Jeremiah 23:38

38 But if you say, 'The burden of Yahweh,' {therefore} thus says Yahweh, 'because of your saying these words, "The burden of Yahweh," then I will send to you, {saying}, "You shall not say, 'The burden of Yahweh.'"

Jeremiah 23:38 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:38

But since ye say, the burden of the Lord
Seeing, notwithstanding all prohibitions of it, and directions to the contrary, they still persisted to call prophecy by this name, and that in a jocose and bantering way, and asked for it, and what it was, in a scoffing manner: therefore thus saith the Lord, because you say this word, the burden
of the Lord;
will continue to use it, though so displeasing to me: and I have sent unto you, saying, ye shall not say, the burden of the
Lord;
and therefore could not plead ignorance of his will, or excuse themselves, by saying they would have avoided it, had they known it was disagreeable to him: this was an aggravation of their impiety, that they should obstinately persist in it, after he had remonstrated against it by his messages to them.

Jeremiah 23:38 In-Context

36 But you shall not mention the burden of Yahweh, for the burden is to each one his word, and so you twist the words of [the] living God, Yahweh of hosts, our God

37 Thus you shall say to that prophet, 'What has Yahweh answered you?' or, 'What has Yahweh spoken?'

38 But if you say, 'The burden of Yahweh,' {therefore} thus says Yahweh, 'because of your saying these words, "The burden of Yahweh," then I will send to you, {saying}, "You shall not say, 'The burden of Yahweh.'"

39 {Therefore} look, here I am, and I will surely lift you up and forsake you and the city that I gave to you and to your ancestors from {my presence},

40 and I will bring upon you {an everlasting disgrace} and {an everlasting shame} that will not be forgotten."

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "oracle"
• [b]. Literally "to thus"
• [c]. Hebrew "word"
• [d]. Or "oracle"
• [e]. Literally "to say"
• [f]. Or "oracle"