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Gathering His Flock

23 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” It is a declaration of Adonai.

Therefore thus says Adonai, the God of Israel, about the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and have not taken care of them. I will soon visit on you the evil of your deeds.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

“I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them back to their folds, and they will be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will feed them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing,” It is a declaration of Adonai.

The Righteous Branch

“Behold, days are coming”
—it is a declaration of Adonai
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
and He will reign as king wisely[a],
and execute justice and righteousness in the land.
In His days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell in safely;
and this is His Name by which He will be called:
Adonai our righteousness.

“Therefore behold, days are coming,” says Adonai, “when they will no longer say: ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.’ Rather, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and from all the lands where He had banished them.’ So they will dwell in their own soil.

Avoid Ungodly Prophets

As for the prophets:
    My heart within me is broken,
        all my bones shake.
    I am like a drunken man,
    like a man overcome by wine
        because of Adonai,
        because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers.
The land mourns because of a curse.
Pastures of the wilderness are dry.
    Their running is evil,
and their might is not right.
11 For both prophet and kohen are ungodly.
Even in My House I found their evil.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
12 “Therefore their way will be for them like slippery places in the gloom.
They will be driven away and fall there,
for I will bring calamity on them,
even the year of their visitation.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
13 Moreover, I have seen unseemliness
in the prophets of Samaria:
they prophesied by Baal,
and led My people Israel astray.
14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen a horrible thing:
committing adultery and walking in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers.
No one turns back from his evil.
They are all like Sodom to Me
and her inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
15 Therefore thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot concerning the prophets:
“I myself will feed them wormwood
and make them drink poisoned water.
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
pollution has spread into all the land.”
16 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot:
“Do not listen to the words of prophets
who are prophesying to you.
They are leading you into illusion,
speaking a vision of their own heart
and not out of the mouth of Adonai.
17 They keep saying to those who despise Me,
Adonai has said, you will have shalom.’
To everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say:
‘No evil will come on you.’”

18 For who has stood in the council of Adonai,
that he should see and hear His word?
Who has heard to His word and obeyed?
19 Look, a storm of Adonai goes out in fury,
yes, a whirling tempest will swirl down
on the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of Adonai will not turn
until He has executed and fulfilled
the purposes of His heart.
In the last days you will discern it clearly.

21 “I did not send those prophets,
yet they ran.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 If they have stood in My council,
then they would have announced My words to My people,
and turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.”
23 “Am I God only when near”
—it is a declaration of Adonai
“and not God when far off?
24 Can anyone hide himself in places
so secret that I will not see him?
Do I not fill heaven and earth?”
It is a declaration of Adonai.

25 “I have heard what the prophets said, who prophesy lies in My Name, saying: ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue? Is there anything in the heart of such prophets prophesying lies? These prophets have deception in their heart. 27 Through their dreams that they each tell to his companion, that intend to make My people forget My Name—just as their fathers forgot My Name because of Baal.

28 “The prophet who has a dream may recount a dream,
but let the one who has My word speak My word in truth.
For what is straw compared with wheat?”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
29 “Is not My word like fire?” says Adonai,
“or like a hammer that shatters rock?

30 “Therefore here I am against the prophets”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“who steal My words from each other. 31 Indeed, I am against the prophets”, declares Adonai, “who use their tongues to utter a prophecy, ‘It is a declaration!’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” declares Adonai, “and tell them, and so lead My people astray with their lies and with their reckless boasts. Yet I never sent them or commanded them. Nor do they benefit this people at all.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

33 “Now when this people or a prophet or a kohen is asking you: ‘What is the burden[b] of Adonai?’ then you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will cast you off!’” It is a declaration of Adonai.

34 “As for the prophet or kohen or people who keep saying, ‘The burden of Adonai!’—I will punish that man and his household. 35 Thus each of you may say to his companion and each one to his brother, ‘What has Adonai answered?’ or ‘What has Adonai spoken?’ 36 But you should no longer remember ‘the burden of Adonai’—for to each one, his own word is becoming ‘the burden’! So you have perverted the words of the living God, of Adonai-Tzva’ot our God.

37 “So you are to say to such a prophet, ‘What has Adonai answered you?’ and ‘What has Adonai spoken?’ 38 But if you say, ‘The burden of Adonai,’” then surely Adonai says, “because you keep saying this word: ‘The burden of Adonai,’ when I sent this word to you, you are not to say ‘The burden of Adonai’— 39 therefore, I will surely forget you when I will cast you off, along with the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from My presence. 40 Then I will bring everlasting disgrace on you and everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:5 Or, and prosper.
  2. Jeremiah 23:33 Or, weighty oracle.

The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds(A) who are destroying and scattering(B) the sheep of my pasture!”(C) declares the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil(F) you have done,” declares the Lord. “I myself will gather the remnant(G) of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,(H) where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds(I) over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid(J) or terrified, nor will any be missing,(K)” declares the Lord.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will raise up for David[a] a righteous Branch,(L)
a King(M) who will reign(N) wisely
    and do what is just and right(O) in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved
    and Israel will live in safety.(P)
This is the name(Q) by which he will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.(R)

“So then, the days are coming,”(S) declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’(T) but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”(U)

Lying Prophets

Concerning the prophets:

My heart(V) is broken within me;
    all my bones tremble.(W)
I am like a drunken man,
    like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
    and his holy words.(X)
10 The land is full of adulterers;(Y)
    because of the curse[b](Z) the land lies parched
    and the pastures(AA) in the wilderness are withered.(AB)
The prophets follow an evil course
    and use their power unjustly.

11 “Both prophet and priest are godless;(AC)
    even in my temple(AD) I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore their path will become slippery;(AE)
    they will be banished to darkness
    and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
    in the year they are punished,(AF)
declares the Lord.

13 “Among the prophets of Samaria
    I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal(AG)
    and led my people Israel astray.(AH)
14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem
    I have seen something horrible:(AI)
    They commit adultery and live a lie.(AJ)
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,(AK)
    so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.(AL)
They are all like Sodom(AM) to me;
    the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”(AN)

15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

“I will make them eat bitter food
    and drink poisoned water,(AO)
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
    ungodliness(AP) has spread throughout the land.”

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen(AQ) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions(AR) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth(AS) of the Lord.
17 They keep saying(AT) to those who despise me,
    ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’(AU)
And to all who follow the stubbornness(AV) of their hearts
    they say, ‘No harm(AW) will come to you.’
18 But which of them has stood in the council(AX) of the Lord
    to see or to hear his word?
    Who has listened and heard his word?
19 See, the storm(AY) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind(AZ) swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger(BA) of the Lord will not turn back(BB)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send(BC) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(BD)
    they would have proclaimed(BE) my words to my people
and would have turned(BF) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.(BG)

23 “Am I only a God nearby,(BH)
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(BI) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(BJ)
declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(BK) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(BL) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(BM) of their own minds?(BN) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(BO) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(BP) my name through Baal worship.(BQ) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(BR) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(BS) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(BT) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(BU) that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(BV) the prophets(BW) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’(BX) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(BY)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(BZ) with their reckless lies,(CA) yet I did not send(CB) or appoint them. They do not benefit(CC) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message(CD) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake(CE) you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message(CF) from the Lord,’ I will punish(CG) them and their household. 35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’(CH) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort(CI) the words of the living God,(CJ) the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast(CK) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace(CL)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:5 Or up from David’s line
  2. Jeremiah 23:10 Or because of these things