Jeremiah 23

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

1“1WoeH1945 to the shepherdsH7462 who are causing the 2sheepH6629 of My pastureH4830 to 3perishH6 and are scatteringH6327 them!” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 2ThereforeH3651 thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 saysH559 concerningH5921 the shepherdsH7462 who are 4tendingH7462 My peopleH5971: “You have scatteredH6327 My flockH6629 and drivenH5080 them awayH5080, and have not been concernedH6485 about them; beholdH2009, I am going to 5callH6485 you toH6485 accountH6485 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 beH6509 fruitfulH6509 and multiplyH7235. 4I will also raiseH6965 upH6965 8shepherdsH7462 overH5921 them and they will 9tendH7462 them; and they will 10not beH3372 afraidH3372 anyH5750 longerH5750, norH3808 be terrifiedH2865, 11norH3808 will any beH6485 missingH6485,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

5“BeholdH2009, the 12daysH3117 are comingH935,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “When I will raiseH6965 upH6965 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 liveH7931 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 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 upH5927 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714,’ 822but, ‘As the LordH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 23broughtH5927 upH5927 and ledH935 the descendantsH2233 of the householdH1004 of IsraelH3478 back 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, And like a manH1397 overcomeH5674 by 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 upH3001. Their courseH4794 is evilH7451 And their mightH1369 is not rightH3653.11“For 28bothH1571 prophetH5030 and priestH3548 are defiledH2610; 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 drivenH1760 awayH1760 into the 30gloomH653 and fallH5307 downH5307 in it; For I will bringH935 31disasterH7463 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 ofH5003 36adulteryH5003 and walkingH1980 in deceitH8267; 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 thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 of armiesH6635 saysH559 concerningH5921 the prophetsH5030: ‘BeholdH2009, I am going to 39feedH398 them wormwoodH3939 And makeH8248 them drinkH8248 poisonousH7219 waterH4325, For from the prophetsH5030 of JerusalemH3389 UngodlinessH2613 has spreadH3318 into allH3605 the landH776.’”

16ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 of armiesH6635 saysH559: “40Do not listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of the prophetsH5030 who are prophesyingH5012 to you. They are 41leadingH1891 you intoH1891 futilityH1891; They tellH1696 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, ‘48DisasterH7463 will not comeH935 on you.’18But 49whoH4310 has stoodH5975 in the councilH5475 of the LordH3068, That he should seeH7200 and hearH8085 His wordH1697? WhoH4310 has paidH7181 50attentionH7181 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 outH6965 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 personH376 60hideH5641 himself in hidingH4565 placesH4565 So that 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 aH2492 64dreamH2492, I hadH2492 aH2492 dreamH2492!’ 26HowH4970 longH5704H4970? IsH3426 thereH3426 anything in the heartsH3820 of the prophetsH5030 who prophesyH5012 falsehoodH8267, these prophetsH5030 of the 65deceitfulnessH8649 of their own heartH3820, 27who intendH2803 to 66make My peopleH5971 forgetH7911 My nameH8034 by their dreamsH2472 whichH834 they reportH5608 to oneH376 anotherH7453, justH3512 asH3512 their fathersH1 67forgotH7911 My nameH8034 because of BaalH1168? 28The prophetH5030 whoH834 hasH854 a dreamH2472 may reportH5608 his dreamH2472, but let him whoH834 hasH854 68My wordH1697 speakH1696 My wordH1697 truthfullyH571. 69WhatH4100 does strawH8401 have in common with grainH1250?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 29“Is My wordH1697 not 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 73useH3947 their tonguesH3956 and declareH5001, ‘The Lord declaresH5002!’ 32BeholdH2009, I am againstH5921 those who have prophesiedH5012 74falseH8267 dreamsH2472,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “and reportedH5608 them and ledH8582 My peopleH5971 astrayH8582 by their liesH8267 and 75recklessH6350 boastingH6350; yet 76I did not sendH7971 them nor commandH6680 them, norH3808 do they 77provideH3276 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 7879pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068?’ then you shall sayH559 to them, ‘WhatH4100 80pronouncementH4853?’ The LordH3068 declaresH5002, ‘I will 81abandonH5203 you.’ 34Then as for the prophetH5030 or the priestH3548 or the peopleH5971 whoH834 sayH559, ‘The 82pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068,’ I will bringH6485 punishmentH6485 upon that personH376 and his householdH1004. 35ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 eachH376 oneH376 of you will sayH559 to his neighborH7453 and to his brotherH251: ‘83WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 answeredH6030?’ or, ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 spokenH1696?’ 36For you will noH3808 longerH5750 rememberH2142 the pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068, becauseH3588 everyH376 person’sH376 own wordH1697 will becomeH1961 the pronouncementH4853, and you have 84pervertedH2015 the wordsH1697 of the 85livingH2416 GodH430, the LordH3068 of armiesH6635, our GodH430. 37ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 you will sayH559 to that prophetH5030: ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 answeredH6030 you?’ and, ‘WhatH4100 has the LordH3068 spokenH1696?’ 38And ifH518 you sayH559, ‘The pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068!’ for thatH3651 reasonH3651 the LordH3068 saysH559 thisH3541: ‘BecauseH3282 you saidH559 thisH2088 wordH1697, “The pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068!” I have also sentH7971 word to you, sayingH559, “You shall not sayH559, ‘The pronouncementH4853 of the LordH3068!’”’ 39ThereforeH3651 beholdH2009, 86I will certainlyH5382 forgetH5382 you and thrustH5203 you awayH5203 from My presenceH6440, along with the cityH5892 whichH834 I gaveH5414 you and your fathersH1. 40I will putH5414 an everlastingH5769 87disgraceH2781 on you and an everlastingH5769 humiliationH3640 whichH834 will not be forgottenH7911.”