Jeremiah 23:30

30 Therefore lo! I am ready to the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words, each man from his neighbour. (And so lo! I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words, each one from their neighbour, for their own use.)

Jeremiah 23:30 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:30

Therefore, behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the
Lord
The false prophets, with whom the Lord was displeased; he set himself against them, and was determined to bring wrath and ruin on them. So the Targum,

``therefore, behold, I send my fury against the false prophets;''

that steal my word,
or "words" ^F17, everyone from his neighbour;
either from the true prophets; beginning their prophecies as they did, with a "thus saith the Lord"; and mingling some words and phrases used by them, the better to ingratiate themselves among the people, and that they might be taken for the prophets of the Lord; as Pelagius, Austin says, used the word "grace", the better to hide his sentiments, and cause them the more easily to be received by the people: or from the false prophets; they privately meeting, and consulting, and agreeing together what they should say to the people, as if they were the words of the Lord: or else from the people themselves; lessening their esteem for the words of the Lord; making them negligent of them and indifferent to them; and causing them to forget what they had heard and received.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (yrbd) "verba mea", Munster, Pagniuus, Montanus, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 23:30 In-Context

28 A prophet that hath a dream, tell a dream; and he that hath my word, speak verily my word (A prophet who hath a dream, tell a dream; and he who hath my word, truthfully speak my word). What is with [the] chaffs to the wheat? saith the Lord.

29 Whether my words be not as fire burning, saith the Lord, and as an hammer all-breaking a stone? (Be not my words like a burning fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer breaking a stone to pieces?)

30 Therefore lo! I am ready to the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words, each man from his neighbour. (And so lo! I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words, each one from their neighbour, for their own use.)

31 Lo! I to the prophets, saith the Lord, that take their tongues, and say, The Lord saith. (Lo! I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who use their tongues, and say, The Lord saith.)

32 Lo! I to the prophets, dreaming leasing, saith the Lord; which told them, and deceived my people in their leasing, and in their miracles, when I had not sent them, neither had commanded to them; which profited nothing to this people, saith the Lord. (Lo! I am against the prophets, who dreamed lies, saith the Lord; and then told them out, and deceived my people with their lies, and with their miracles, when I had not sent them, nor had commanded to them; yea, which profited nothing for this people, saith the Lord.)