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:

JEREMIAH 11:21KJV
Know the Bible

Jeremiah 11:21 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 11:21 mean?

Jeremiah 11:21 records God’s message about the men of Anathoth, who threatened Jeremiah’s life and warned him to stop prophesying in God’s name or be killed by them. The verse shows that Jeremiah faced real danger from his own townspeople because he spoke God’s words.

In this verse, God is speaking about the people of Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown. These men are so opposed to Jeremiah’s prophecies that they threaten to kill him if he continues to speak in the name of the LORD. This situation highlights the hostility Jeremiah faced, not from foreign enemies, but from his own community, because he delivered unpopular messages from God.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 11:21

  • "seek" (בָּקַשׁ, baqash): This word means to search for or desire, and here it shows that the men of Anathoth were actively plotting against Jeremiah’s life, not just passively disliking him.
  • "life" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): Often translated as "life" or "soul," this word emphasizes that the threat was not just to Jeremiah’s reputation or comfort, but to his very existence.
  • "Prophesy" (נָבָא, nava’): This verb means to speak as a prophet, specifically delivering messages from God. The men’s demand that Jeremiah stop prophesying "in the name of the LORD" (בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה, b’shem YHWH) shows their rejection of both Jeremiah’s message and God’s authority.

Why Jeremiah 11:21 matters

  • Jeremiah 11:21 clears up any idea that Jeremiah’s opposition came only from outsiders; it shows the prophet’s own neighbors were willing to threaten his life to silence God’s message.
  • The verse highlights the cost of faithfully speaking God’s words, even when it brings personal danger and rejection from one’s own community.
  • This threat sets the stage for God’s response in the following verses, where God promises to deal with those who oppose His prophet, reinforcing the seriousness of rejecting God’s message.

Where else these words appear

“Anathoth” Hebrew H6068 · used in 15 verses

  • Joshua 21:18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
  • Ezra 2:23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
  • Jeremiah 1:1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

“Prophesy” Hebrew H5012 · used in 102 verses

  • Numbers 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
  • Jeremiah 20:6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
  • Ezekiel 13:16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.