Jeremías 23:1-11

1 El descendiente justo
»¡Qué aflicción les espera a los líderes de mi pueblo —los pastores de mis ovejas— porque han destruido y esparcido precisamente a las ovejas que debían cuidar!», dice el Señor
.

2 Por lo tanto, esto dice el Señor
, Dios de Israel, a los pastores: «En vez de cuidar de mis ovejas y ponerlas a salvo, las han abandonado y las han llevado a la destrucción. Ahora, yo derramaré juicio sobre ustedes por la maldad que han hecho a mi rebaño;

3 pero reuniré al remanente de mi rebaño de todos los países donde lo he expulsado. Volveré a traer a mis ovejas a su redil y serán fructíferas y crecerán en número.

4 Entonces nombraré pastores responsables que cuidarán de ellas, y nunca más tendrán temor. Ni una sola se perderá ni se extraviará. ¡Yo, el Señor
, he hablado!

5 »Pues se acerca la hora
—dice el Señor
—,
cuando levantaré a un descendiente justo
del linaje del rey David.
Él será un rey que gobernará con sabiduría;
hará lo justo y lo correcto por toda la tierra.

6 Y su nombre será:
“El Señor
es nuestra justicia”
.
En ese día Judá estará a salvo,
e Israel vivirá seguro.

7 »En ese día —dice el Señor
—, cuando la gente jure ya no dirá: “Tan cierto como que el Señor
vive, quien rescató al pueblo de Israel de la tierra de Egipto”.

8 En cambio, dirán: “Tan cierto como que el Señor
vive, quien trajo a Israel de regreso a su propia tierra desde la tierra del norte y de todos los países a donde él los envió al destierro”. Entonces vivirán en su propia tierra».

9 Juicio a los falsos profetas
Mi corazón está destrozado debido a los falsos profetas,
y me tiemblan los huesos.
Me tambaleo como un borracho,
como alguien dominado por el vino,
debido a las santas palabras
que el Señor
ha pronunciado contra ellos.

10 Pues la tierra está llena de adulterio,
y está bajo una maldición.
La tierra está de luto;
los pastos del desierto están resecos.
Todos hacen lo malo
y abusan del poder que tienen.

11 «Aun los sacerdotes y los profetas
son hombres malvados que no tienen a Dios.
He visto sus hechos despreciables
aquí mismo en mi propio templo
—dice el Señor
—.

Jeremías 23:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 23

This chapter contains threatenings to the Jewish governors, and to their priests and prophets, on account of their manifold sins; intermixed with gracious promises to the Lord's people, and particularly with a famous promise of the Messiah. The pastors or governors of Israel are charged with scattering and driving away the Lord's flock, for which they are threatened, Jer 23:1,2; and a promise is made of the gathering of the remnant of them, and of setting up other shepherds over them, under whom they should increase, and be comfortable, Jer 23:3,4; particularly the Messiah is promised; as David's righteous Branch; as a prosperous and righteous King; as the author of righteousness to his people, under whom they should have salvation and safety, Jer 23:5,6; so that in comparison of this salvation, the deliverance out of Egypt should not be spoken of, Jer 23:7,8; and then follows a sad complaint of the priests and prophets; of their profaneness, their adultery, swearing, lying, hypocrisy, and deception of the people; for all which they are severely threatened, Jer 23:9-15; wherefore the people are exhorted not to hearken to them, promising them peace and safety; whereas, by attending to the word of God, it might easily be seen that a storm of wrath was gone forth, and was ready to break, and would fall upon the head of the wicked, to the executing of the thoughts and purposes of God's heart, Jer 23:16-20; and the Lord declares he had not sent these prophets, as might be known from their not turning the people from their evil ways, Jer 23:21,22; whose conduct and behaviour could not be hid from the sight of the Lord, nor their prophecies from his ears, which were no other than dreams, and the deceits of their own hearts; and there was as great a difference between them and the word of the Lord, as between chaff and wheat; seeing his word in his hand is of great virtue and efficacy, whereas there was none in theirs, Jer 23:23-29; wherefore the Lord declares himself to be against these prophets, for stealing his word from their neighbour; for making use of his name, when they were not sent by him; and for causing the people to err by their lies, Jer 23:30-32; and both people, priest, and prophet, are severely threatened for jeering and scoffing at the word of the Lord, calling it the burden of the Lord; which phrase they are forbid to use in a sneering way; and should they persist in it, they are told that God would forsake and forget them, and cast them out, and everlastingly punish them, Jer 23:39,40.