Focused Passage

Jeremiah 23:23-32

False Shepherds, the Righteous Branch, and the Fire of the LORD's Word

The chapter moves from judgment on false shepherds, to the gathering of the remnant, to the promise of the righteous Branch, to a sustained indictment of false prophets who corrupt the people by speaking lies in the LORD's name.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

23 “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?”

24 “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

25 “I have heard the sayings of the prophets who prophesy lies in My name: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’

26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these prophets who prophesy falsehood, these prophets of the delusion of their own minds?

27 They suppose the dreams that they tell one another will make My people forget My name, just as their fathers forgot My name through the worship of Baal.

28 Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.

29 “Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?”

30 “Therefore behold,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words they attribute to Me.”

31 “Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’”

32 “Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Original words

Am I [only] אָ֖נִי H589 Pronoun - first person common singular a God הַאֱלֹהֵ֧י H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural construct nearby מִקָּרֹ֛ב H7138 Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle a God אֱלֹהֵ֖י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct far away מֵרָחֹֽק׃ H7350 Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

Can אִם־ H518 Conjunction a man אִ֧ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular hide יִסָּתֵ֨ר H5641 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in secret places בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֛ים H4565 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural where I וַאֲנִ֥י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular cannot לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle see him אֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Do I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular not הֲל֨וֹא H3808 Adverb - Negative particle - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker fill מָלֵ֖א H4390 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the heavens הַשָּׁמַ֧יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the earth הָאָ֛רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 25

Original words

I have heard שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֵ֤ת H853 Direct object marker the sayings אָֽמְרוּ֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative of the prophets הַנְּבִאִ֔ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural who prophesy הַֽנִּבְּאִ֥ים H5012 Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural lies שֶׁ֖קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct in My name בִּשְׁמִ֛י H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I had a dream חָלַ֖מְתִּי H2492 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular I had a dream חָלָֽמְתִּי׃ H2492 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Verse 26

Original words

How long עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . מָתַ֗י H4970 Interrogative will this continue הֲיֵ֛שׁ H3426 Adverb in the hearts בְּלֵ֥ב H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of these prophets הַנְּבִאִ֖ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural who prophesy נִבְּאֵ֣י H5012 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct falsehood הַשָּׁ֑קֶר H8267 Article | Noun - masculine singular these prophets וּנְבִיאֵ֖י H5030 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of the delusion תַּרְמִ֥ת H8649 Noun - feminine singular construct of their own minds לִבָּֽם׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 27

Original words

They suppose הַחֹשְׁבִ֗ים H2803 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural the dreams בַּחֲל֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם H2472 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative they tell יְסַפְּר֖וּ H5608 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural one אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular another לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ H7453 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular {will make} My people עַמִּי֙ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular forget לְהַשְׁכִּ֤יחַ H7911 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My name שְׁמִ֔י H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular just as כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative their fathers אֲבוֹתָ֛ם H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker forgot שָׁכְח֧וּ H7911 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural My name שְׁמִ֖י H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular through the worship of Baal בַּבָּֽעַל׃ H1168 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

Let the prophet הַנָּבִ֞יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative has אִתּ֤וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular a dream חֲלוֹם֙ H2472 Noun - masculine singular retell יְסַפֵּ֣ר H5608 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular [it] חֲל֔וֹם H2472 Noun - masculine singular but let him who וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative has אִתּ֔וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular My word דְּבָרִי֙ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular speak יְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular [it] דְּבָרִ֖י H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular truthfully אֱמֶ֑ת H571 Noun - feminine singular For what מַה־ H4100 Interrogative is straw לַתֶּ֥בֶן H8401 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular compared to אֶת־ H854 Preposition grain הַבָּ֖ר H1250 Article | Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

Is not הֲל֨וֹא H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . כֹ֧ה H3541 Adverb My word דְבָרִ֛י H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular like fire כָּאֵ֖שׁ H784 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and like a hammer וּכְפַטִּ֖ישׁ H6360 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular that smashes יְפֹ֥צֵֽץ H6327 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a rock סָֽלַע׃ס H5553 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Therefore לָכֵ֛ן H3651 Adverb behold הִנְנִ֥י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I am against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the prophets הַנְּבִאִ֖ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural who steal מְגַנְּבֵ֣י H1589 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct from one אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . מֵאֵ֥ת H854 Preposition-m | Direct object marker another רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular words [they attribute] to Me דְבָרַ֔י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 31

Original words

Yes הִנְנִ֥י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I am against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֖ם H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural who wag הַלֹּקְחִ֣ים H3947 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural their own tongues לְשׁוֹנָ֔ם H3956 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural and proclaim וַֽיִּנְאֲמ֖וּ H5001 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural [The LORD] declares [it] נְאֻֽם׃ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 32

Original words

Indeed הִ֠נְנִי H2005 Interjection | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I am against עַֽל־ H5921 Preposition those who prophesy נִבְּאֵ֞י H5012 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct false שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ H8267 Noun - masculine singular dreams חֲלֹמ֥וֹת H2472 Noun - masculine plural construct and retell them וַֽיְסַפְּרוּם֙ H5608 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine plural to lead My people עַמִּ֔י H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular astray וַיַּתְע֣וּ H8582 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker with their reckless וּבְפַחֲזוּתָ֑ם H6350 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural lies בְּשִׁקְרֵיהֶ֖ם H8267 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural It was not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle I וְאָנֹכִ֨י H595 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular who sent them שְׁלַחְתִּ֜ים H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural or commanded them צִוִּיתִ֗ים H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural and they are of no וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle benefit וְהוֹעֵ֛יל H3276 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle at all יוֹעִ֥ילוּ H3276 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural to these הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people לָֽעָם־ H5971 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.