Jeremiah 23

1“WoeH1945 to the shepherdsH7462 who destroyH6 and scatterH6327 the sheepH6629 of My pastureH4830!” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

2ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559 aboutH5921 the shepherdsH7462 who tendH7462 My peopleH5971: “YouH859 have scatteredH6327 My flockH6629 and driven them awayH5080, and have notH3808 attended to themH6485. BeholdH2005, I will attendH6485 toH5921 youH853 for the evilH7455 of your deedsH4611, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

3Then I MyselfH589 will gatherH6908 the remnantH7611 of My flockH6629 from allH3605 the landsH776 to whichH834 I have banished themH5080, and I will return themH7725 toH5921 their pastureH5116, where they will be fruitfulH6509 and multiplyH7235. 4I will raise upH6965 shepherdsH7462 over themH5921 who will tend themH7462, and they will noH3808 longerH5750 be afraidH3372 or dismayedH2865H3808, norH3808 will any go missingH6485, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

7SoH3651 beholdH2009, the daysH3117 are comingH935, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, when they will noH3808 longerH5750 sayH559, ‘As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 broughtH5927 the Israelites upH1121H3478 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714.’ 8InsteadH3588 they will say, ‘As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 broughtH5927 and ledH935 the descendantsH2233 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 up out of the landH776 of the northH6828 and allH3605 the other landsH776 to whichH834 He had banished themH5080H8033.’ Then they will dwellH3427 once more inH5921 their own landH127.”

Lying Prophets

9As for the prophetsH5030:

15ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 saysH559 concerningH5921 the prophetsH5030H2005:

16This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 saysH559:

23“Am IH589 only a GodH430 nearbyH7138,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “and notH3808 a GodH430 far awayH7350?”

24“CanH518 a manH376 hideH5641 in secret placesH4565 where IH589 cannotH3808 see himH7200?” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

“Do IH589 notH3808 fillH4390 the heavensH8064 andH853 the earthH776?” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

25“I have heardH8085 the sayingsH559 of the prophetsH5030 who prophesyH5012 liesH8267H559 in My nameH8034: ‘I had a dreamH2492! I had a dreamH2492!’ 26How longH5704H4970 will this continueH3426 in the heartsH3820 of these prophetsH5030 who prophesyH5012 falsehoodH8267, these prophetsH5030 of the delusionH8649 of their own mindsH3820? 27They supposeH2803 the dreamsH2472 thatH834 they tellH5608 oneH376 anotherH7453 will make My peopleH5971 forgetH7911 My nameH8034, just asH834 their fathersH1 forgotH7911 My nameH8034 through the worship of BaalH1168.

28Let the prophetH5030 whoH834 hasH854 a dreamH2472 retellH5608 it, but let him whoH834 hasH854 My wordH1697 speakH1696 it truthfullyH571. For whatH4100 is strawH8401 compared toH854 grainH1250?” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068. 29“Is notH3808H3541 My wordH1697 like fireH784,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “and like a hammerH6360 that smashesH6327 a rockH5553?”

30“ThereforeH3651 beholdH2005,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “I am againstH5921 the prophetsH5030 who stealH1589 from oneH376H854 anotherH7453 words they attribute to MeH1697.”

31“YesH2005,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “I am againstH5921 the prophetsH5030 who wagH3947 their own tonguesH3956 and proclaimH5001, ‘The LORD declaresH5002 it.’”

32“IndeedH2005,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “I am againstH5921 those who prophesyH5012 falseH8267 dreamsH2472 and retell themH5608 to lead My peopleH5971 astrayH8582 with their recklessH6350 liesH8267. It was notH3808 IH595 who sent themH7971 or commanded themH6680, and they are of noH3808 benefitH3276H3808 at allH3276 to theseH2088 peopleH5971,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

False Prophecies

33“Now whenH3588 thisH2088 peopleH5971 orH176 a prophetH5030 orH176 priestH3548 asks youH7592, ‘WhatH4100 is the burdenH4853 of the LORDH3068H559?’ you are to sayH559 to themH413, ‘WhatH4100 burdenH4853? I will forsakeH5203 youH853, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.’

34As for the prophetH5030 or priestH3548 or anyoneH5971 whoH834 claimsH559, ‘This is the burdenH4853 of the LORDH3068,’ I will punishH6485H5921 thatH1931H5921 manH376 and his householdH1004.

35This is whatH3541 each manH376 is to sayH559 toH5921 his friendH7453H376 and toH413 his brotherH251: ‘WhatH4100 has the LORDH3068 answeredH6030?’ or ‘WhatH4100 has the LORDH3068 spokenH1696?’ 36But referH2142 noH3808 moreH5750 to the burdenH4853 of the LORDH3068, forH3588 eachH376 man’s wordH1697 becomesH1961 the burdenH4853, so that you pervertH2015 the wordsH1697 of the livingH2416 GodH430, the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, our GodH430.

37ThusH3541 you are to sayH559 toH413 the prophetH5030: ‘WhatH4100 has the LORDH3068 answered youH6030?’ and ‘WhatH4100 has the LORDH3068 spokenH1696?’

38But ifH518 you claimH559, ‘This is the burdenH4853 of the LORDH3068,’ thenH3651 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: BecauseH3282 you have saidH559, ‘This is the burdenH4853 of the LORDH3068,’ and I specifically toldH7971H413H559 you notH3808 to make this claimH559, 39thereforeH3651 I will surelyH2005 forgetH5382 youH853 and will cast youH5377H5203 out ofH5921 My presenceH6440, both youH853 andH853 the cityH5892 thatH834 I gaveH5414 to you and your fathersH1. 40And I will bringH5414 upon youH5921 everlastingH5769 shameH2781 and perpetualH5769 humiliationH3640 thatH834 will neverH3808 be forgottenH7911.”