot prevail to take them off till they have finished their testimony. God knows all the secret designs of his and his people's enemies, and can, when he pleases, make them know. A bird of the air shall carry the voice.

      III. His appeal to God hereupon, Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 11:20. His eye is to God as the Lord of hosts, that judges righteously. It is a matter of comfort to us, when men deal unjustly with us, that we have a God to go to who does and will plead the cause of injured innocency and appear against the injurious. God's justice, which is a terror to the wicked, is a comfort to the godly. His eye is towards him as the God that tries the reins and the heart, that perfectly sees what is in man, what are his thoughts and intents. He knew the integrity that was in Jeremiah's heart, and that he was not the man they represented him to be. He knew the wickedness that was in their hearts, though ever so cunningly concealed and disguised. Now, 1. Jeremiah prays judgment against them: "Let me see thy vengeance on them, that is, do justice between me and them in such a way as thou pleasest." Some think there was something of human frailty in this prayer; at least Christ has taught us another lesson, both by precept and by pattern, which is to pray for our persecutors. Others think it comes from a pure zeal for the glory of God and a pious and prophetic indignation against men that were by profession priests, the Lord's ministers, and yet were so desperately wicked as to fly out against one that did them no harm, merely for the service he did to God. This petition was a prediction that he should see God's vengeance on them. 2. He refers his cause entirely to the judgment of God: "Unto thee have I revealed my cause; to thee I have committed it, not desiring nor expecting to interest any other in it." Note, It is our comfort, when we are wronged, that we have a God to commit our cause to, and our duty to commit it to him, with a resolution to acquiesce in his definitive sentence, to subscribe, and not prescribe, to him.

      IV. Judgment given against his persecutors, the men of Anathoth. It was to no purpose for him to appeal to the courts at Jerusalem, he could not have justice done him there: the priests there would stand by the priests at Anathoth, and rather second them than discountenance them; but God will therefore take cognizance of the cause himself, and we are sure that his judgment is according to truth. Here is, 1. Their crime recited, on which the sentence is grounded, Jeremiah 11:21; Jeremiah 11:21. They sought the prophet's life, for they forbad him to prophesy upon pain of death; they were resolved either to silence him or to slay him. The provocation he gave them was his prophesying in the name of the Lord without license from those that were the governors of the city which he was a member of, and not prophesying such smooth things as they always bespoke. Their forbidding him to prophesy was in effect seeking his life, for it was seeking to defeat the end and business of his life and to rob him of the comfort of it. It is as bad to God's faithful ministers to have their mouth stopped as to have their breath stopped. But especially when it was resolved that if he did prophesy, as certainly he would notwithstanding their inhibition, he should die by their hand; they would be accusers, judges, executioners, and all. It used to be said that a prophet could not perish but at Jerusalem, for there the great council sat; but so bitter were the men of Anathoth against Jeremiah that they would undertake to be the death of him themselves. A prophet then shall find not only no honour, but no favour, in his own country. 2. The sentence passed upon them for this crime, Jeremiah 11:22; Jeremiah 11:23. God says, I will punish them; let me alone to deal with them. I will visit this upon them; so the word is. God will enquire into it and reckon for it. Two of God's four sore judgments shall serve to ruin their town:--The sword shall devour their young men, though they were young priests, not men of war (their character shall not be their protection), and famine shall destroy the children, sons and daughters, that tarry at home, which is a more grievous death than that by the sword, Lamentations 4:9. The destruction shall be final (Jeremiah 11:23; Jeremiah 11:23): There shall be no remnant of them left, none to be the seed of another generation. They sought Jeremiah's life, and therefore they shall die; they would destroy him root and branch, that his name might be no more remembered, and therefore there shall be no remnant of them; and herein the Lord is righteous. Thus evil is brought upon them, even the year of their visitation, and that is evil enough, a recompence according to their deserts. Then shall Jeremiah see his desire upon his enemies. Note, Their condition is sad who have the prayers of good ministers and good people against them.