Jeremiah 23

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 23

1¶ Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

3And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

4And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

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.

10For 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 [is] not right.

11For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

12Wherefore 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 the LORD.

13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

14I 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.

15Therefore 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.

16Thus 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.

17They say still 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.

18For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard [it]?

19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

20The 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.

21I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22But 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?

24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

25I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

26How long shall [this] be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, [they are] prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

27Which 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.

28The 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 [that] breaketh the rock in pieces?

30Therefore, behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

31Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

32Behold, 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.

34And [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.

35Thus 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?

36And 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.

37Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken?

38But 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, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;

39Therefore, 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:

40And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jeremiah 23 begins with God's condemnation of wicked pastors who scatter His flock, promising to raise a righteous Branch from David who will reign justly and save His people. The chapter then vehemently denounces false prophets and priests, whose lies and profaneness lead the people astray, declaring that God will punish them severely. Finally, God forbids the people from misusing the phrase "The burden of the LORD," warning of severe consequences for those who pervert His words.

Medium Summary

The LORD pronounces woe upon the unfaithful pastors who have destroyed and scattered His people, promising to visit evil upon them. He assures that He will gather the remnant of His flock from all nations and set true shepherds over them, ensuring their safety and increase. A significant prophecy is given concerning a future "righteous Branch" from David, a King who will execute justice and be named "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," bringing salvation to Judah and Israel. Jeremiah then expresses profound grief over the rampant wickedness of prophets and priests, who commit adultery, walk in lies, and strengthen evildoers, even within God's house. God declares that these false prophets, who speak from their own hearts and promise peace falsely, were not sent by Him and will face His furious judgment. He emphasizes His omnipresence and the power of His word, contrasting it with their deceitful dreams. The chapter concludes with a stern warning against the misuse of the phrase "The burden of the LORD," stating that those who continue to pervert God's words will be utterly forsaken and brought to everlasting shame.

Long Summary

Jeremiah 23 opens with a powerful declaration of woe against the negligent and destructive pastors who have scattered the LORD's flock. God promises to hold these unfaithful leaders accountable for their evil deeds. In contrast, He pledges to gather the scattered remnant of His people from all countries and bring them back to their folds, where they will be fruitful and secure under new, righteous shepherds. A pivotal prophecy is then introduced, foretelling the coming of a "righteous Branch" from the lineage of David. This future King will reign with prosperity, executing judgment and justice throughout the earth, and will be known by the name "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," bringing salvation and safety to Judah and Israel. This future deliverance is presented as even more significant than the Exodus from Egypt. The chapter then shifts to a lament from Jeremiah, whose heart is broken by the pervasive wickedness of the prophets. He describes the land as full of adulterers and mourning due to widespread swearing, with both prophets and priests being profane, even within the temple. God declares that their path will be treacherous, leading to their inevitable fall and visitation of evil. The prophets of Samaria are condemned for prophesying in Baal, and those in Jerusalem for their adultery, lies, and for strengthening the hands of evildoers, rendering them like Sodom and Gomorrah in God's sight. Consequently, God promises to feed them with bitter wormwood and gall. The people are warned not to heed these false prophets, who speak from their own imaginations and falsely promise peace and immunity from evil. God asserts that these prophets were not sent by Him, yet they ran and prophesied deceitful dreams, attempting to make the people forget His name, much like their fathers forgot Him for Baal. God's word is likened to a fire and a hammer, powerful and true, unlike the empty dreams of the false prophets. He declares Himself against those who steal His words, speak from their own tongues, and propagate lies, affirming that they will bring no profit to the people. The LORD, being a God both near and far, sees all and fills heaven and earth, exposing their hidden deceptions. Finally, the chapter addresses the people's irreverent use of the phrase "The burden of the LORD." God strictly forbids its continued use, stating that if they ask "What is the burden of the LORD?", the answer will be His forsaking of them. He promises to punish any prophet, priest, or person who persists in using this phrase, as they have perverted the words of the living God. Instead, they are instructed to ask, "What hath the LORD answered?" or "What hath the LORD spoken?" Because of their continued defiance and perversion of His words, God declares that He will utterly forget and forsake them and their city, bringing upon them an everlasting reproach and perpetual shame.

Core Concepts

  • Unfaithful PastorsGod condemns the leaders who neglect, scatter, and destroy His flock (Israel), promising to hold them accountable for their evil actions and visit upon them the evil of their doings.
  • The Righteous BranchA prophetic promise of a future King from the lineage of David, who will reign justly, prosper, and be called "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," bringing salvation and safety to God's people.
  • Condemnation of False ProphetsGod vehemently denounces prophets and priests who are profane, commit adultery, speak lies from their own hearts, and lead the people astray, promising them severe judgment and bitter consequences.
  • Divine Omniscience and OmnipresenceThe LORD asserts His ability to see all hidden deeds and fill heaven and earth, emphasizing that no one can hide from Him, and He knows the deceitful hearts and lies of the false prophets.
  • The Power of God's WordGod's true word is contrasted with the false dreams of prophets, being described as a fire and a hammer that breaks rocks, signifying its transformative power, truth, and authority.
  • Misuse of "The Burden of the LORD"God strictly forbids the irreverent or mocking use of this phrase, warning that those who pervert His words by using it will face His forsaking, punishment, and everlasting shame.