Jeremiah 11:14

As 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Jeremiah regarding Judah and Jerusalem during a period of rampant idolatry and covenant violation. The prophet is instructed to halt intercession as impending national disaster approaches.

The words — תִּתְפַּלֵּל (tit.pa.Lel) = you pray and תִּשָּׂ֥א (ti.Sa') = you lift up form the core prohibition against interceding on behalf of the people.

The thread — This command to cease prayer for rebellious Judah recurs in Jeremiah 7:16 and Jeremiah 14:11, establishing a pattern of withdrawn divine hearing during settled judgment.

Why it lands — The text explicitly forbids prayer and declares God will not listen when disaster strikes. It requires the reader to acknowledge that persistent covenant rebellion can reach a point where intercessory prayer is no longer effective.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאַתָּ֗הve./'a.Tahand/ you אַל־'al-may not תִּתְפַּלֵּל֙tit.pa.Lelyou pray בְּעַד־be.'ad-for הָעָ֣םha./'Amthe/ people הַזֶּ֔הha./Zeh<the>/ this וְאַל־ve./'al-and/ may not תִּשָּׂ֥אti.Sa'you lift up בַעֲדָ֖םva.'a.Da/mfor/ them רִנָּ֣הri.Naha cry of entreaty וּתְפִלָּ֑הu./te.fi.Lahand/ a prayer כִּ֣יkifor אֵינֶ֣נִּי'ei.Ne./ninot/ I שֹׁמֵ֗עַsho.Me.a'[will be] listening בְּעֵ֛תbe./'Etat/ [the] time קָרְאָ֥םka.re.'A/mcall out/ they אֵלַ֖י'e.La/ito/ me בְּעַ֥דbe.'Adfor רָעָתָֽם׃ סra.'a.Ta/mcalamity/ their

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 7:16 As 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.
Jeremiah 11:11 Therefore 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.
Jeremiah 14:11 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
1 John 5:16 If 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 to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.
Exodus 32:10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
Psalms 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Proverbs 26:24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
Jeremiah 15:1 Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go!
Hosea 5:6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.