Jeremiah 23
23
The Lord and His Sheep
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! ” # Ps 100:3; Ezk 34:2,31; Zch 11:5-7,15-17 This is the Lord’s declaration. 2“Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, # Jr 10:21; 50:6; Ezk 34:5,12,31 banished them, and have not attended to them. # Ps 8:4; Is 23:16; Ezk 34:3 I will attend to you because of your evil acts” — this is the Lord’s declaration. 3“I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, # Ezk 34:12-13 and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. # Gn 1:26-28; 9:1-7; 35:11 4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. # Ezk 34:23; Mc 5:2-6 They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” # Ezk 34:25; Mc 7:14 This is the Lord’s declaration.
The Righteous Branch of David
5“The days are coming” # Jr 7:32; 9:25; 16:14; 19:6; 23:5,7; 30:3; 31:27,31; 33:14-16; 48:12; 49:2; 51:47,52 — this is the Lord’s declaration —
“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David. # 1Kg 12:16; Is 4:2; 55:3-4; Jr 30:9; 33:15; Ezk 34:23; 37:24-25; Hs 3:5; Zch 3:8; 6:12
He will reign wisely as king
and administer justice and righteousness in the land. # 1Ch 18:14; Ps 99:4; Is 9:7; 11:1-9; 33:5; Jr 9:24; 22:15; 33:15
6In His days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell securely. # Dt 33:12,28; Ps 16:9; Pr 1:33; Jr 33:16
This is what He will be named:
Yahweh Our Righteousness. # Ps 4:1; Jr 33:16; 1Co 1:30
7“The days are coming” # Jr 7:32; 16:14; 19:6; 48:12; 49:2; 51:47,52 — the Lord’s declaration — “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives # Jdg 8:19; 1Sm 14:39,45; 2Sm 4:9; 1Kg 1:29; 2:24; Jr 4:1-2; 5:2; 16:14-15; 38:16; Hs 4:15 who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’ 8but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other countries where I # LXX reads He had banished them.’ They will dwell once more in their own land.” # Jr 16:15
False Prophets Condemned
9Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me, # Hab 3:16
and all my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunkard,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord,
because of His holy words.
10For the land is full of adulterers; # Jr 9:2; Hs 7:4; Mal 3:5
the land mourns # Jr 12:4; Am 1:2; Rm 8:22 because of the curse, # Dt 11:29; 27:13; Gl 3:13
and the grazing lands in the wilderness have dried up.
Their way of life # Lit Their manner of running has become evil,
and their power is not rightly used
11because both prophet and priest are ungodly, # Jr 6:13; 14:18; Zph 3:4
even in My house # 1Ch 17:14; 28:6; Is 56:5,7; Jr 11:15; 12:7; Ezk 23:39; Hs 9:15; Hb 1:9; Zch 1:16; Mal 3:10 I have found their evil.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
12Therefore, their way will be to them
like slippery paths in the gloom. # Ps 35:6; 73:18
They will be driven away and fall down there,
for I will bring disaster on them,
the year of their punishment. # Jr 11:23; 48:44
This is the Lord’s declaration.
13Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw something disgusting:
They prophesied by # = in the name of Baal
and led My people Israel astray. # Pr 12:26; Is 3:12; Jr 50:6; Mc 3:5
14Among the prophets of Jerusalem also
I saw a horrible thing: # Jr 5:30; Hs 6:10
They commit adultery and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
and none turns his back on evil.
They are all like Sodom # Gn 13:10-13; 18:16–19:28; Is 1:10-17 to Me;
Jerusalem’s residents are like Gomorrah.
15Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says concerning the prophets:
I am about to feed them wormwood # Am 5:7; 6:12
and give them poisoned water to drink, # Jr 8:14; 9:15
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness # Or pollution has spread throughout the land.
16This is what the Lord of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are making you worthless. They speak visions from their own minds, # Jr 14:14; Ezk 7:26; 12:24; 13:16; Mc 3:6; Lm 2:9 not from the Lord’s mouth. # Is 1:20; 40:5; 58:14; 62:2; Jr 9:12; Mc 4:4 17They keep on saying to those who despise Me, ‘ # Is 5:24The Lord has said: You will have peace.’ # Jr 4:10 They have said to everyone who follows the stubbornness of his heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’ ”
18For who has stood in the council # Jb 15:8; Ps 25:14; 89:7 of the Lord
to see and hear His word?
Who has paid attention to His word and obeyed?
19Look, a storm from the Lord! # Ps 83:15; Is 29:6; Zch 9:14
Wrath has gone out,
a whirling storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.
20The Lord’s anger will not turn back # Gn 27:45; Is 5:25; 9:12,17,21; 10:4; Jr 2:35
until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart.
In time to come you will understand it clearly. # Jr 30:23-24
21I did not send these prophets, # Jr 14:14
yet they ran with a message.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22If they had really stood in My council,
they would have enabled My people to hear My words
and would have turned them back from their evil ways
and their evil deeds. # Jr 4:18
23“Am I a God who is only near” # Ps 139:1-10; Am 9:2-3 — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and not a God who is far away? 24Can a man hide himself in secret places where I cannot see him? ” # Gn 3:8; 4:14; Jb 34:22 — the Lord’s declaration. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? ” # Ps 139:7-12; Am 9:2-4 — the Lord’s declaration.
25“I have heard what the prophets who prophesy a lie in My name have said, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ # Jr 5:31; 14:14; 20:6; 23:32; 27:10,14-16; 29:9,21,31 26How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds? 27Through their dreams that they tell one another, they plan to cause My people to forget My name as their fathers forgot My name through Baal worship. # Jdg 3:7; 8:33-34 28The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain? ” — this is the Lord’s declaration. 29“Is not My word like fire” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and like a hammer that pulverizes rock? 30Therefore, take note! I am against the prophets” # Dt 18:20; Jr 14:14-15; Ezk 13:8 — the Lord’s declaration — “who steal My words from each other. 31I am against the prophets” — the Lord’s declaration — “who use their own tongues to make a declaration. 32I am against those who prophesy false dreams” # Dt 18:20 — the Lord’s declaration — “telling them and leading My people astray with their falsehoods and their boasting. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all # Is 30:5-6; Jr 2:8,11 to these people” — this is the Lord’s declaration.
The Burden of the Lord
33“Now when these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord? ’ you will respond to them: What is the burden? I will throw you away” — this is the Lord’s declaration. 34“As for the prophet, priest, or people who say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I will punish that man and his household. 35This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36But no longer refer to # Or longer remember the burden of the Lord, for each man’s word becomes his burden and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of Hosts, our God. 37You must say to the prophet: What has the Lord answered you? and What has the Lord spoken? 38But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ then this is what the Lord says: Because you have said, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ and I specifically told you not to say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ 39I will surely forget you # Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read surely lift you up and throw away from My presence both you and the city that I gave you and your fathers. 40I will bring on you everlasting shame and humiliation # Ps 78:66; Jr 20:11 that will never be forgotten.”
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Jeremiah 23: HCSB
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Jeremiah 23
23
A Message of Hope
The Lord said:
1 #
Ez 34.1-6,23,24; Jn 10.14-16. You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep. 2You were supposed to take care of my people, but instead you chased them away. So now I'll punish you severely and make you pay for your crimes!
3I will bring the rest of my people home from the lands where I have scattered them, and they will grow into a mighty nation. 4I promise to choose leaders who will care for them like real shepherds. All of my people will be there, and they will never again be frightened.
5 #
Jr 33.14-16. Someday I will appoint
an honest king
from the family of David,
a king who will be wise
and rule with justice.
6As long as he is king,
Israel will have peace,
and Judah will be safe.
The name of this king will be
“The Lord Gives Justice.”
7A time will come when you will again worship me. But you will no longer call me the Living God who rescued Israel from Egypt. 8Instead, you will call me the Living God who rescued you from the land in the north and from all the other countries where I had forced you to go. And you will once again live in your own land.
Jeremiah Thinks about Unfaithful Prophets
9When I think of the prophets,
I am shocked, and I tremble#23.9 tremble: Or “become weak.”
like someone drunk,
because of the Lord
and his sacred words.
10Those unfaithful prophets
misuse their power
all over the country.
So God turned the pasturelands
into scorching deserts.#23.10 deserts: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
The Lord Will Punish Unfaithful Prophets
11The Lord told me to say:
You prophets and priests
think so little of me, the Lord,
that you even sin
in my own temple!
12Now I will punish you
with disaster,
and you will slip and fall
in the darkness.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
13The prophets in Samaria
were repulsive to me,
because they preached
in the name of Baal
and led my people astray.
14 #
Gn 18.20; Ez 16.49. And you prophets in Jerusalem
are even worse.
You're unfaithful in marriage#23.14 in marriage: Or “to me.”
and never tell the truth.#23.14 never tell the truth: Or “worship other gods.”
You even lead others to sin
instead of helping them
turn back to me.
You and the people of Jerusalem
are evil like Sodom
and Gomorrah.#23.14 Sodom and Gomorrah: Two cities that the Lord destroyed because their people were so evil (see Genesis 18.16—19.29).
15You prophets in Jerusalem
have spread evil everywhere.
That's why I, the Lord, promise
to give you bitter poison
to eat and drink.
The Lord Gives a Warning
The Lord said:
16Don't listen to the lies
of these false prophets,
you people of Judah!
The message they preach
is something they imagined;
it did not come from me,
the Lord All-Powerful.
17These prophets go to people
who refuse to respect me
and who are stubborn
and do whatever they please.
The prophets tell them,
“The Lord has promised
everything will be fine.”
18But I, the Lord, tell you
that these prophets
have never attended a meeting
of my council in heaven#23.18 a meeting of my council in heaven: Sometimes, prophets had visions of the Lord meeting with his angels (see 1 Kings 22.19-23).
or heard me speak.
19They are evil! So in my anger
I will strike them
like a violent storm.
20I won't calm down,
until I have finished
what I have decided to do.
Someday you will understand
exactly what I mean.
21I did not send these prophets
or speak to them,
but they ran to find you
and to preach their message.
22If they had been in a meeting
of my council in heaven,
they would have told
you people of Judah
to give up your sins
and come back to me.
23I am everywhere—
both near and far,
24 #
Ws 1.7; Si 16.17. in heaven and on earth.
There are no secret places
where you can hide from me.
25These unfaithful prophets claim that I have given them a dream or a vision, and then they tell lies in my name. 26But everything they say comes from their own twisted minds. How long can this go on? 27They tell each other their dreams and try to get my people to reject me, just as their ancestors left me and worshiped Baal. 28Their dreams and my truth are as different as straw and wheat. But when prophets speak for me, they must say only what I have told them. 29My words are a powerful fire; they are a hammer that shatters rocks.
30-32These unfaithful prophets claim I give them their dreams, but it isn't true. I didn't choose them to be my prophets, and yet they babble on and on, speaking in my name, while stealing words from each other. And when my people hear these liars, they are led astray instead of being helped. So I warn you that I am now the enemy of these prophets. I, the Lord, have spoken.
News and Nuisance
The Lord said to me:
33Jeremiah, when a prophet or a priest or anyone else comes to you and asks, “Does the Lord have news for us?” tell them, “You people are a nuisance#23.33 news … nuisance: The Hebrew word for “news” in verses 33-38 is the same as “nuisance” and is related to “pick up” in verse 39. to the Lord, and he#23.33 You people are a nuisance to the Lord, and he: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “Does the Lord have news for us? He.” will get rid of you.”
34If any of you say, “Here is news from the Lord,” I will punish you and your families, even if you are a prophet or a priest. 35Instead, you must ask your friends and relatives, “What answer did the Lord give?” or “What has the Lord said?” 36It seems that you each have your own news! So if you say, “Here is news from the Lord,” you are twisting my words into a lie. Remember that I am your God, the Lord All-Powerful.
37If you go to a prophet, it's all right to ask, “What answer did the Lord give to my question?” or “What has the Lord said?” 38But if you disobey me and say, “Here is news from the Lord,” 39I will pick you up#23.39 pick you up: A few Hebrew manuscripts and three ancient translations; most Hebrew manuscripts “forget you completely.” and throw you far away. And I will abandon this city of Jerusalem that I gave to your ancestors. 40You will never be free from your shame and disgrace.
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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.