Focused Passage

Jeremiah 23:33-40

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

33“Now when this people or a prophet or priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’

34As for the prophet or priest or anyone who claims, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ I will punish that man and his household.

35This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother: ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’

36But refer no more to the burden of the LORD, for each man’s word becomes the burden, so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of Hosts, our God.

37Thus you are to say to the prophet: ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and ‘What has the LORD spoken?’

38But if you claim, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ then this is what the LORD says: Because you have said, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ and I specifically told you not to make this claim,

39therefore I will surely forget you and will cast you out of My presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers.

40And I will bring upon you everlasting shame and perpetual humiliation that will never be forgotten.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 33

Original words

Now whenוְכִי־H3588Conjunctionthisהַזֶּ֜הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleהָעָ֨םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularorאֽוֹ־H176Conjunctiona prophetהַנָּבִ֤יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singularorאֽוֹ־H176Conjunctionpriestכֹהֵן֙H3548Noun - masculine singularasks youיִשְׁאָלְךָ֩H7592Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularWhatמַה־H4100Interrogativeis the burdenמַשָּׂ֖אH4853Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְאָמַרְתָּ֤H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularyou are to sayלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructto themאֲלֵיהֶם֙H413Preposition | third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerWhatמַה־H4100Interrogativeburdenמַשָּׂ֔אH4853Noun - masculine singularI will forsakeוְנָטַשְׁתִּ֥יH5203Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularyouאֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 34

Original words

As for the prophetוְהַנָּבִ֤יאH5030Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular[or] priestוְהַכֹּהֵן֙H3548Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular[or] anyoneוְהָעָ֔םH5971Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeclaimsיֹאמַ֖רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularThis is the burdenמַשָּׂ֣אH4853Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularI will punishוּפָקַדְתִּ֛יH6485Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular. . .עַל־H5921Prepositionthatהַה֖וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionmanהָאִ֥ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularand his householdבֵּיתֽוֹ׃H1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֥הH3541Adverbeach manאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularis to sayתֹאמְר֛וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraltoעַל־H5921Prepositionhis friendרֵעֵ֖הוּH7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .וְאִ֣ישׁH376Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand toאֶל־H413Prepositionhis brotherאָחִ֑יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularWhatמֶה־H4100Interrogativehas the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularansweredעָנָ֣הH6030Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularor ‘Whatוּמַה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativehas the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularspokenדִּבֶּ֖רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 36

Original words

But referתִזְכְּרוּ־H2142Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralnoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlemoreע֑וֹדH5750Adverbto the burdenוּמַשָּׂ֥אH4853Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctioneachלְאִ֣ישׁH376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularman’s wordדְּבָר֔וֹH1697Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularbecomesיִֽהְיֶה֙H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe burdenהַמַּשָּׂ֗אH4853Article | Noun - masculine singularso that you pervertוַהֲפַכְתֶּ֗םH2015Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe wordsדִּבְרֵי֙H1697Noun - masculine plural constructof the livingחַיִּ֔יםH2416Adjective - masculine pluralGodאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluralthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֖וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralour Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Verse 37

Original words

Thusכֹּ֥הH3541Adverbyou are to sayתֹאמַ֖רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe prophetהַנָּבִ֑יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singularWhatמֶה־H4100Interrogativehas the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularanswered youעָנָ֣ךְH6030Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularand ‘Whatוּמַה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativehas the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularspokenדִּבֶּ֖רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 38

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou claimתֹּאמֵרוּ֒H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralThis is the burdenמַשָּׂ֣אH4853Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthenלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverbthis is whatכֹּ֚הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularBecauseיַ֧עַןH3282Adverbyou have saidאֲמָרְכֶ֛םH559Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-הַדָּבָ֥רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularThis is the burdenמַשָּׂ֣אH4853Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand I specifically toldוָאֶשְׁלַ֤חH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular. . .אֲלֵיכֶם֙H413Preposition | second person masculine plural. . .לֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyou notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto make this claimתֹאמְר֖וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-מַשָּׂ֥אH4853Noun - masculine singular construct-יְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 39

Original words

thereforeלָכֵ֣ןH3651AdverbI will surelyהִנְנִ֔יH2005Interjection | first person common singularforgetוְנָשִׁ֥יתִיH5382Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularyouאֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralvvvנָשֹׁ֑אH5377Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand will cast youוְנָטַשְׁתִּ֣יH5203Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularout ofמֵעַ֥לH5921Preposition-mMy presenceפָּנָֽי׃H6440Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularboth youאֶתְכֶ֗םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthe cityהָעִיר֙H5892Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeI gaveנָתַ֧תִּיH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularto youלָכֶ֛םPreposition | second person masculine pluraland your fathersוְלַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖םH1Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 40

Original words

And I will bringוְנָתַתִּ֥יH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularupon youעֲלֵיכֶ֖םH5921Preposition | second person masculine pluraleverlastingעוֹלָ֑םH5769Noun - masculine singularshameחֶרְפַּ֣תH2781Noun - feminine singular constructand perpetualעוֹלָ֔םH5769Noun - masculine singularhumiliationוּכְלִמּ֣וּתH3640Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructthatאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativewill neverלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe forgottenתִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃סH7911Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine 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.