the words. Plural, indicating the many utterances of "this covenant". this covenant. The old covenant of Exodus had been specially renewed by Judah in Jeremiah's days, under Josiah, in his eighteenth year (2 Kings 23:1-3 ). Judah. Emphasized by repeated reference here. Compare verses: Jeremiah 11:2 , Jeremiah 11:6 , Jeremiah 11:9 , Jeremiah 2:10 , Jeremiah 2:12 , Jeremiah 2:13 , Jeremiah 2:17 . read more
2. this covenant—alluding to the book of the law (Deuteronomy 31:26) found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, five years after Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (Deuteronomy 31:26- :). Hear ye—Others besides Jeremiah were to promulgate God's will to the people; it was the duty of the priests to read the law to them (Deuteronomy 31:26- :). read more
The Lord’s Word again came to Jeremiah. The prophet was to listen to the words of the Mosaic Covenant, and then address the people of Judah and Jerusalem. read more
3. Warnings in view of present conditions 11:1-15:9This collection of warnings in view of present conditions can be divided into two parts: seven pericopes dealing with the consequences of breaking the Mosaic Covenant (chs. 11-13); and three laments describing the coming invasion (Jeremiah 14:1 to Jeremiah 15:9).The consequences of breaking the covenant chs. 11-13This section provides an explanation for God’s judgment on His people: the Judahites broke the Mosaic Covenant. It also contains two... read more
The broken covenant 11:1-17This passage consists of five short parts (Jeremiah 11:1-17). Most scholars believe it dates from the reign of Josiah, perhaps after the discovery of the Law but before he initiated his reforms (about 621 B.C.; cf. 2 Chronicles 34:8-33). read more
Jeremiah’s Sixth Prophecy (Reign of Josiah). The Broken Covenant entails a CurseThese chapters form a connected prophecy. They probably belong to Josiah’s time, for (a) ’the words of this covenant’ (Jeremiah 11:3) seem to refer to the reading of the newly discovered law mentioned in 2 Kings 23:3; (b) Jeremiah has not yet removed from Anathoth to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 11:21), and (c) the apparent allusion (Jeremiah 12:4) to a drought accords with similar references in prophecies belonging to... read more
1-14. Punishment must follow faithlessness.3. Cursed, etc.] cp. the language of the warnings in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 27:15-26), a book with which this passage has other features in common. 4. The iron furnace] the brickkilns of the bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1:14) may have given rise to the figure as expressive of affliction. 6. The cities of Judah] Jeremiah may have accompanied Josiah in the journey which he made to Bethel and to the cities of Samaria for the overthrow of idolatry (2 Kings... read more
(2) The words of this covenant.—The phrase had obviously acquired a definite and special sense in consequence of the discovery of the lost book of the Law under Josiah, and the covenant into which the people had then entered (comp. 2 Kings 23:3). The “curse” under which the people had fallen was practically identical with that in Deuteronomy 27:26, the word “obeyeth” being substituted for “confirmeth.” read more
CHAPTER VIITHE BROKEN COVENANTJeremiah 11:1-23 and Jeremiah 12:1-17THERE is no visible break between these two chapters. They seem to summarise the history of a particular episode in the prophet’s career. At the same time, the style is so peculiar that it is not so easy as it might appear at a first glance to determine exactly what it is that the section has to tell us. When we come to take a closer look at it, we find a thoroughly characteristic mixture of direct narrative and soliloquy, of... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 11:1-17
The broken covenant (11:1-17)God had made a covenant with Israel after the people came out of Egypt, assuring them of blessing if they obeyed his law and punishment if they disobeyed. God now tells Jeremiah to remind the people of these conditions of the covenant (11:1-5). Past lessons should be a warning to them that unless they change their ways, they are heading for disaster (6-8). However, the people prefer to ignore the warnings. Like their forefathers they rebel against God and follow... read more