9 As for the prophets : My heart is broken within me, All my bones tremble ; I have become like a drunken man , Even like a man overcome with wine , Because e of the Lord And because e of His holy words . 10 For the land is full of adulterers ; For the land mourns because e of the curse . The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course also is evil And their might is not right . 11 "For both prophet and priest are polluted ; Even in My house I have found their wickedness ," declares the Lord . 12 "Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them, They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it; For I will bring calamity upon them, The year of their punishment ," declares the Lord . 13 "Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing : They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray . 14 "Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing : The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood ; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers , So that no one has turned back from his wickedness . All of them have become to Me like Sodom , And her inhabitants like Gomorrah 15 "Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets , 'Behold , I am going to feed them wormwood And make them drink poisonous water , For from the prophets of Jerusalem Pollution has gone forth into all the land .' " 16 Thus says the Lord of hosts , " Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility ; They speak a vision of their own imagination , Not from the mouth of the Lord . 17 "They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The Lord has said , " You will have peace "'; And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart , They say , ' Calamity will not come upon you.' 18 "But who has stood in the council of the Lord , That he should see and hear His word ? Who has given heed to His word and listened ? 19 "Behold , the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath , Even a whirling tempest ; It will swirl down on the head of the wicked 20 "The anger of the Lord will not turn back Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart ; In the last days you will clearly understand it. 21 " I did not send these prophets , But they ran . I did not speak to them, But they prophesied 22 "But if they had stood in My council , Then they would have announced My words to My people , And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds . 23 "Am I a God who is near ," declares the Lord , "And not a God far off e ? 24 "Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the Lord . " Do I not fill the heavens and the earth ?" declares the Lord . 25 "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name , saying , 'I had a dream , I had a dream !' 26 "How long e ? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood , even these prophets of the deception of their own heart , 27 who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another , just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal ? 28 "The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream , but let him who has My word speak My word in truth . What does straw have in common with grain ?" declares the Lord . 29 "Is not My word like fire ?" declares the Lord , "and like a hammer which shatters a rock ? 30 "Therefore behold , I am against the prophets ," declares the Lord , "who steal My words from each other . 31 "Behold , I am against the prophets ," declares the Lord , "who use their tongues and declare , 'The Lord declares .' 32 "Behold , I am against those who have prophesied false dreams ," declares the Lord , "and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting ; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit ," declares the Lord .
33 "Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you saying , 'What is the oracle of the Lord ?' then you shall say to them, 'What oracle ?' The Lord declares , 'I will abandon you.' 34 "Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say , 'The oracle of the Lord ,' I will bring punishment upon that man and his household . 35 "Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother , ' What has the Lord answered ?' or, 'What has the Lord spoken ?' 36 "For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord , because every man's own word will become the oracle , and you have perverted the words of the living God , the Lord of hosts , our God 37 "Thus you will say to that prophet , 'What has the Lord answered you?' and, 'What has the Lord spoken ?' 38 "For if you say , 'The oracle of the Lord !' surely thus says the Lord , 'Because you said this word , "The oracle of the Lord !" I have also sent to you, saying , "You shall not say , 'The oracle of the Lord !' "
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 23:9-38
Commentary on Jeremiah 23:9-22
(Read Jeremiah 23:9-22)
The false prophets of Samaria had deluded the Israelites into idolatries; yet the Lord considered the false prophets of Jerusalem as guilty of more horrible wickedness, by which the people were made bold in sin. These false teachers would be compelled to suffer the most bitter part of the Lord's indignation. They made themselves believe that there was no harm in sin, and practised accordingly; then they made others believe so. Those who are resolved to go on in evil ways, will justly be given up to believe strong delusions. But which of them had received any revelation of God, or understood any thing of his word? There was a time coming when they would reflect on their folly and unbelief with remorse. The teaching and example of the true prophets led men to repentance, faith, and righteousness. The false prophets led men to rest in forms and notions, and to be quiet in their sins. Let us take heed that we do not follow unrighteousness.
Commentary on Jeremiah 23:23-32
(Read Jeremiah 23:23-32)
Men cannot be hidden from God's all-seeing eye. Will they never see what judgments they prepare for themselves? Let them consider what a vast difference there is between these prophecies and those delivered by the true prophets of the Lord. Let them not call their foolish dreams Divine oracles. The promises of peace these prophets make are no more to be compared to God's promises than chaff to wheat. The unhumbled heart of man is like a rock; if not melted by the word of God as a fire, it will be broken to pieces by it as a hammer. How can they be long safe, or at all easy, who have a God of almighty power against them? The word of God is no smooth, lulling, deceitful message. And by its faithfulness it may certainly be distinguished from false doctrines.
Commentary on Jeremiah 23:33-40
(Read Jeremiah 23:33-40)
Those are miserable indeed who are forsaken and forgotten of God; and men's jesting at God's judgments will not baffle them. God had taken Israel to be a people near to him, but they shall now be cast out of his presence. It is a mark of great and daring impiety for men to jest with the words of God. Every idle and profane word will add to the sinner's burden in the day of judgment, when everlasting shame will be his portion.