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!’

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

27They 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.

28Let 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]אָ֖נִיH589Pronoun - first person common singulara Godהַאֱלֹהֵ֧יH430Article | Noun - masculine plural constructnearbyמִקָּרֹ֛בH7138Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlea Godאֱלֹהֵ֖יH430Noun - masculine plural constructfar awayמֵרָחֹֽק׃H7350Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

Canאִם־H518Conjunctiona manאִ֧ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularhideיִסָּתֵ֨רH5641Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin secret placesבַּמִּסְתָּרִ֛יםH4565Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralwhere Iוַאֲנִ֥יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularcannotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlesee himאֶרְאֶ֖נּוּH7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularDo Iאֲנִ֥יH589Pronoun - first person common singularnotהֲל֨וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particle-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfillמָלֵ֖אH4390Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe heavensהַשָּׁמַ֧יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthe earthהָאָ֛רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 25

Original words

I have heardשָׁמַ֗עְתִּיH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֵ֤תH853Direct object markerthe sayingsאָֽמְרוּ֙H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeof the prophetsהַנְּבִאִ֔יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho prophesyהַֽנִּבְּאִ֥יםH5012Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralliesשֶׁ֖קֶרH8267Noun - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin My nameבִּשְׁמִ֛יH8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI had a dreamחָלַ֖מְתִּיH2492Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularI had a dreamחָלָֽמְתִּי׃H2492Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Verse 26

Original words

How longעַד־H5704Preposition. . .מָתַ֗יH4970Interrogativewill this continueהֲיֵ֛שׁH3426Adverbin the heartsבְּלֵ֥בH3820Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof these prophetsהַנְּבִאִ֖יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho prophesyנִבְּאֵ֣יH5012Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural constructfalsehoodהַשָּׁ֑קֶרH8267Article | Noun - masculine singularthese prophetsוּנְבִיאֵ֖יH5030Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof the delusionתַּרְמִ֥תH8649Noun - feminine singular constructof their own mindsלִבָּֽם׃H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 27

Original words

They supposeהַחֹשְׁבִ֗יםH2803Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthe dreamsבַּחֲל֣וֹמֹתָ֔םH2472Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethey tellיְסַפְּר֖וּH5608Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraloneאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherלְרֵעֵ֑הוּH7453Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular{will make} My peopleעַמִּי֙H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularforgetלְהַשְׁכִּ֤יחַH7911Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy nameשְׁמִ֔יH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularjust asכַּאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativetheir fathersאֲבוֹתָ֛םH1Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerforgotשָׁכְח֧וּH7911Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralMy nameשְׁמִ֖יH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthrough the worship of Baalבַּבָּֽעַל׃H1168Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

Let the prophetהַנָּבִ֞יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehasאִתּ֤וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singulara dreamחֲלוֹם֙H2472Noun - masculine singularretellיְסַפֵּ֣רH5608Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular[it]חֲל֔וֹםH2472Noun - masculine singularbut let him whoוַאֲשֶׁ֤רH834Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relativehasאִתּ֔וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singularMy wordדְּבָרִי֙H1697Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularspeakיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular[it]דְּבָרִ֖יH1697Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulartruthfullyאֱמֶ֑תH571Noun - feminine singularFor whatמַה־H4100Interrogativeis strawלַתֶּ֥בֶןH8401Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularcompared toאֶת־H854Prepositiongrainהַבָּ֖רH1250Article | Noun - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

Is notהֲל֨וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .כֹ֧הH3541AdverbMy wordדְבָרִ֛יH1697Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularlike fireכָּאֵ֖שׁH784Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand like a hammerוּכְפַטִּ֖ישׁH6360Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularthat smashesיְפֹ֥צֵֽץH6327Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara rockסָֽלַע׃סH5553Noun - masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֛ןH3651Adverbbeholdהִנְנִ֥יH2005Interjection | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularI am againstעַל־H5921Prepositionthe prophetsהַנְּבִאִ֖יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho stealמְגַנְּבֵ֣יH1589Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural constructfrom oneאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .מֵאֵ֥תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markeranotherרֵעֵֽהוּ׃H7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwords [they attribute] to Meדְבָרַ֔יH1697Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 31

Original words

Yesהִנְנִ֥יH2005Interjection | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularI am againstעַל־H5921Prepositionthe prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֖םH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho wagהַלֹּקְחִ֣יםH3947Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluraltheir own tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֔םH3956Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluraland proclaimוַֽיִּנְאֲמ֖וּH5001Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural[The LORD] declares [it]נְאֻֽם׃H5002Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 32

Original words

Indeedהִ֠נְנִיH2005Interjection | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularI am againstעַֽל־H5921Prepositionthose who prophesyנִבְּאֵ֞יH5012Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural constructfalseשֶׁ֙קֶר֙H8267Noun - masculine singulardreamsחֲלֹמ֥וֹתH2472Noun - masculine plural constructand retell themוַֽיְסַפְּרוּם֙H5608Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine pluralto lead My peopleעַמִּ֔יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularastrayוַיַּתְע֣וּH8582Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwith their recklessוּבְפַחֲזוּתָ֑םH6350Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralliesבְּשִׁקְרֵיהֶ֖םH8267Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralIt was notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleIוְאָנֹכִ֨יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwho sent themשְׁלַחְתִּ֜יםH7971Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralor commanded themצִוִּיתִ֗יםH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluraland they are of noוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebenefitוְהוֹעֵ֛ילH3276Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .לֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleat allיוֹעִ֥ילוּH3276Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralto theseהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleלָֽעָם־H5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - 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.