The People Respond In Vindictiveness To Jeremiah's Message (Jeremiah 18:18).
The people were not best pleased with Jeremiah's prophecies and asked themselves whether in fact they really needed him when they were surrounded with those who could give them the good advice that they needed.
‘Then they said, “Come, and let us scheme schemes against Jeremiah, for the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
Comparison with Jeremiah 18:11 demonstrates that they are indulging in tit for tat. So according to Jeremiah YHWH would ‘devise devices' against them would He? Very well then. They will devise devices (plan strategies) against Jeremiah. For why did they need him? Did they not have the priests to expound to them the Law, the wise men to give them counsel and advice, and the prophets to bring them the word of YHWH? (An interesting depiction of the various talents seen as available in Judah, compare Ezekiel 7:26). And was it likely that their talents and knowledge would all suddenly disappear? (Compare Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 8:9 for YHWH's assessment of such people).
Their plan was to destroy Jeremiah with their words (‘with the tongue'), while at the same time refusing to listen to him (although easier said than done). They would accuse him of being a false prophet whose prophecies never came about (they asked themselves in a superior tone, had they not waited long enough?), they would spread slanders about him (compare Jeremiah 9:2; Jeremiah 9:4; Jeremiah 9:7), they would seek to demean him as a fanatic, and if he was not careful they would shut his mouth for good. Furthermore they would cover up their ears when he spoke. Once they had finished with him he would not know where to put himself.