Jeremiah 15:11

YHWH Responds By Assuring Him That He Is Watching Over Him For Good For He And His Remnant Are The Hope Of The Future (Jeremiah 15:11).

YHWH's response is to encourage him by pointing out what He is doing through him, and what the future holds for him. He will act on his behalf ‘for good'. There is a difficulty in translating the word shrwthch. The natural translation would be to take it as a shortened form for ‘your remnant, those of you who remain'. Then we would read ‘Truly your remnant will be for good'. This, however, appears difficult to most (including the Masoretes) and causes them to seek an alternative which involves alterations in the text, a number of which have been suggested including, ‘I will serve/strengthen/afflict/ deliver you for good'. The Qere has here ‘I will deliver you --.' The Hebrew srr produces ‘I will afflict you --.'. The Aramaic sra produces ‘I will strengthen you --.' The use of srh produces ‘I have served you --.' The general meaning is, however, clear, that YHWH will act on his behalf and watch over him.

Jeremiah 15:11

‘YHWH said,

“Truly those of you who remain will be for good.

Truly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you,

In the time of evil,

And in the time of affliction.”

Accepting the MT ‘those who remain (faithful to YHWH)', YHWH's response to Jeremiah's despair is to assure him that while it may not appear like it, He is using him and his disciples (those who remain loyal) ‘for good'. They are the one bright spot in the gathering darkness. As with Elijah before him God has those set apart who have not bowed the knee to Baal, and they would be the foundation for the future.

Indeed in the future YHWH would cause some of those who were his enemies (opposed to him) to make supplication to him, both for his prophetic guidance, and for help in their distress, when the times of evil and affliction came on them. One example of such supplication would be Zedekiah's private consultation with Jeremiah in Jeremiah 38:14 ff.; compare also reference to enquiries in Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 37:7; Jeremiah 37:17. Note also his request for Jeremiah's prayers in Jeremiah 37:3.