Jeremiah 23:9-40

Jeremiah 23:9-40

[9] Mine heart  within  me is broken  because of the prophets;  all my bones  shake;  I am like a drunken  man,  and like a man  whom wine  hath overcome,  because  of the LORD,  and because of the words  of his holiness.  [10] For the land  is full  of adulterers;  for because  of swearing  the land  mourneth;  the pleasant places  of the wilderness  are dried up,  and their course  is evil,  and their force  [11] For both prophet  and priest  are profane;  yea, in my house  have I found  their wickedness,  saith  the LORD.  [12] Wherefore their way  shall be unto them as slippery  ways in the darkness:  they shall be driven on,  and fall  therein: for I will bring  evil  upon them, even the year  of their visitation,  saith  [13] And I have seen  folly  in the prophets  of Samaria;  they prophesied  in Baal,  and caused my people  Israel  to err.  [14] I have seen  also in the prophets  of Jerusalem  an horrible thing:  they commit adultery,  and walk  in lies:  they strengthen  also the hands  of evildoers,  that none  doth return  from his wickedness:  they are all of them unto me as Sodom,  and the inhabitants  thereof as Gomorrah.  [15] Therefore thus saith  the LORD  of hosts  concerning the prophets;  Behold, I will feed  them with wormwood,  and make them drink  the water  of gall:  for from the prophets  of Jerusalem  is profaneness  gone forth  into all the land.  [16] Thus saith  the LORD  of hosts,  Hearken  not unto the words  of the prophets  that prophesy  unto you: they make you vain:  they speak  a vision  of their own heart,  and not out of the mouth  of the LORD.  [17] They say  unto them that despise  me, The LORD  hath said,  Ye shall have peace;  and they say  unto every one that walketh  after the imagination  of his own heart,  No evil  shall come  upon you. [18] For who hath stood  in the counsel  of the LORD,  and hath perceived  and heard  his word?  who hath marked  his word,  and heard  it? [19] Behold, a whirlwind  of the LORD  is gone forth  in fury,  even a grievous  whirlwind:  it shall fall grievously  upon the head  of the wicked.  [20] The anger  of the LORD  shall not return,  until he have executed,  and till he have performed  the thoughts  of his heart:  in the latter  days  ye shall consider  it perfectly.  [21] I have not sent  these prophets,  yet they ran:  I have not spoken  to them, yet they prophesied.  [22] But if they had stood  in my counsel,  and had caused my people  to hear  my words,  then they should have turned  them from their evil  way,  and from the evil  of their doings.  [23] Am I a God  at hand,  saith  the LORD,  and not a God  afar off?  [24] Can any  hide  himself in secret places  that I shall not see  him? saith  the LORD.  heaven  and earth?  saith  the LORD.  [25] I have heard  what the prophets  said,  that prophesy  lies  in my name,  saying,  I have dreamed,  [26] How long shall this be  in the heart  of the prophets  that prophesy  lies?  yea, they are prophets  of the deceit  of their own heart;  [27] Which think  to cause my people  to forget  my name  by their dreams  which they tell  every man  to his neighbour,  as their fathers  have forgotten  my name  for Baal.  [28] The prophet  that hath a dream,  let him tell  a dream;  and he that hath my word,  let him speak  my word  faithfully.  What is the chaff  to the wheat?  saith  the LORD.  [29] Is not my word  like  as a fire?  saith  the LORD;  and like a hammer  the rock  in pieces?  [30] Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets,  saith  the LORD,  that steal  my words  every one  from his neighbour.  [31] Behold, I am against the prophets,  saith  the LORD,  that use  their tongues,  and say,  He saith.  [32] Behold, I am against them that prophesy  false  dreams,  saith  the LORD,  and do tell  them, and cause my people  to err  by their lies,  and by their lightness;  yet I sent  them not, nor commanded  them: therefore they shall not profit  this people  at all,  saith  the LORD.  [33] And when this people,  or the prophet,  or a priest,  shall ask  thee, saying,  What is the burden  of the LORD?  thou shalt then say  unto them, What burden?  I will even forsake  you, saith  the LORD.  [34] And as for the prophet,  and the priest,  and the people,  that shall say,  The burden  of the LORD,  I will even punish  that man  and his house.  [35] Thus shall ye say  every one  to his neighbour,  and every one  to his brother,  What hath the LORD  answered?  and, What hath the LORD  spoken?  [36] And the burden  of the LORD  shall ye mention  no more: for every man's  word  shall be his burden;  for ye have perverted  the words  of the living  God,  of the LORD  of hosts  our God.  [37] Thus shalt thou say  to the prophet,  What hath the LORD  answered  thee? and, What hath the LORD  spoken?  [38] But  since ye say,  The burden  of the LORD;  therefore thus saith  the LORD;  Because ye say  this word,  The burden  of the LORD,  and I have sent  unto you, saying,  The burden  of the LORD;  [39] Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly  forget  you, and I will forsake  you, and the city  that I gave  you and your fathers,  and cast you out of my presence:  [40] And I will bring  an everlasting  reproach  upon you, and a perpetual  shame,  which shall not be forgotten. 

What does Jeremiah 23:9-40 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Having given a true prophecy about the future, Jeremiah proceeded to announce God"s judgment on the false prophets who were misleading His people with false prophecies (cf. Jeremiah 23:1). [1] This section consists of six different messages that Jeremiah delivered at various times, which the writer placed together in the text because of their common subject ( Jeremiah 23:9-40).
The first pericope is a general indictment of the false prophets ( Jeremiah 23:9-12).