Jeremiah 23:38

38 "For if you say, 'The oracle of the LORD!' surely thus says the LORD, 'Because you said this word, "The oracle of the LORD!" I have also sent to you, saying, "You shall not say, 'The oracle of the LORD!' "

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 "For you will no longer remember the oracle of the LORD , because every man's own word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God

37 "Thus you will say to that prophet, 'What has the LORD answered you?' and, 'What has the LORD spoken?'

38 "For if you say, 'The oracle of the LORD !' surely thus says the LORD , 'Because you said this word, "The oracle of the LORD !" I have also sent to you, saying, "You shall not say, 'The oracle of the LORD !' "

39 "Therefore behold, I will surely forget you and cast you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers.

40 "I will put an everlasting reproach on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten."