Jeremiah 23
23
The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch
1“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, in regard to the shepherds who care for and feed My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hear this, I am about to visit and attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” says the Lord. 3“Then I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries to which I have driven them and bring them back to their folds and pastures; and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. And they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” says the Lord.
5“Behold (listen closely), the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as King and act wisely
And will do [those things that accomplish] justice and righteousness in the land.
6In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called;
‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’
7“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8but [they will say], ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries to which I had driven them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”
False Prophets Denounced
9Concerning the prophets:
My heart [says Jeremiah] is broken within me,
All my bones shake;
I have become like a drunken man,
A man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord
And because of His holy words [declared against unfaithful leaders].
10For the land is full of adulterers (unfaithful to God);
The land mourns because of the curse [of God upon it].
The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
The course of action [of the false prophets] is evil and they rush into wickedness;
And their power is not right.
11“For both [false] prophet and priest are ungodly (profane, polluted);
Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
12“Therefore their way will be to them like slippery paths
In the dark; they will be pushed and fall into them;
For I will bring disaster on them,
In the year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
13“And I have seen a foolish and an offensive thing in the prophets of Samaria:
They prophesied by Baal and caused My people Israel to go astray.
14Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They encourage and strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.
All of them have become like Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts in regard to the prophets,
‘Behold, I am going to feed them [the bitterness of] wormwood
And make them drink the poisonous water [of gall],
For from the [counterfeit] prophets of Jerusalem
Profaneness and ungodliness have spread into all the land.’ ”
16Thus says the Lord of hosts,
“Do not listen to the words of the [false] prophets who prophesy to you.
They are teaching you worthless things and are leading you into futility;
They speak a vision of their own mind and imagination
And not [truth] from the mouth of the Lord.
17They are continually saying to those who despise Me [and My word],
‘The Lord has said, “You will have peace” ’;
And they say to everyone who walks after the stubbornness of his own heart,
‘No evil will come on you.’
18But who [among them] has stood in the council of the Lord,
That he would perceive and hear His word?
Who has marked His word [noticing and observing and paying attention to it] and has [actually] heard it?
19Behold, the tempest of the Lord has gone forth in wrath,
A whirling tempest;
It will whirl and burst on the heads of the wicked.
20The anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has set in motion and accomplished the thoughts and intentions of His heart;
In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21I did not send [these counterfeit] prophets,
Yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
Yet they prophesied.
22But if they had stood in My council,
Then they would have caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have turned My people from their evil way
And from the evil of their decisions and deeds.
23“Am I a God who is at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God far away?”
24“Can anyone hide himself in secret places
So that I cannot see him?” says the Lord.
“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
25“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My Name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed [visions when on my bed at night].’ 26How long [shall this state of affairs continue]? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, 27who think that they can make My people forget My Name by their [contrived] dreams which each one tells another, just as their fathers forgot My Name because of Baal? 28The prophet who has a dream may tell his dream; but he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]?” says the Lord. 29“Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]? 30Therefore behold (hear this), I am against the [counterfeit] prophets,” says the Lord, “[I am descending on them with punishment, these prophets] who steal My words from one another [imitating the words of the true prophets]. 31Hear this, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their [own deceitful] tongues and say, ‘Thus says the Lord.’ 32Hear this, I am against those who have prophesied false and made-up dreams,” says the Lord, “and have told them and have made My people err and go astray by their lies and by their reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them nor do they benefit and enhance [the life of] these people in the slightest way,” says the Lord.
33“Now when this people or a prophet or a priest asks you [in jest], ‘What is the #I.e. an urgent message the true prophet of God is under compulsion to proclaim.oracle of the Lord [the burden to be lifted up and carried]?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘What oracle [besides the one that declares you people to be the burden]!’ The Lord says, ‘I will unburden Myself and I will abandon you.’ 34And as for the prophet, the priest, or [any of] the people, whoever says, ‘The oracle of the Lord,’ [as if he knows God’s will], I will punish that man and his household. 35[For the future, in speaking of the words of the Lord] thus each of you shall say to his neighbor and to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord, because every man’s own word will become the oracle, [for as they mockingly call all prophecies oracles, whether good or bad, so will it prove to be to them; God will take them at their own word]; and you have perverted the words [not of a lifeless idol, but] of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37Thus you will [reverently] say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38For if you say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ surely thus says the Lord, ‘Because you said this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” when I have also sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” ’ 39Therefore behold, I, even I, will assuredly forget you and send you away from My presence, you and the city (Jerusalem) which I gave to you and to your fathers. 40And I will bring an everlasting disgrace on you and a perpetual humiliation (shame) which will not be forgotten.”
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Yirmeyah 23
23
1Woe be unto the ro'im that destroy and scatter the tzon of My pasture! saith Hashem.
2Therefore thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel against the ro'im that shepherd My people; Ye have scattered My tzon, and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hineni, I will attend to you for the rah of your doings, saith Hashem.
3And I will gather the she'erit (remnant) of My tzon out of all countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4And I will set up ro'im (shepherds) over them which shall shepherd them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith Hashem.
5Hinei, the days come, saith Hashem, that I will raise up unto Dovid a Tzemach Tzaddik,#23:5 i.e., Moshiach Ben Dovid Yehoshua, see 30:9; 33:15; Zech 3:8; Ezra 3:8; Zech 6:11-12; Mt 2:23; Isa 4:2; 9:2-7; 11:1-12; 53:2,11; Moshiach the new “Joshua” Isa 49:8 and a Melech shall reign and act wisely, and shall execute mishpat and tzedakah in ha'aretz.
6In his days Yehudah shall be saved, and Yisroel shall dwell safely; and this is Shmo whereby he shall be called Adonoi (Hashem) Tzidkeinu.
7Therefore, hinei, the days are coming, saith Hashem, that they shall no more say, Hashem liveth, which brought up the Bnei Yisroel out of Eretz Mitzrayim;
8But, Hashem liveth, which brought up and which led the zera Bais Yisroel out of the eretz tzafonah, and from all countries to where I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
9Mine lev within me is broken because of the nevi'im; all my atzmot shake; I am like an ish shikkor, and like a gever (man) whom yayin hath overcome, because of Hashem, and because of Divrei Kadsho (His Holy Devarim).
10For ha'aretz is full of mena'afim; for because of a curse ha'aretz mourneth; the pleasant places of the midbar are dried up, and their course is ra'ah, and their gevurah is not right.
11For both navi and kohen are profane; indeed, in My Beis have I found their wickedness, saith Hashem.
12Therefore their derech shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring ra'ah upon them, even the year of their visitation [for punishment], saith Hashem.
13And I have seen a repulsive thing in the nevi'im of Shomron; they prophesied by Ba'al, and caused My people Yisroel to err.
14I have seen also in the nevi'im of Yerushalayim a horrible thing; they commit ni'uf and walk in sheker; they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth turn back from his wickedness; they are all of them unto Me as Sodom and the inhabitants thereof as Amora (Gomorrah).
15Therefore thus saith Hashem Tzva'os concerning the nevi'im; Hineni, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the bitter water of gall; for from the nevi'im of Yerushalayim is chanupah (profaneness) gone forth into kol ha'aretz.
16Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os, Pay no heed unto the devarim of the nevi'im that prophesy unto you; they are deluding you; they speak a chazon (vision) of their own lev, and not out of the mouth of Hashem.
17They say continually unto them that despise Me, Hashem hath said, Ye shall have shalom; and they say unto everyone that walketh after the sherirut (stubbornness) of his own lev, No ra'ah shall come upon you.
18For who hath stood in the sod (council) of Hashem, and hath perceived and heard His Devar? Who hath marked His word, and heard it?
19Hinei, a whirlwind of Hashem is gone forth in fury, even a violent whirlwind; it shall fall grievously upon the rosh of the resha'im.
20The anger of Hashem shall not turn back, until He have executed, and until He have performed, the mezimmot (designs) of His lev; in the acharit hayamim ye shall understand it perfectly.
21I have not sent these nevi'im, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22But if they had stood in My sod (council), and had caused My people to hear My Devarim, then they should have turned them from their derech harah, and from the ra'ah of their doings.
23Am I Elohei mikarov, saith Hashem, and not Elohei merachok?
24Can any ish hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith Hashem. Do not I fill Shomayim and Ha'Aretz? saith Hashem.
25I have heard what the nevi'im said, that prophesy sheker (lies) biShmi (in My Name), saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26How long shall this be in the lev of the nevi'im that prophesy sheker? Indeed, they are nevi'im of the delusion of their own lev;
27Which think to cause My people to forget My Shem by their chalomot (dreams) which they tell every ish to his neighbor, as their avot have forgotten My Shem through Ba'al [worship].
28The navi that hath a chalom, let him tell a chalom; and he that hath My Devar, let him speak My Devar emes (faithfully). What is the chaff to the wheat? saith Hashem.
29Is not My Devar like an eish? saith Hashem. And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30Therefore, hineni, I am against the nevi'im, saith Hashem, that steal My devarim every ish from his neighbor.
31Hineni, I am against the nevi'im, saith Hashem, that use their [own] lashon, and say, He saith.
32Hineni, I am against them that prophesy chalomot sheker, saith Hashem, and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies, and by their recklessness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith Hashem.
33And when this people, or the navi, or a kohen, shall ask thee, saying, What is the massa (burden, prophecy) of Hashem? Thou shalt then say unto them, What massa (burden)? I will even forsake you, saith Hashem.
34And as for the navi, and the kohen, and HaAm, that shall say, The massa (burden) of Hashem, I will even punish that ish and his bais.
35Thus shall ye say every ish to his neighbor, and every ish to his brother, What hath Hashem answered? And, What hath Hashem spoken?
36And the massa (burden) of Hashem shall ye mention no more; for every manʼs word shall be his massa (burden); for ye have perverted the Devarim of the Elohim Chayyim, of Hashem Tzva'os Eloheinu.
37Thus shalt thou say to the navi, What hath Hashem answered thee? And, What hath Hashem spoken?
38But since ye say, The massa (burden) of Hashem; therefore thus saith Hashem, Because ye say this word, The massa (burden) of Hashem, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The massa (burden) of Hashem;
39Therefore, hineni, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the Ir that I gave you and avoteichem, and cast you out of My presence;
40And I will bring a cherpat olam (everlasting disgrace) upon you, and a kelimut olam (perpetual dishonor), which shall not be forgotten.
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