Focused Passage

Jeremiah 23:9-15

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

9As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.

10For the land is full of adulterers—because of the curse, the land mourns and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up—their course is evil and their power is misused.

11“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.

12“Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

13“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

14And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”

15Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

As for the prophetsלַנְּבִאִ֞יםH5030Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralMy heartלִבִּ֣יH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularis brokenנִשְׁבַּ֧רH7665Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwithin meבְקִרְבִּ֗יH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructmy bonesעַצְמוֹתַ֔יH6106Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singulartrembleרָֽחֲפוּ֙H7363Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralI have becomeהָיִ֙יתִי֙H1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularlike a drunkardכְּאִ֣ישׁH376Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular. . .שִׁכּ֔וֹרH7910Adjective - masculine singularlike a manוּכְגֶ֖בֶרH1397Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularovercomeעֲבָ֣רוֹH5674Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularby wineיָ֑יִןH3196Noun - masculine singularbecause ofמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbecause ofוּמִפְּנֵ֖יH6440Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructHis holyקָדְשֽׁוֹ׃H6944Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwordsדִּבְרֵ֥יH1697Noun - masculine plural construct
Verse 10

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthe landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .כִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionis full ofמָלְאָ֣הH4390Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularadulterersמְנָֽאֲפִים֙H5003Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralbecause ofמִפְּנֵ֤יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe curseאָלָה֙H423Noun - feminine singularthe landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularmournsאָבְלָ֣הH56Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularand the pasturesנְא֣וֹתH4999Noun - feminine plural constructof the wildernessמִדְבָּ֑רH4057Noun - masculine singularhave dried upיָבְשׁ֖וּH3001Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir courseמְרֽוּצָתָם֙H4794Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralisוַתְּהִ֤יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularevilרָעָ֔הH7451Adjective - feminine singularand their powerוּגְבוּרָתָ֖םH1369Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralis misusedלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .כֵֽן׃H3651Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionbothגַם־H1571Conjunctionprophetנָבִ֥יאH5030Noun - masculine singularandגַם־H1571Conjunctionpriestכֹּהֵ֖ןH3548Noun - masculine singularare ungodlyחָנֵ֑פוּH2610Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralevenגַּם־H1571Conjunctionin My houseבְּבֵיתִ֛יH1004Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI have foundמָצָ֥אתִיH4672Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulartheir wickednessרָעָתָ֖םH7451Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵן֩H3651Adverbtheir pathדַרְכָּ֜םH1870Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural. . .לָהֶ֗םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwill becomeיִֽהְיֶ֨הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularslickכַּחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת֙H2519Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine pluralthey will be driven awayיִדַּ֖חוּH1760Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralinto the darknessבָּֽאֲפֵלָ֔הH653Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularand fallוְנָ֣פְלוּH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralinto itבָ֑הּPreposition | third person feminine singularForכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionI will bringאָבִ֨יאH935Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singulardisasterרָעָ֛הH7451Adjective - feminine singularupon themעֲלֵיהֶ֥םH5921Preposition | third person masculine pluralin the yearשְׁנַ֥תH8141Noun - feminine singular constructof their punishmentפְּקֻדָּתָ֖םH6486Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Among the prophetsוּבִנְבִיאֵ֥יH5030Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof Samariaשֹׁמְר֖וֹןH8111Noun - proper - feminine singularI sawרָאִ֣יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularan offensive thingתִפְלָ֑הH8604Noun - feminine singularThey prophesiedהִנַּבְּא֣וּH5012Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common pluralby Baalבַבַּ֔עַלH1168Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand led My peopleעַמִּ֖יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃סH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularastrayוַיַּתְע֥וּH8582Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker
Verse 14

Original words

And among the prophetsוּבִנְבִאֵ֨יH5030Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֜םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularI have seenרָאִ֣יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulara horrible thingשַׁעֲרוּרָ֗הH8186Adjective - feminine singularThey commit adulteryנָא֞וֹףH5003Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand walkוְהָלֹ֤ךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolutein liesבַּשֶּׁ֙קֶר֙H8267Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularThey strengthenוְחִזְּקוּ֙H2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralthe handsיְדֵ֣יH3027Noun - feminine dual constructof evildoersמְרֵעִ֔יםH7489Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralso that noלְבִ֨לְתִּי־H1115Preposition-loneאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularturns his backשָׁ֔בוּH7725Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralon wickednessמֵרָֽעָת֑וֹH7451Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularThey areהָֽיוּ־H1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralallכֻלָּם֙H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plurallike Sodomכִּסְדֹ֔םH5467Preposition-k | Noun - proper - feminine singularto Meלִ֤יPreposition | first person common singularthe people of Jerusalemוְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularare like Gomorrahכַּעֲמֹרָֽה׃סH6017Preposition-k | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֞ןH3651Adverbthis is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאוֹת֙H6635Noun - common pluralsaysאָמַ֨רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularconcerningעַל־H5921Prepositionthe prophetsהַנְּבִאִ֔יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .הִנְנִ֨יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI will feedמַאֲכִ֤ילH398Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularthemאוֹתָם֙H853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralwormwoodלַֽעֲנָ֔הH3939Noun - feminine singularand give them poisonedרֹ֑אשׁH7219Noun - masculine singularwaterמֵי־H4325Noun - masculine plural constructto drinkוְהִשְׁקִתִ֖יםH8248Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralforכִּ֗יH3588Conjunction-מֵאֵת֙H854Preposition-m | Direct object markerfrom the prophetsנְבִיאֵ֣יH5030Noun - masculine plural constructof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularungodlinessחֲנֻפָּ֖הH2613Noun - feminine singular. . .לְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructhas spreadיָצְאָ֥הH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularthroughout the landהָאָֽרֶץ׃פH776Article | Noun - 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.