God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 23:31
31“I’m against the prophets who speak their own thoughts and say that they speak for me.
Jeremiah 23:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
- New International Version (NIV)Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, 'declares the Lord.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’
Context of Jeremiah 23:31
29“Isn’t my word like fire or like a hammer that shatters a rock?” asks the Lord. 30“I’m against the prophets who steal my words from each other,” declares the Lord. “I’m against the prophets who speak their own thoughts and say that they speak for me. 32I’m against those who prophesy dreams they made up,” declares the Lord. “They tell the dreams they made up and lead my people astray with their lies and their wild talk. I didn’t send them or command them to go. They don’t help these people at all,” declares the Lord. 33“When these people, the prophets, or the priests ask you, ‘What revelation has the Lord burdened you with now?’ say to them, ‘You are the burden! I will abandon you, declares the Lord.’
Read all of Jeremiah 23Jeremiah 23:31 word by word
הִנְנִ֥י עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הַלֹּקְחִ֣ים לְשׁוֹנָ֔ם וַֽיִּנְאֲמ֖וּ נְאֻֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Jeremiah 23:31
- Isaiah 30:10They say to the seers, ‘Don’t see ⌞the future⌟.’ They say to those who have visions, ‘Don’t have visions that tell us what is right. Tell us what we want to hear. See illusions.
- Micah 2:11Liars and frauds may go around and say, “We will preach to you about wine and liquor.” They would be just the type of preacher you want.
- Jeremiah 23:17They keep saying to those who despise me, “The Lord says, ‘Everything will go well for you.’ ” They tell all who live by their own stubborn ways, “Nothing bad will happen to you.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:5So the king of Israel called 400 prophets together. He asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?” “Go,” they said. “God will hand over Ramoth to you.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 23:31
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31That use their tongues - literally, that take their tongues. Their second characteristic. They have no message from God, but they take their tongues, their only implement, and say, He saith, using the solemn formula by which Yahweh affirms the truth of His words. Solemn asseverations seemed to give reality to their emptiness.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-32Verses 23-32 Men cannot be hidden from God's all-seeing eye. Will they never see what judgments they prepare for themselves? Let them consider what a vast difference there is between these prophecies and those delivered by the true prophets of the Lord. Let them not call their foolish dreams Divine oracles. The promises of peace these prophets make are no more to be compared to God's promises than chaff to wheat. The unhumbled heart of man is like a rock…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-32The Lord criticized and opposed the prophets who lied in his name.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. use--rather, "take" their tongue: a second class (compare Jr 23:30) require, in order to bring forth a revelation, nothing more than their tongues, wherewith they say, He (Jehovah) saith: they bungle in the very formula instead of the usual "Jehovah saith," being only able to say "(He) saith."Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 23:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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