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.’

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

35 This 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?’

36 But 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.

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

38 But 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,

39 therefore 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.

40 And 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 when וְכִי־ H3588 Conjunction this הַזֶּ֜ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֨ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular or אֽוֹ־ H176 Conjunction a prophet הַנָּבִ֤יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular or אֽוֹ־ H176 Conjunction priest כֹהֵן֙ H3548 Noun - masculine singular asks you יִשְׁאָלְךָ֩ H7592 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular What מַה־ H4100 Interrogative is the burden מַשָּׂ֖א H4853 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular you are to say לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct to them אֲלֵיהֶם֙ H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker What מַה־ H4100 Interrogative burden מַשָּׂ֔א H4853 Noun - masculine singular I will forsake וְנָטַשְׁתִּ֥י H5203 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 34

Original words

As for the prophet וְהַנָּבִ֤יא H5030 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular [or] priest וְהַכֹּהֵן֙ H3548 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular [or] anyone וְהָעָ֔ם H5971 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative claims יֹאמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular This is the burden מַשָּׂ֣א H4853 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will punish וּפָקַדְתִּ֛י H6485 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition that הַה֖וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition man הָאִ֥ישׁ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular and his household בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

This is what כֹּ֥ה H3541 Adverb each man אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular is to say תֹאמְר֛וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to עַל־ H5921 Preposition his friend רֵעֵ֖הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . וְאִ֣ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and to אֶל־ H413 Preposition his brother אָחִ֑יו H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular What מֶה־ H4100 Interrogative has the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular answered עָנָ֣ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular or ‘What וּמַה־ H4100 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative has the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular spoken דִּבֶּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 36

Original words

But refer תִזְכְּרוּ־ H2142 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural no לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle more ע֑וֹד H5750 Adverb to the burden וּמַשָּׂ֥א H4853 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction each לְאִ֣ישׁ H376 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular man’s word דְּבָר֔וֹ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular becomes יִֽהְיֶה֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the burden הַמַּשָּׂ֗א H4853 Article | Noun - masculine singular so that you pervert וַהֲפַכְתֶּ֗ם H2015 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the words דִּבְרֵי֙ H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct of the living חַיִּ֔ים H2416 Adjective - masculine plural God אֱלֹהִ֣ים H430 Noun - masculine plural the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural our God אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Verse 37

Original words

Thus כֹּ֥ה H3541 Adverb you are to say תֹאמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the prophet הַנָּבִ֑יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular What מֶה־ H4100 Interrogative has the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular answered you עָנָ֣ךְ H6030 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular and ‘What וּמַה־ H4100 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative has the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular spoken דִּבֶּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 38

Original words

But if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction you claim תֹּאמֵרוּ֒ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural This is the burden מַשָּׂ֣א H4853 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָה֮ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular then לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb this is what כֹּ֚ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Because יַ֧עַן H3282 Adverb you have said אֲמָרְכֶ֛ם H559 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - הַדָּבָ֥ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular This is the burden מַשָּׂ֣א H4853 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and I specifically told וָאֶשְׁלַ֤ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular . . . אֲלֵיכֶם֙ H413 Preposition | second person masculine plural . . . לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct you not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to make this claim תֹאמְר֖וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - מַשָּׂ֥א H4853 Noun - masculine singular construct - יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 39

Original words

therefore לָכֵ֣ן H3651 Adverb I will surely הִנְנִ֔י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular forget וְנָשִׁ֥יתִי H5382 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural vvv נָשֹׁ֑א H5377 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and will cast you וְנָטַשְׁתִּ֣י H5203 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular out of מֵעַ֥ל H5921 Preposition-m My presence פָּנָֽי׃ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular both you אֶתְכֶ֗ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the city הָעִיר֙ H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative I gave נָתַ֧תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular to you לָכֶ֛ם Preposition | second person masculine plural and your fathers וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם H1 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 40

Original words

And I will bring וְנָתַתִּ֥י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular upon you עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם H5921 Preposition | second person masculine plural everlasting עוֹלָ֑ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular shame חֶרְפַּ֣ת H2781 Noun - feminine singular construct and perpetual עוֹלָ֔ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular humiliation וּכְלִמּ֣וּת H3640 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct that אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative will never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be forgotten תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃ס H7911 Verb - 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.