Jeremiah 11:14
in Jeremiah 11As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me in their time of disaster.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble.
KJV
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
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This verse in Jeremiah 11
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 14.) So you, do not pray for this people, and do not take on praise and prayer for them: for I will not listen to their cry to me, in the time of their affliction. It is commanded to Jeremiah, not to intercede for them to the Lord, for their sentence is already accomplished: lest his prayer appear weak, and not be heard because of their own wickedness.
This site's exposition
do not pray for these people
on Jeremiah 11:14-17
The order “do not pray for these people” repeats 7:16 nearly word for word. The LORD “once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit”. Verse 16 then turns the tree to kindling, “He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed”.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Or having sins unrepented they ask mercy, which thing it is impossible to receive, not only if themselves ask it, but although others having much confidence towards God entreat for them, like as even Jeremiah praying for the Jews did hear, "Pray not thou for this people, because I will not hear thee." But if all things are there, and thou ask things expedient, and contribute all thine own part, and exhibit an apostolical life, and have concord and love towards thy neighbor, thou wilt obtain on thy entreaty; for the Lord is loving towards man.
"How then do they not obtain all things?" Because many are causes of their failing. For either they often ask things inexpedient. And why marvellest thou, if this is the case with some others, whereas it was so even with Paul, when he heard, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is perfected in weakness." Or they are unworthy to be reckoned with them that heard these words, and contribute not their own part, but He seeks for such as are like them; therefore He saith "of you," of the virtuous, of them that show forth an angelic rule of life. Or they pray against them that have aggrieved them, seeking for redress and vengeance; and this kind of thing is forbidden, for, "Pray," saith He, "for your enemies." Or having sins unrepented they ask mercy, which thing it is impossible to receive, not only if themselves ask it, but although others having much confidence towards God entreat for them, like as even Jeremiah praying for the Jews did hear, "Pray not thou for this people, because I will not hear thee."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Therefore pray not thou for this people,....
Those are in a sad case indeed that are cut off from the benefit of prayer. " I will not hear them when they cry, and therefore to not thou pray for them." Note, Those that have so far thrown themselves out of God's favour that he will not hear their prayers cannot expect benefit by the prayers of others for them.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Therefore pray not thou for this people - I am determined to give them up into the hands of their enemies; I will neither hear thy intercession, nor regard their prayers. Their measure is full.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
There is a climax of guilt which admits of no further intercessory prayer (Ex 32:10, in the Chaldee version, "leave off praying"; Our mind should be at one with God in all that He is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate. for their trouble--on account of their trouble.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A parenthesis. As in Jer 7:16, all intercession is forbidden, and for this reason. Prayer for others for the forgiveness of their sins avails only when they also pray. The cry of the people now was that of the guilty smarting under punishment, not of the penitent mourning over sin. Jer 11:15 This passage, like Isa 1:12, rebukes the inconsistency of Judah’s public worship of Yahweh with their private immorality and preference for idolatry. Translate it: “What hath My beloved in My house to practice guile there? The great men and the holy flesh (i. e., the sacrifices) shall pass away from thee.” Jer 11:16 The “goodly” or “shapely fruit,” signifies the righteousness and faith which ought to have been the result of Israel’s possession of extraordinary privileges. The tree did not bear this fruit, and God now destroys it by a thunderstorm.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
What has my beloved to do in My house What reason has My treasured people to come anymore into My house?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּתְפַּלֵּל֙ | titpalel | you pray | H6419 → | 84 times |
| בְּעַד־ | bead- | for | H1157 → | 105 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּ֔ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וְאַל־ | veal- | and may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּשָּׂ֥א | tisa' | you lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| בַעֲדָ֖ם | vaadam | for them | H1157 → | 105 times |
| רִנָּ֣ה | rinah | a cry of entreaty | H7440 → | 33 times |
| וּתְפִלָּ֑ה | utefilah | and a prayer | H8605 → | |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵינֶ֣נִּי | ʾeineni | not I | H369 → | 789 times |
| שֹׁמֵ֗עַ | shomea' | [will be] listening | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּעֵ֛ת | beet | at [the] time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| קָרְאָ֥ם | kaream | call out they | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אֵלַ֖י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּעַ֥ד | bead | for | H1157 → | 105 times |
| רָעָתָֽם׃ ס | raatam | calamity their | H7451 → | 662 times |
וְאַתָּ֗הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּתְפַּלֵּל֙you pray
titpalelH6419 →84 times
בְּעַד־for
bead-H1157 →105 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּ֔ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
וְאַל־and may not
veal-H408 →724 times
תִּשָּׂ֥אyou lift up
tisa'H5375 →656 times
בַעֲדָ֖םfor them
vaadamH1157 →105 times
רִנָּ֣הa cry of entreaty
rinahH7440 →33 times
וּתְפִלָּ֑הand a prayer
utefilahH8605 →
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵינֶ֣נִּיnot I
ʾeineniH369 →789 times
שֹׁמֵ֗עַ[will be] listening
shomea'H8085 →1159 times
בְּעֵ֛תat [the] time
beetH6256 →296 times
קָרְאָ֥םcall out they
kareamH7121 →733 times
אֵלַ֖יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
בְּעַ֥דfor
beadH1157 →105 times
רָעָתָֽם׃ סcalamity their
raatamH7451 →662 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 5:16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads…
it leads to
- Hebrews 6:4–6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- 1 Samuel 2:25
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since…
- Hebrews 10:26–31
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
- Mark 3:28–30
Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.
- Luke 12:10
And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
- Hebrews 6:4–6
Through
Jeremiah 11:11Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 1:15
Through
Exodus 32:10Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 9:14
Leave Me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. Then I will make you into a nation mightier and greater than they are.”
- Deuteronomy 9:14
Through
Jeremiah 7:16As for you, do not pray for these people, do not offer a plea or petition on their behalf, and do not beg Me, for I will not listen to you.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 14:11–12
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
- Jeremiah 14:11–12
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 60:2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.