And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

JEREMIAH 11:9KJV
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Jeremiah 11:9 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 11:9 mean?

Jeremiah 11:9 presents the people’s disobedience as a shared revolt. The LORD tells Jeremiah that a conspiracy has been found among the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Their conduct is not portrayed as merely a collection of separate, private choices.

The word “conspiracy” pictures people joined in a common purpose. After the warnings about failing to obey in verse 8, the LORD’s words to Jeremiah give a name to the trouble among the people.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 11:9

  • “conspiracy” — קֶשֶׁר (qesher): The word can mean a plot or a joining together. Here it gives the people’s conduct the character of a shared revolt.
  • “found” — מָצָא (matsaʾ): This word often means to find or discover. Here it presents the conspiracy as something brought to light.

Why Jeremiah 11:9 matters

  • The accusation reaches both the wider land and its chief city. The verse names “the men of Judah” and “the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
  • The surrounding passage identifies the direction of the revolt. In verse 10, the LORD says the people have turned back to the wrongs of their ancestors and gone after other gods.
  • Jeremiah receives the accusation from the LORD. The opening words, “the LORD said unto me,” present the judgment as the LORD’s message to the prophet.

Where else these words appear

“conspiracy” Hebrew H7195 · used in 13 verses

  • 2 Samuel 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
  • 2 Kings 14:19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
  • 2 Chronicles 23:13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.