Jeremiah — Chapter 23

Ah, shepherds who let the flock of My pasture stray and scatter!—declares GOD.

Assuredly, thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who should tend My people: It is you who let My flock scatter and go astray. You gave no thought to them, but I am going to give thought to you, for your wicked acts—declares GOD.

And I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, where they shall be fertile and increase.

And I will appoint over them shepherds who will tend them; they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, and none of them shall be missing—declares GOD.

See, a time is coming—declares GOD—when I will raise up a true branch of David’s line. He shall reign as king and shall prosper, and he shall do what is just and right in the land.

In his days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is the name by which he shall be called: “GOD is our Vindicator.”aGOD is our Vindicator Heb. Yhwh ṣidqenu. Presumably a play on the name of King Zedekiah.

Assuredly, a time is coming—declares GOD—when it shall no more be said, “As GOD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt,”

but rather, “As GOD lives, who brought out and led the offspring of the House of Israel from the northland and from all the lands to which I have banished them.” And they shall dwell upon their own soil.

Concerning the prophets.My heart is crushed within me,All my bones are trembling;btrembling Meaning of Heb. uncertain. I have become like someone drunk,Like one overcome by wine—Because of GOD and because of God’s holy word.

For the land is full of adulterers,The land mourns because of a curse;ca curse A few Heb. mss. and Septuagint read “these.” The pastures of the wilderness are dried up.For they run to do evil,They strain to do wrong.dFor they run to do evil, / They strain to do wrong Lit. “Their running is wickedness, / Their straining is iniquity.”

For both prophet and priest are godless;Even in My House I find their wickedness—declares GOD.

Assuredly,Their path shall becomeLike slippery ground;They shall be thrust into darknessAnd there they shall fall;For I will bring disaster upon them,The year of their doom—declares GOD.

In the prophets of SamariaI saw a repulsive thing:They prophesied by BaalAnd led My people Israel astray.

But what I see in the prophets of JerusalemIs something horrifying:Adultery and false dealing.They encourage evildoers,So that no one turns back from their own wickedness.To Me they are all like Sodom,And [all] its inhabitants like Gomorrah.

Assuredly, thus said GOD of Hosts concerning the prophets:I am going to make them eat wormwoodAnd drink a bitter draft;For from the prophets of JerusalemGodlessness has gone forth to the whole land.

Thus said GOD of Hosts:Do not listen to the words of the prophetsWho prophesy to you.They are deluding you,The prophecies they speak are from their own minds,Not from the mouth of GOD.

They declare to those who despise Me: GOD has said:“All shall be well with you”;And to all who follow their willful hearts they say:“No evil shall befall you.”

But he who has stood in GOD’s council,And seen, and heard God’s word—He who has listened to that word must obey.eobey Change of vocalization yields “announce it”; cf. vv. 22, 28.

Lo, GOD’s storm goes forth in fury,A whirling storm,It shall whirl down upon the heads of the wicked.

The anger of GOD shall not turn backTill it has fulfilled and completed God’s purposes.fLo, GOD’s storm … completed God’s purposes The word of God that Jeremiah referred to in v. 18. In the days to comeYou shall clearly perceive it.

I did not send those prophets,But they rushed in;I did not speak to them,Yet they prophesied.

If they have stood in My council,Let them announce My words to My peopleAnd make them turn backFrom their evil ways and wicked acts.

Am I only a God near at hand—says GOD—And not a God far away?

If somebody enters a hiding place,Do I not see them?—says GOD.For I fill both heaven and earth—declares GOD.

I have heard what the prophets say, who prophesy falsely in My name: “I had a dream, I had a dream.”

How long will there begHow long will there be Meaning of Heb. uncertain. in the minds of the prophets who prophesy falsehood—the prophets of their own deceitful minds—

the plan to make My people forget My name, by means of the dreams that they tell each other, just as their ancestors forgot My name because of Baal?

Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream; and let the one who has received My word report My word faithfully! How can straw be compared to grain?—says GOD.

Behold, My word is like fire—declares GOD—and like a hammer that shatters rock!

Assuredly, I am going to deal with the prophets—declares GOD—who steal My words from one another.

I am going to deal with the prophets—declares GOD—who waghwag Meaning of Heb. uncertain. their tongues and make oracular utterances.

I am going to deal with those who prophesy lying dreams—declares GOD—who relate them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies, when I did not send them or command them. They do this people no good—declares GOD.

And when this people—or a prophet or a priest—asks you, “What is the burdeniburden I.e., pronouncement; cf. Isa. 13.1; 15.1, etc., where the word rendered “pronouncement” can also mean “burden.” of GOD?” you shall answer them, “What is the burden?jWhat is the burden Septuagint and other versions read “You are the burden!” I will cast you off”—declares GOD.

As for the prophet or priest or layperson who shall say “the burden of GOD,” I will punish them and their household.

Thus you shall all speak to your neighbors and to your kin, “What has GOD answered?” or “What has GOD spoken?”

But do not mention “the burden of GOD” anymore. Does anyone regard their own word as a “burden,”kDoes anyone regard their own word as a “burden” Meaning of Heb. uncertain. that you pervert the words of the living God, GOD of Hosts, our God?

Thus you shall speak to the prophet: “What did GOD answer you?” or “What did GOD speak?”

But if you say “the burden of GOD”—assuredly, thus said GOD: Because you said this thing, “the burden of GOD,” whereas I sent word to you not to say “the burden of GOD,”

I will utterly forget youlforget you Some Heb. mss., Septuagint, and other versions read “lift you up,” a word from the same root as “burden.” and I will cast you away from My presence, together with the city that I gave to you and your ancestors.

And I will lay upon you a disgrace for all time, shame for all time, which shall never be forgotten.