Jeremiah 23:34

34 "And the prophet, and the priest, and the people who say, 'The burden of Yahweh,' I will punish that man and his house.

Jeremiah 23:34 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:34

And [as for] the prophet, and the priest, and the people
Be they one or the other, or all of them; no regard will be had to their character and office, rank and dignity: that shall say, the burden of the Lord;
using that phrase in a bantering and ludicrous manner: I will even punish that man and his house;
not only he, but his family, shall suffer for it. This shows how much it is resented by the Lord, and what a dangerous thing it is to lampoon the word of God, to make a jest of Scripture phrases, or to joke with them; this is foolish jesting, which is not convenient, yea, impious and abominable. It is also hard jesting with edge tools.

Jeremiah 23:34 In-Context

32 Look, I [am] against those who prophesy dreams of lies," {declares} Yahweh, "and tell them, and they caused my people to err through their lies, and in their recklessness, when I myself have not sent them nor commanded them, so they profit not this people at all," {declares} Yahweh.

33 "Now when this people, or a prophet, or a priest, ask you, {saying}, 'What [is] the burden of Yahweh?' then you shall say to them, '{You are the burden}, and I will forsake you,'" {declares} Yahweh.

34 "And the prophet, and the priest, and the people who say, 'The burden of Yahweh,' I will punish that man and his house.

35 Thus you shall say, each one to his neighbor and each one to his brother: 'What has Yahweh answered?' or, 'What has Yahweh spoken?'

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

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "oracle"