Jeremiah 23:31

31 ecce ego ad prophetas ait Dominus qui adsumunt linguas suas et aiunt dicit Dominus

Jeremiah 23:31 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:31

Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the Lord
Not another sort of prophets distinct from the former, or those that follow; but the same under another character, and against whom he was, and set his face on another occasion; that use their tongues;
at their pleasure, their lips being their own. So the Targum,

``who prophesy according to the will of their own hearts;''
talk in a haughty and insolent manner, speaking bold and daring things of the divine Being; or in a boasting bragging manner, extolling themselves, and speaking highly in their own commendations; or rather in a flattering way to the people: so some read it, by a transposition of a radical letter F18, "that smooth their tongues", as Kimchi; or speak smooth things with their tongues, to please the people: and say, he saith;
that is, "the Lord", as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions express it; that so they, night be the more easily believed by the people; but this was highly provoking to God, to father their lies and falsehoods upon him.
FOOTNOTES:

F18 (Myxqwlh) "hic pro" (Myqylxmh) "qui lenificant linguam suam", Pagninus, Gataker; "sumentes blandam linguan suam", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 23:31 In-Context

29 numquid non verba mea sunt quasi ignis ait Dominus et quasi malleus conterens petram
30 propterea ecce ego ad prophetas ait Dominus qui furantur verba mea unusquisque a proximo suo
31 ecce ego ad prophetas ait Dominus qui adsumunt linguas suas et aiunt dicit Dominus
32 ecce ego ad prophetas somniantes mendacium ait Dominus qui narraverunt ea et seduxerunt populum meum in mendacio suo et in miraculis suis cum ego non misissem eos nec mandassem eis qui nihil profuerunt populo huic dicit Dominus
33 si igitur interrogaverit te populus iste vel propheta aut sacerdos dicens quod est onus Domini dices ad eos ut quid vobis onus proiciam quippe vos dicit Dominus
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.