Jeremiah 11:21
New International Version
Therefore this is what the LORD says about the people of Anathoth who are threatening to kill you, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD or you will die by our hands"—

New Living Translation
This is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the LORD’s name.”

English Standard Version
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand”—

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.”

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
“Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, lest you die by our hand’—

New American Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, saying: “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, so that you do not die by our hand”;

NASB 1995
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, so that you will not die at our hand";

NASB 1977
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you might not die at our hand”;

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, so that you will not die at our hand”;

Amplified Bible
Therefore thus says the LORD regarding the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, so that you will not die by our hand.”

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, here is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who intend to take your life. They warn, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will certainly die at our hand.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, here is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who want to take your life. They warn, “You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, or you will certainly die at our hand.”

American Standard Version
Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, that thou die not by our hand;

Contemporary English Version
Then the LORD said: Jeremiah, some men from Anathoth say they will kill you, if you keep on speaking for me.

English Revised Version
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is what the LORD says: The people of Anathoth want to kill you. They say, "Don't prophesy in the name of the LORD, or we'll kill you."

Good News Translation
The people of Anathoth wanted me killed, and they told me that they would kill me if I kept on proclaiming the LORD's message.

International Standard Version
Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who seek to kill you, all the while threatening you, "Don't prophesy in the name of the LORD so you won't die by our hand!"

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.”

NET Bible
Then the LORD told me about some men from Anathoth who were threatening to kill me. They had threatened, "Stop prophesying in the name of the LORD or we will kill you!"

New Heart English Bible
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek my life, saying, "You shall not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you not die by our hand;"

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

World English Bible
“Therefore Yahweh says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in Yahweh’s name, that you not die by our hand’—
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Therefore, thus said YHWH concerning the men of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the Name of YHWH, and you do not die by our hands.”

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, thus said Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, who are seeking thy life, saying: Do not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, And thou dost not die by our hands.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this, thus said Jehovah, concerning the men of Anathoth seeking my soul, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, and thou shalt not die by our hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord to the men of Anathoth, who seek thy life, and say: Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and thou shalt not die in our hands.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Because of this, thus says the Lord to the men of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, and who are saying: ‘You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and you shall not die by our hands.’

New American Bible
Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD; otherwise you shall die by our hand.”

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “You shall not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand”—
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you may not die by our hands:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, thus says LORD JEHOVAH about the men of Anathoth who seek your soul, and they were saying: “You shall not prophecy in the Name of LORD JEHOVAH, that you will not die by our hands!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying: 'Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand';

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, Thou shalt not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if thou dost, thou shalt die by our hands:
Audio Bible



Context
The Plot Against Jeremiah
20O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause. 21Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.” 22So this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine.…

Cross References
Matthew 13:57
And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

John 4:44
Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.

Luke 4:24
Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

Mark 6:4
Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

John 15:18-20
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. / Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

Matthew 10:21-22
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. / You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

Luke 21:16-17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death. / And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

John 16:2
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Acts 9:23
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

1 Samuel 23:12
So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.

1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

2 Chronicles 24:21
But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore thus said the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek your life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that you die not by our hand:

that seek.

Jeremiah 12:5,6
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? …

Jeremiah 20:10
For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

Micah 7:6
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

prophesy.

Isaiah 30:10
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

Amos 2:12
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

Amos 7:13-16
But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court…

thou.

Jeremiah 20:1,2
Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things…

Jeremiah 38:1-6
Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, …

Matthew 21:35
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

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Jeremiah 11
1. Jeremiah proclaims God's covenant;
8. rebukes the peoples' disobeying thereof;
11. prophesies evils to come upon them;
18. and upon the men of Anathoth, for conspiring to kill him.














Therefore this is what the LORD says
This phrase introduces a divine pronouncement, underscoring the authority and sovereignty of God. In Hebrew, "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This introduction signals that the message is not Jeremiah's own but a direct communication from God, highlighting the seriousness and divine origin of the warning.

concerning the men of Anathoth
Anathoth was a town in the territory of Benjamin, known as the hometown of Jeremiah. The mention of "the men of Anathoth" is significant because it indicates that the prophet faced opposition from his own community. This reflects a broader biblical theme where prophets are often without honor in their own country (cf. Matthew 13:57). Historically, Anathoth was a Levitical city, which adds irony to the situation, as those who should have been spiritually supportive were instead adversarial.

who are seeking your life
This phrase reveals the severity of the threat against Jeremiah. The Hebrew root for "seeking" (בקש, baqash) implies an active pursuit, indicating that the opposition was not passive but involved a deliberate intent to harm. This reflects the intense resistance faced by prophets who spoke God's truth, often at great personal risk.

and saying, 'You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD'
The demand to cease prophesying "in the name of the LORD" highlights the rejection of God's message by the people of Anathoth. The phrase "in the name of the LORD" signifies speaking with divine authority. This opposition is not merely against Jeremiah but against God Himself, as the prophet is His mouthpiece. Historically, this reflects a common pattern where God's messengers are silenced by those who reject divine correction.

or you will die by our hand
This threat of death underscores the extreme hostility towards Jeremiah. The phrase "by our hand" indicates a personal and communal responsibility for the intended violence. In the broader biblical context, this reflects the cost of discipleship and the reality that those who stand for God's truth may face persecution, even to the point of death. This echoes Jesus' teaching that His followers would face similar opposition (cf. John 15:18-20).

(21) Thus saith the Lord.--The "men of Anathoth," it would seem, had at first tried to stop the preaching of Jeremiah by threats, as Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, had tried to stop that of Amos (Amos 7:12-13). Failing in this, after the manner of the men of Nazareth in their attack on the Christ (Luke 4:28-29), and of the later Jews in their dealings with St. Paul, they conspired against his life (Acts 9:23; Acts 9:29; Acts 14:19; Acts 23:12). . . . Verse 21. - Prophesy not, etc. The men of Anathoth tried first of all to effect their object by threatening. In the name of the Lord should be rather, by the name, etc. The phrase is exactly parallel to Psalm 55:1, "Save me, O God, by thy Name, and judge me by thy strength." The Name of God is equivalent to his revealed presence or personality. Baal's prophets prophesied "by Baal" (Jeremiah 2:8), i.e. by an impulse thought to proceed from Baal; Jehovah's by the consciousness of his revealed presence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore,
לָכֵ֗ן (lā·ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

this is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

says
אָמַ֤ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

concerning
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the people
אַנְשֵׁ֣י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of Anathoth
עֲנָת֔וֹת (‘ă·nā·ṯō·wṯ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6068: Anathoth -- a place near Jerusalem, also two Israelites

who are seeking
הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֥ים (ham·ḇaq·šîm)
Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

your life
נַפְשְׁךָ֖ (nap̄·šə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

and saying,
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You must not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

prophesy
תִנָּבֵא֙ (ṯin·nā·ḇê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5012: To prophesy, speak, by inspiration

in the name
בְּשֵׁ֣ם (bə·šêm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

or you will die
תָמ֖וּת (ṯā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

by our hand.”
בְּיָדֵֽנוּ׃ (bə·yā·ḏê·nū)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 11:21 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men (Jer.)
Jeremiah 11:20
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