Jeremiah 23:13-40

13 "And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied in Baal and caused My people Israel to err.

14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness. They are all of them unto Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: "Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land."

16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts: "Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you. They make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

17 They say still unto them that despise Me, `The LORD hath said, "Ye shall have peace."' And they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, `No evil shall come upon you.'"

18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard His word? Who hath marked His word and heard it?

19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind; it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked

20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until He has executed and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart; in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

21 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied

22 But if they had stood in My counsel and had caused My people to hear My words, then they should have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.

23 "Am I a God at hand," saith the LORD, "and not a God afar off?

24 Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him?" saith the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" saith the LORD.

25 "I have heard what the prophets said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, `I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'

26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,

27 who think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal.

28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" saith the LORD.

29 "Is not My word like as a fire?" saith the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

30 "Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," saith the LORD, "that steal My words every one from his neighbor.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets," saith the LORD, "that use their tongues and say, `He saith.'

32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams," saith the LORD, "and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them. Therefore they shall not profit this people at all," saith the LORD.

33 "And when this people or the prophet or a priest shall ask thee, saying, `What is the burden of the LORD?' thou shalt then say unto them, `What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.'

34 And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who shall say, `The burden of the LORD,' I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, `What hath the LORD answered?' and, `What hath the LORD spoken?'

36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more, for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God

37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, `What hath the LORD answered thee?' and, `What hath the LORD spoken?'

38 But since ye say, `The burden of the LORD,' therefore thus saith the LORD: Because ye say this word, `The burden of the LORD,' and I have sent unto you, saying, `Ye shall not say: The burden of the LORD,

39 therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of My presence.

40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten."

Jeremiah 23:13-40 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.