Jeremiah 5:13

13 The prophets become [only] wind, for the [Lord's] word is not in them. This will in fact happen to them.

Jeremiah 5:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 5:13

And the prophets shall become wind
Their prophecies shall vanish into air; they shall become of no effect; they shall never be accomplished: and the word is not in them;
not the word of the Lord; he never spoke by them; they speak of themselves; they never were inspired or commissioned by him to say what they do: thus shall it be done unto them; the same evils they say shall befall us shall come upon them; they shall perish by the sword or famine; we have reason to believe that our predictions are as good as theirs, and will be fulfilled: or, "thus let it be done to them" ^F25; as they have prophesied shall be done to us; and so are an imprecation. The Targum interprets the whole of the false prophets, as if they were the words of the Lord concerning them, which is,

``but the false prophets shall be for nothing, and their false prophecy shall not be confirmed; this revenge shall be taken of them;''

and so Kimchi interprets it of the prophets that prophesied peace to them, and said that the above mentioned should not come upon them; and Jarchi takes the last clause to be the words of the prophet to them that say the above words; namely, that thus it shall be done to them, what the Lord has said.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (Mhl hvey hk) "sic fiat illis"; so some in Vatablus; "sic eveniat ipsis", Cocceius.

Jeremiah 5:13 In-Context

11 They, the house of Israel and the house of Judah, have dealt very treacherously with Me. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration.

12 They have contradicted the Lord and insisted, "It won't happen. Harm won't come to us; we won't see sword or famine."

13 The prophets become [only] wind, for the [Lord's] word is not in them. This will in fact happen to them.

14 Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Hosts says: Because you have spoken this word, I am going to make My words become fire in your mouth. These people are the wood, and the fire will consume them.

15 I am about to bring a nation from far away against you, house of Israel. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand.