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 11:19KJVWhat does Jeremiah 11:19 mean?
Jeremiah 11:19 describes the prophet Jeremiah realizing that people were secretly plotting to kill him, comparing himself to a gentle animal led to slaughter without knowing what awaited. The verse shows Jeremiah’s shock and pain at discovering these plans, as his enemies wanted to erase him completely, so that even his memory would be forgotten.
Jeremiah himself is speaking here, describing his own experience. He did not know that people from his own community were making secret plans against him because of his prophecies. The verse uses the image of a lamb or ox (gentle, unsuspecting animals) to show how unaware and vulnerable Jeremiah felt, and the plotters’ words—“let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof”—suggest a desire to cut him off at the root, not just silence him but wipe out his legacy.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 11:19
- "lamb" (כֶּבֶשׂ, keves): This word points to a young, innocent sheep, highlighting Jeremiah’s vulnerability and innocence in the face of danger.
- "devised devices" (חָשַׁב, chashav; מְזִמָּה, mezimmah): The Hebrew words here mean to carefully plan or plot, and to make cunning schemes. This shows the deliberate and crafty nature of the threat against Jeremiah.
- "destroy" (שָׁחַת, shachat): This word often means to ruin or corrupt, not just to kill. The plotters wanted to completely ruin Jeremiah, not merely end his life.
- "tree" (עֵץ, etz) and "fruit" (פְּרִי, peri): The phrase “destroy the tree with the fruit thereof” uses a picture of cutting down a tree and its fruit, meaning to destroy both Jeremiah and anything good that might come from him.
Why Jeremiah 11:19 matters
- This verse clears up that Jeremiah was not just facing criticism but actual threats to his life from people who should have supported him.
- The verse emphasizes how deeply personal and painful the opposition was, coming from those close to him, and how thorough his enemies’ intentions were—they wanted to erase even his memory.
- Understanding this verse helps explain Jeremiah’s later prayers and laments, and it connects to the larger theme in the book of the cost of faithfully delivering God’s message.