Jeremiah 23:9

9 To the prophets; Mine heart is contrite, either all-broken for sorrow, in the midst of me, all my bones trembled together; I am made as a man drunken, and as a man wet of wine, of the face of the Lord, and of the face of the holy words of him (I am made like a drunken man, and like one who is wet with wine, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words);

Jeremiah 23:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:9

Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets
The false prophets, as the Targum rightly interprets it. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "to the prophets"; and makes a stop there; which agrees with the original F12; so that it may be considered as the title of what follows; it being directed to them by the prophet, to let them know his concern for them; to expose their sin, and reclaim them; who was so affected with their case, that his "heart" within him was "broken" with grief and sorrow, because of their false doctrines and wicked lives; and because of the mischief they did the people, and the ruin they brought upon them, and themselves also: all my bones shake;
with dread and horror at the iniquities committed and the judgments approaching. The word, as Jarchi says, signifies such a fluttering motion as is made by the wings of a bird hovering over its nest. The same word is used in ( Genesis 1:2 ) ; which Ben Melech refers to here. The prophet shuddered at their dreadful impiety, and at the thoughts of what was coming upon them on that account: I am like a drunken man;
that can neither speak nor stand; that knows not what to say, or which way to go; so confused and astonished was the prophet at what he saw was doing by them, and was likely to befall them: and like a man whom wine hath overcome;
or, "has passed over" F13; like waves and billows, so that he is drowned in it, and mastered by it: because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness:
because of the dishonour done to his holy name, and holy truths; because of the profanation of both in the mouths of these false prophets; they pretending to come in the name of the Lord, and to speak his words; and because of the dreadful judgments which he, the prophet, was sent to denounce against them from the Lord.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (Myabnl) "ad prophetas", V. L. "quod ad prophetat ipsos", Junius & Tremellius; "ad prophetas quod attinet", Piscator.
F13 So Kimchi and Ben Melech. (wrbe) "pertransivit", Vatablus, Montanus; "super quem transiit vinum", Pagninus, Calvin; "penetravit", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 23:9 In-Context

7 For this thing lo! days come, saith the Lord, and they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, that led the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt; (For this thing lo! days shall come, saith the Lord, and they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, who led the Israelites out of the land of Egypt;)
8 but, The Lord liveth, that led out (who led out), and brought (back) the seed of the house of Israel from the land of the north, and from all lands to which I had cast them out thither; and they shall dwell in their [own] land.
9 To the prophets; Mine heart is contrite, either all-broken for sorrow, in the midst of me, all my bones trembled together; I am made as a man drunken, and as a man wet of wine, of the face of the Lord, and of the face of the holy words of him (I am made like a drunken man, and like one who is wet with wine, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words);
10 for the land is filled with adulterers. For the earth mourned of the face of cursing; the fields of desert be made dry, the course of them is made evil, and their strength is unlike. (for the land is filled with adulterers. Because of cursing/Because of them, the earth mourned; the fields of the desert be made dry, their course is made evil, and their strength is not rightly used.)
11 For why the prophet and the priest be defouled; and in mine house, saith the Lord, I found the evil of them. (For the prophet and the priest be defiled; and I found them doing evil, even in my own House, saith the Lord.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.