Jeremiah 11:19But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I didn't know that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
The setting
Anathoth, Israel, ~605 BC. Jeremiah realizes his family plans to 'cut down the tree with its fruit' — destroy both him and his prophetic message...
The emotion here: devastated innocence discovering cruelty from loved ones
The original word
kebes (כֶּבֶשׂ) — young lamb, specifically one raised for sacrifice, implying innocence and trust
Why it matters
The phrase 'destroy the tree with its fruit' was an ancient idiom meaning to kill someone and destroy their legacy
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 11:19
Jeremiah had been completely trusting — he calls himself a 'gentle' lamb, showing he never suspected
Common misconceptionThis isn't about Jeremiah being weak — being 'gentle as a lamb' was his strength, not his flaw. Jesus embodied this same quality.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 11:19
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 11:19 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 11:19 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include innocent suffering, betrayal. Notable phrases: gentle lamb led to slaughter. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 11:19 mean to you, today?
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