Jeremiah 23

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

1“1WoeH1945 to the shepherdsH7462 who are 2destroyingH6 and scatteringH6327 the 3sheepH6629 of My pastureH4830!” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 2ThereforeH3651 thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 concerningH5921 the shepherdsH7462 who are 4tendingH7462 My peopleH5971: “You have scatteredH6327 My flockH6629 and drivenH5080 them awayH5080, and have not attendedH6485 to them; beholdH2009, I am about to 5attendH6485 to you for the 6evilH7455 of your deedsH4611,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 3“Then I MyselfH589 will 7gatherH6908 the remnantH7611 of My flockH6629 out of allH3605 the countriesH776 whereH834H8033 I have drivenH5080 them and bringH7725 them backH7725 to their pastureH5116, and they will be fruitfulH6509 and multiplyH7235. 4I will also raiseH6965 up 8shepherdsH7462 overH5921 them and they will 9tendH7462 them; and they will 10not be afraidH3372 anyH5750 longerH5750, norH3808 be terrifiedH2865, 11norH3808 will any be missingH6485,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

5“BeholdH2009, the 12daysH3117 are comingH935,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “When I will raiseH6965 up for DavidH1732 a righteousH6662 1314BranchH6780; And He will 15reignH4427 as kingH4428 and 16actH7919 wiselyH7919 And 17doH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666 in the landH776.6In His daysH3117 JudahH3063 will be savedH3467, And 18IsraelH3478 will dwellH7931 securelyH983; And thisH2088 is His 19nameH8034 by whichH834 He will be calledH7121, ‘The 20LordH3068 our righteousnessH6664.’

7“21ThereforeH3651 beholdH2009, the daysH3117 are comingH935,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “when they will noH3808 longerH5750 sayH559, ‘As the LordH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 broughtH5927 up the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714,’ 822but, ‘As the LordH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 23broughtH5927 up and ledH935 back the descendantsH2233 of the householdH1004 of IsraelH3478 from the northH6828 landH776 and from allH3605 the countriesH776 whereH834H8033 I had drivenH5080 them.’ Then they will liveH3427 on their own soilH127.”

False Prophets Denounced

9As for the prophetsH5030: My 24heartH3820 is brokenH7665 withinH7130 me, AllH3605 my bonesH6106 trembleH7363; I have becomeH1961 like a drunkenH7910 manH376, Even like a manH1397 overcomeH5674 with wineH3196, BecauseH4480H6440 of the LordH3068 And becauseH4480H6440 of His holyH6944 wordsH1697.10For the landH776 is fullH4390 of 25adulterersH5003; For the landH776 26mournsH56 becauseH4480H6440 of the curseH423. The 27pasturesH4999 of the wildernessH4057 have driedH3001 up. Their courseH4794 also is evilH7451 And their mightH1369 is not rightH3653.11“For 28bothH1571 prophetH5030 and priestH3548 are pollutedH2610; EvenH1571 in My houseH1004 I have foundH4672 their wickednessH7463,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.12“ThereforeH3651 their wayH1870 will be like 29slipperyH2519 pathsH2519 to them, They will be drivenH1761 awayH1760 into the 30gloomH653 and fallH5307 downH5307 in it; For I will bringH935 31calamityH7463 upon them, The yearH8141 of their punishmentH6486,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

13“Moreover, among the prophetsH5030 of SamariaH8111 I sawH7200 an 32offensiveH8604 thingH8604: They 33prophesiedH5012 by BaalH1168 and 34ledH8582 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 astrayH8582.14Also among the prophetsH5030 of JerusalemH3389 I have seenH7200 a 35horribleH8186 thingH8186: The committingH5003 of 36adulteryH5003 and walkingH1980 in falsehoodH8267; And they strengthenH2388 the handsH3027 of 37evildoersH7489, So that noH1115 oneH376 has turnedH7725 backH7725 from his wickednessH7463. AllH3605 of them have becomeH1961 to Me like 38SodomH5467, And her inhabitantsH3427 like GomorrahH6017. 15ThereforeH3651 thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635 concerningH5921 the prophetsH5030, ‘BeholdH2009, I am going to 39feedH398 them wormwoodH3939 And make them drinkH8248 poisonousH7219 waterH4325, For from the prophetsH5030 of JerusalemH3389 PollutionH2613 has goneH3318 forthH3318 into allH3605 the landH776.’”

16ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, “40Do not listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of the prophetsH5030 who are prophesyingH5012 to you. They are 41leadingH1891 you into futilityH1891; They speakH1696 a 42visionH2377 of their own 43imaginationH3820, Not 44from the mouthH6310 of the LordH3068.17They keep sayingH559 to those who 45despiseH5006 Me, ‘The LordH3068 has saidH1696, “46You will haveH1961 peaceH7965”’; And as for everyoneH3605 who walksH1980 in the 47stubbornnessH8307 of his own heartH3820, They sayH559, ‘48CalamityH7463 will not comeH935 upon you.’18But 49whoH4310 has stoodH5975 in the councilH5475 of the LordH3068, That he should seeH7200 and hearH8085 His wordH1697? WhoH4310 has givenH7181 50heedH7181 to 51His wordH1697 and listenedH8085?19BeholdH2009, the 52stormH5591 of the LordH3068 has goneH3318 forthH3318 in wrathH2534, Even a whirlingH2342 tempestH5591; It will swirlH2342 downH2342 on the headH7218 of the wickedH7563.20The 53angerH639 of the LordH3068 will not turnH7725 backH7725 UntilH5704 He has 54performedH6213 and carriedH6965 out the purposesH4209 of His heartH3820; 55In the lastH319 daysH3117 you will clearlyH998 understandH995 it.2156I did not sendH7971 these prophetsH5030, But they ranH7323. I did not speakH1696 to them, But they prophesiedH5012.22But ifH518 they had 57stoodH5975 in My councilH5475, Then they would have 58announcedH8085 My wordsH1697 to My peopleH5971, And would have turnedH7725 them backH7725 from their evilH7451 wayH1870 And from the evilH7455 of their deedsH4611.

23“Am I a GodH430 who is 59nearH7138,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “And not a GodH430 farH7350 offH4480H7350?24Can a manH376 60hideH5641 himself in hidingH4565 placesH4565 So I do not seeH7200 him?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. “61Do I not fillH4390 the heavensH8064 and the earthH776?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

25“I have 62heardH8085 whatH834 the prophetsH5030 have saidH559 who 63prophesyH5012 falselyH8267 in My nameH8034, sayingH559, ‘I hadH2492 a 64dreamH2492, I hadH2492 a dreamH2492!’ 26HowH4970 longH5704H4970? Is thereH3426 anything in the heartsH3820 of the prophetsH5030 who prophesyH5012 falsehoodH8267, even these prophetsH5030 of the 65deceptionH8649 of their own heartH3820, 27who intendH2803 to 66make My peopleH5971 forgetH7911 My nameH8034 by their dreamsH2472 whichH834 they relateH5608 to oneH376 anotherH7453, justH3512 as their fathersH1 67forgotH7911 My nameH8034 because of BaalH1168? 28The prophetH5030 whoH834 hasH854 a dreamH2472 may relateH5608 his dreamH2472, but let him whoH834 hasH854 68My wordH1697 speakH1696 My wordH1697 in truthH571. 69WhatH4100 does strawH8401 have in common with grainH1250?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 29“Is not My wordH1697 like 70fireH784?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “and like a 71hammerH6360 which shattersH6483 a rockH5553? 30ThereforeH3651 beholdH2009, 72I am againstH5921 the prophetsH5030,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “who stealH1589 My wordsH1697 from eachH376 otherH7453. 31BeholdH2009, I am againstH5921 the prophetsH5030,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “who useH3947 their tonguesH3956 and declareH5001, ‘The Lord declaresH5002.’ 32BeholdH2009, I am againstH5921 those who have prophesiedH5012 73falseH8267 dreamsH2472,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “and relatedH5608 them and ledH8582 My peopleH5971 astrayH8582 by their falsehoodsH8267 and 74recklessH6350 boastingH6350; yet 75I did not sendH7971 them or commandH6680 them, norH3808 do they 76furnishH3276 thisH2088 peopleH5971 the slightestH3276 benefitH3276,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

33“Now whenH3588 thisH2088 peopleH5971 orH176 the prophetH5030 orH176 a priestH3548 asksH7592 you sayingH559, ‘WhatH4100 is the 7778oracleH4853 of the LordH3068?’ then you shall sayH559 to them, ‘WhatH4100 79oracleH4853?’ The LordH3068 declaresH5002, ‘I will 80abandonH5203 you.’ 34Then as for the prophetH5030 or the priestH3548 or the peopleH5971 whoH834 sayH559, ‘The 81oracleH4853 of the LordH3068,’ I will bringH6485 punishmentH6485 upon that manH376 and his householdH1004. 35ThusH3541 will eachH376 of you sayH559 to his neighborH7453 and to his brotherH251, ‘82WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 answeredH6030?’ or, ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 spokenH1696?’ 36For you will noH3808 longerH5750 rememberH2142 the oracleH4853 of the LordH3068, becauseH3588 everyH376 man’sH376 own wordH1697 will becomeH1961 the oracleH4853, and you have 83pervertedH2015 the wordsH1697 of the 84livingH2416 GodH430, the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, our GodH430. 37ThusH3541 you will sayH559 to that prophetH5030, ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 answeredH6030 you?’ and, ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 spokenH1696?’ 38For ifH518 you sayH559, ‘The oracleH4853 of the LordH3068!’ surelyH3651 thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘BecauseH3282 you saidH559 thisH2088 wordH1697, “The oracleH4853 of the LordH3068!” I have also sentH7971 to you, sayingH559, “You shall not sayH559, ‘The oracleH4853 of the LordH3068!’”’ 39ThereforeH3651 beholdH2009, 85I will surelyH5382 forgetH5382 you and castH5203 you awayH5203 from My presenceH6440, along with the cityH5892 whichH834 I gaveH5414 you and your fathersH1. 40I will putH5414 an everlastingH5769 86reproachH2781 on you and an everlastingH5769 humiliationH3640 whichH834 will not be forgottenH7911.”