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JEREMIAH 23

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. The literary context of Jer. 23 starts in Jer. 21:11-14, which begins YHWH's word to the royal house of Judah.
   
   
2. The basic outline of Jer. 22:1-23:8
   1. Zedekiah, Jer. 22:1-9
   2. Shallum, Jer. 22:10-12 (Jehoahaz)
   3. Jehoiakim, Jer. 22:13-23
   4. Jehoiachim, Jer. 22:24-30 (Coniah)
   5. Zedekiah, Jer. 23:1-8 (although Zedekiah is not mentioned by name in Jer. 23:1-8, if the shepherd series continues, he is the object of the message)
   
   
3. This chapter is a sharp contrast between the false shepherd and YHWH's Righteous Branch (i.e. Messiah; see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BRANCH OF THE LORD). The contrast is heightened by the use of
   1. "say" ‒ BDB 55, KB 65, used 16 times
   2. "speak" ‒ BDB 180, KB 210, used 5 times
   3. "prophesy" ‒ BDB 612, KB 659, used 6 times
   
   
4. This chapter has several titles for Judah's Deity.
   1. the Lord God of Israel, Jer. 23:2
   2. a righteous branch, Jer. 23:5
   3. the Lord our righteousness (Davidic Messiah's name), Jer. 23:6
   4. the Lord of hosts, Jer. 23:15,16,36
   5. a God who is near, Jer. 23:23
   6. not a God far off, Jer. 23:23
   7. the living God, Jer. 23:36
   8. our God, Jer. 23:36
   
   
5. In the midst of terrible judgment comes the wonderful promise of YHWH's righteous Branch! There is hope; there will be salvation; there will be justice! A new day will arise from the ashes of judgment.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:1-4
¹"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!" declares the Lord. ²Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares the Lord. ³"Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.

23:1-4 This is a "woe" strophe (i.e. funeral dirge, a 3/2 meter/beat; see full note at Jer. 22:13). The false shepherds (prophets, priests, civic leaders):

1. are destroying YHWH's flock, Jer. 23:1
2. are scattering YHWH's flock, Jer. 23:1-2
3. have not attended YHWH's flock, Jer. 23:2
4. have driven them away, Jer. 23:2

YHWH will raise up true shepherds.

1. He will gather His flock, Jer. 23:3
2. they will be fruitful and multiply, Jer. 23:3 (the expressed desire of YHWH in Gen. 1:22,28; 9:1,7)
3. good shepherds will tend them, Jer. 23:4
4. they will not be afraid or terrified any longer, Jer. 23:4
5. none of them are missing, Jer. 23:4

YHWH's special Davidic leader (cf. Ezekiel 34):

1. Davidic seed
2. righteous seed
3. Branch (cf. Jer. 23:5; 33:15-16; Isa. 4:2; 11:1-5; 53:2; Zech. 3:8; 6:12-13)
4. He will reign as king, Jer. 23:5
5. He will act wisely, Jer. 23:5
6. He will do justice and righteousness, Jer. 23:5
7. His name will be "the Lord our righteousness," Jer. 23:6

What a contrast!

1. the wicked leaders do not attend YHWH's flock. He will attend them for their evil deeds, Jer. 23:2
2. the righteous leader will
   1. save, Jer. 23:6 (i.e. physical deliverance; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION [OT])
   2. cause to dwell securely, Jer. 23:6
   3. return them to the Promised Land, Jer. 23:8 (i.e. reflects the land promise of Gen. 12:1-3; see SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS)

The God who acts, will act (cf. Ezek. 36:22-38)! The Good Shepherd will come (John 10), but He will be rejected (cf. Zechariah 11).

SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

23:3 "I Myself shall gather the remnant of My flock" Notice that the problem of fallen human's, even covenant humans, inability to follow God is answered by God Himself acting on their behalf. This is the "new covenant" of Jer. 31:31-34 (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36). The new covenant is based on grace, not performance (i.e. Rom. 3:21-31; Galatians 3; the book of Hebrews), but the goal is still a people who reflect YHWH's character.

The term "remnant" has several meanings. However, in this context it carries the dual meaning of

1. returnee from exile
2. the faithful followers of YHWH

This chapter makes it hard to distinguish between the return from exile and the future Messianic reign (cf. Jer. 23:4).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, THREE SENSES

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:5-6
⁵"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord,
"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
⁶In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
'The Lord our righteousness.'

23:5 "I will raise up for David a righteous Branch" This is literally "sprout," BDB 855. This was a symbol of life out of death. It was used of the Messiah in Jer. 33:15-16; Zech. 3:8; 6:12; the same concept but different terms in Isa. 11:1 ("twig," BDB 310 and "shoot," BDB 666); 53:2 ("young plant," BDB 413; "a root," BDB 1057). It (BDB 855) apparently refers to Zerubbabel in Zechariah, but foreshadows the Messiah.

In the midst of oracles of judgment, comes hope, promise, and a new leader, a new day! The concept of a Messiah is recurrent in the OT although the term is not. The Aramaic Targums read "Messiah" in this context, paralleling "Branch," which shows the rabbis of that day saw this text as Messianic. See Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 343-344, for the title's four different usages. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEITY OF CHRIST IN THE OT

I would like to add my comments from Isaiah 4:2 which includes brief quotes from Zech. 3:8; 6:12, and SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BRANCH OF THE LORD.
SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH
SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIANIC ERA

Isa. 4:2 "the Branch of the Lord" To describe this title (BDB 855, Targums interpreted it as the Messiah) let me quote from my commentary on Daniel and Zechariah where the term is also used (but just a note of caution, we must be careful about assigning a technical meaning everywhere a word or phrase is used-context, context, context is crucial). This term may have developed over time from a reference to ideal abundance to God's special Servant who will restore that abundance (i.e. a shoot, a branch).

Let me share notes from my commentary on Zechariah.

Zech. 3:8 "the Branch" This may be "sprout" (BDB 855). This is another Messianic title (cf. Jer. 6:12; Isa. 4:2; 11:1; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15). See full discussion and SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE.

This title is used of Zerubbabel in Jer. 6:12 as a symbol of the royal Davidic line. It is surprising that it is used in this context, which emphasizes the priestly aspect of the Messiah. The twin aspects of redeemer (priestly, cf. Isaiah 53) and administrative leader (kingly, cf. Isa. 9:6-7) are merged in the book of Zechariah (cf. chapter 4).

Zech. 6:12 "Branch" This word (BDB 855) means "sprout" (cf. Jer. 3:8; 6:12; Isa. 4:2; 11:1; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15). This is a title for the Messiah. In Zechariah it refers to Zerubbabel as a type of the Messiah (cf. Ibn Ezra and Rashi). The name, Zerubbabel, in Akkadian, means "shoot of Babylon." This was possibly a play on his name since he rebuilt the temple in 516 B.C.., but it is really an ultimate reference to Jesus. This title and the matching VERB ("will branch out," Qal IMPERFECT) appear together in this verse.

▣ A description of YHWH's "Branch" (NKJV, NRSV, JB)

1. beautiful, BDB 840, cf. Jer. 3:19 (often used of Promised Land in Dan. 8:9; 11:16,41)
2. glorious, BDB 458 means "abundance," "honor," and "glory" ("glory," BDB 802, also in this verse)

These two terms are often used together (cf. Isa. 13:19; 28:1,4,5).

Some versions take this verse as a reference to plant growth in the period of restoration (LXX, Peshitta, TEV, NJB, REB, NET Bible). In a sense the Messiah and the age of restoration are lexically linked.

This is also from my notes on Isaiah 11:1:

11:1 "a shoot" This rare word found only here in the OT ("twig," "branch," or "shoot" translated "rod" in Prov. 14:3, BDB 310, KB 307), obviously refers to a supernatural Davidic descendant (cf. Jer. 6:13; 2 Samuel 7; Rev. 22:16). Out of this seemingly dead stump (i.e. exiled Judah) will come a new king! This imagery (but different Hebrew word) is seen again in the Suffering Servant Song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (i.e. Jer. 23:2).

The Jewish Study Bible (p. 807) adds an interesting comment on "stump."

"If the translation 'stump' is correct, then the passage may presume that the Davidic dynasty will (or has) come to an end; this reading would deviate significantly from Isaiah's notion that Davidic kings will reign eternally (cf. 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Ps. 89:20-37). But the Hebrew 'geza' refers not only to a stump of a tree that has been cut down but also to the trunk of a living tree."

I cannot confirm this meaning for "shoot" unless it is Isa. 40:24.

▣ "from the stem of Jesse" Jesse was King David's father. This future descendant is mentioned in Jer. 23:10; 9:7; 16:5.

The OT gives the lineage of the Special Coming One, the Anointed One.

1. from the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:8-12, esp. Jer. 23:10 and Rev. 5:5
2. from the family of Jesse, 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

The special child of the new age has now been identified as a special ruler. His person will characterize the new age (cf. Jer. 23:5).

▣ "a branch from his roots" The NOUN "branch," "sprout," or "shoot" (BDB 666, cf. Jer. 14:19; 60:21; Dan. 11:7) is a literary parallel to "branch" or "sprout" (BDB 855, cf. Jer. 4:2; 61:11). New growth will come!

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE

▣ "will bear fruit" The MT has the VERB "bear fruit" (פרה, BDB 826, KB 963, Qal IMPERFECT, Dead Sea Scrolls, NASB), but most ancient and modern versions assume a similar VERB פרח (BDB 827).

1. NKJV, NRSV, Peshitta, "shall grow out"
2. NJB, "will grow"
3. LXX, Targums, "shall come up"
4. 4. REB, "will spring from"
5. JPSOA, "shall sprout"

The second option fits the parallelism best!

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

▣ "He will. . ." Notice how the Branch is characterized.

1. He will reign (cf. Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-5; Micah 5:2-4).
2. He will act wisely ‒ BDB 968, Hiphil PERFECT, cf. Dan. 12:3; this root can also be translated "prosper" (cf. Isa. 52:13).
3. He will do justice ‒ Ps. 72:2; Isa. 32:1
   1. SPECIAL TOPIC: JUSTICE
   2. SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGE, JUDGMENT, JUSTICE IN ISAIAH
4. He will do righteousness; see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

23:6 "Judah. . .Israel" This would predict the reunited kingdom (i.e. Jer. 3:18; 30:3; 31:27,31; Ezek. 37:25-28; Hosea 1:11). The United Monarchy split in 922 B.C. under Solomon's son, Rehoboam, and Jeroboam I, an Ephraimitic labor leader (cf. 1 Kings 12).

▣ "The Lord our righteousness" This may be a play on the name "Zedekiah," which means "the Lord is righteous," the person Nebuchadnezzar II put on the throne to replace Jehoiachin (cf. 2 Kings 24). It is a descriptive Messianic title in Jer. 23:5; 33:16. It is parallel to "a righteous Branch" in Jer. 23:5.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

23:7,8 This is a repeated literary piece from Jer. 16:14-15. The same sentiment is found in Isa. 43:18-19. A new day is coming (cf. Jer. 16:14; Hosea 3:4-5)! The new age of the Spirit, the new age of righteousness, the new age of the Messiah is coming!

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIANIC ERA

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:7-8
⁷"Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when they will no longer say, 'As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' ⁸but, 'As the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil."

23:7 "As the Lord lives" See note at Jer. 22:24.

23:8 The same truth is found in Jer. 16:14-15, in almost the exact words.

▣ "who brought up and led back" As YHWH's power and grace were seen in the Exodus, so too, in the return from exile!

▣ "from the north land" Assyria and Babylon were to the east of Palestine, but the only land route was from/to the north (i.e. basically following the Euphrates River to the coastal plain). This is due to the large desert between Palestine and the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (i.e. Mesopotamia).

YHWH is in control of history. Assyria and Babylon were merely His tools of judgment (cf. Isa. 10:5, as was later, Rome in A.D. 66-70. See my revised and expanded exegetical notes on Jesus' Olivet Discourse). The UBS Text Project gives the MT "I" a "B" rating (i.e. YHWH speaking).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:9-12
⁹As 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 of the Lord
 And because of His holy words.
¹⁰For the land is full of adulterers;
 For the land mourns because 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.

23:9-32 Jeremiah addresses the false prophets, as they surely condemned him (cf. Example in chapter 28).

23:9 The prophet is speaking of the physical effects of God's message on him. This is much like what happened to Daniel (i.e. Dan. 7:15,28; 8:27; 10:8,16).

1. broken heart (i.e. the center of the intellect, not emotions, cf. Jer. 8:18)
2. bones tremble
3. like an intoxicated person (i.e. with YHWH's revelation)

▣ "drunken man. . .a man overcome with wine" Drunkenness here is a sign of confusion, but in Jer. 25:15 it is a sign of judgment.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLICAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM

▣ There are two words for human beings used in this verse.

1. ish (BDB 35) ‒ This is the term used in Gen. 2:23 to distinguish man from the newly formed woman. See Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the OT, pp. 48-50
2. gever (BDB 149) ‒ This is the same root as "strong" or "mighty." See Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the OT, pp. 52-54.

In this context, they are in a poetic parallel relationship.

▣ Lines 6 and 7 give the reason for Jeremiah's distress. He believed God's revelation! He knew it was true. I so wish modern believers would tremble at God's word (cf. Isa. 66:5). Do we grieve over our own sinful societies and the sure wrath of God that will come (i.e. Romans 1-2; Gal. 6:7)?

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration)

23:10 "adulterers" In this context this (BDB 610) could refer to

1. fertility worship (literal adultery), Jer. 3:2,6,8-9; 5:7-8
2. foreign alliances (spiritual adultery), i.e. "lovers" (cf. Jer. 2:25; 3:1; 22:20,22, which involved the idols of these pagan nations)

▣ "land mourns" This is parallel to 10c, "dries up." This is part of the curses of Lev. 26:4,19-20; Deut. 28:23-24; 29:20-21; and Rom. 8:18-22!

the MT has "because of the curse," but the same consonants revocalized is "because of these."

1. curse ‒ אלה (BDB 46, MT)
2. of these ‒ אלה (LXX)

The UBS Text Project, p. 244, gives the MT a "B" rating.

There is no VERB in these last two poetic lines of Jer. 23:10. It seems that Jeremiah has changed imagery from nature disrupted to humans disrupted! Neither is what YHWH intended in Gen. 1:31!

23:11 It is a common theme in Jeremiah to condemn both prophet and priest (cf. Jer. 2:8). What a terrible situation! The people only hear the false words.

The prophets of Israel are described in Jer. 23:12 and the prophets of Judah in Jer. 23:14. YHWH's judgment falls on both in Jer. 23:15.

One wonders about the historical setting of this strophe. It seems to assume Israel was still in the land. The time element of Hebrew VERBS is totally related to the context (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW GRAMMAR, II). Jeremiah had his ministry soon after Josiah became king (+/- 626 B.C.). The northern kingdom of Israel was exiled earlier in 722 B.C. by Assyria. This reference is not a "history thing" (western mindset), but a "theme thing" (eastern mindset).

Possibly the reason for mentioning the prophets of Israel is that the prophets of Judah should have learned from other's judgment (cf. Jer. 3:6-10; Ezek. 23:4-49).

23:12 "slippery paths" This is a Hebrew idiom of sinful living (cf. Jer. 13:16; Ps. 35:6; 73:18; Prov. 4:19). It is the opposite of "faith," which is "to be firm" or "to be sure" (see SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS [OT]). God's word was like a clearly marked path (cf. Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). The problem with Judah's sin was not ignorance, but willful covenant disobedience!
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WAY. . .THE PATH

Notice the results of willful unfaithfulness.

1. slippery paths
2. driven away into the gloom (lit. "darkness," BDB 66)
3. fall into gloom
4. YHWH brings calamity (lit. "evil," BDB 949)

Some commentators try to link this poetic strophe to eternal punishment (which is surely biblical; choices in time affect eternity). Be careful of turning hyperbolic Hebrew poetry into doctrine. Look for clear passages from the NT.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

SPECIAL TOPIC: GEHENNA, II. D.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:13-15
¹³"Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an
 offensive thing:
 They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.
¹⁴Also 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.
¹⁵Therefore 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.'"

23:13 "Samaria" This was the capital of the northern kingdom and used as a symbol for the nation as a whole.

The Northern Kingdom, formed in the split of the United Monarchy in 922 B.C., was known by three terms.

1. Israel (a collective term)
2. Ephraim (the largest tribe)
3. Samaria (the nation's capital)

Jeremiah prophesied during the Neo-Babylonian period. Samaria fell during the Assyrian period (i.e. Isaiah).

SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name)

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF NEO-BABYLON

Timeline (Old Testament)

The MT has the FEMININE NOUN (BDB 1074, KB 1776, cf. Job 1:22; 24:12), which refers to that which is morally inappropriate. In this context, Ba'al worship is specified. Ba'al worship was the major cause of this fall of Israel and now had become common in Judah!

▣ "They prophesied by Baal" This refers to Canaanite fertility worship (cf. Jer. 2:8). Ba'al was the male god who controlled fertility and was called "Lord."

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

▣ "astray" This VERB (BDB 1073, KB 1766, Hiphil IMPERFECT with waw) denoted mental and moral confusion and the resulting poor choices (cf. 2 Kgs. 21:9; Isa. 3:12; 9:16; Jer. 23:13,32; 42:20; Amos 2:4; Micah 3:5). The people of Judah were morally responsible for their choices, but they also had been led astray by people they trusted! Be careful who you listen to! There are still false prophets among us!

SPECIAL TOPIC: FALSE TEACHERS

23:14 This verse describes the prophets of Judah who were involved in Ba'al worship like Israel.

1. They committed adultery (see note at Jer. 23:10)
2. They walked in falsehood (lit. lies, referring to false prophecies, cf. v. 32)
3. They strengthened the hand of evildoers
4. No one repented (people or prophet or priest or shepherd)

Notice how often Jeremiah addresses the false prophets (cf. Jer. 2:8; 4:9; 5:30-31; 6:13-15; 8:10-12; 14:13-15; 18:18-23; 26:8,11,16; 27:1-22; 28:1-17).

Every generation of believers must decide to whom they will listen and respond. There are charlatans, deceivers, crooks; how does a believer know who to believe! Here are some Scriptural guidelines.

1. the accuracy of their predictions, cf. Deut. 13:1-5; 18:18-22 (this does not relate to conditional prophecies like Jonah's)
2. lifestyle, cf. Jer. 23:13-22; Matt. 7:15-23
3. content of the message (for NT), cf. 1 Cor. 12:3; 15:3-4; 1 John 4:1-3

See Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, pp. 210-211, "The Characteristics of False Prophets."

▣ "like Sodom. . .like Gomorrah" These were the wicked cities of the Plain which YHWH destroyed in Genesis 19 (cf. Isa. 1:9,10; 3:9; 13:19; Jer. 23:14; 49:18; 50:40; Amos 4:11).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOMOSEXUALITY

23:15 This verse describes what YHWH will do to these false prophets (cf. Jer. 9:15).

1. feed them wormwood
2. make them drink poisonous water

He gives them a taste of their own actions. They taught poison, now they must drink it themselves (cf. Jer. 17:10; Gal. 6:7). False teaching spreads like gangrene!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:16-22
¹⁶Thus 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.
¹⁷They 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.'
¹⁸But 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?
¹⁹Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath,
 Even a whirling tempest;
 It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.
²⁰The 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.
²¹I did not send these prophets,
 But they ran.
 I did not speak to them,
 But they prophesied.
²²But 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.

23:16 "the Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS

▣ "They speak a vision of their own imagination" They speak in God's name but the message is their own (cf. Jer. 23:25; 5:31; 14:14; Ezek. 13:2,17). Whether they

1. are sincere or purposely manipulative
2. are self-deceived or demonically influenced
3. proclaim half truths
4. seek influence, power, fame, or wealth

they must be recognized and rejected by biblically influenced believers led by the Spirit. YHWH has spoken and is speaking. He wants us to understand and respond appropriately to Him and His revelation.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration)

▣ "futility" This VERBAL (BDB 211, KB 236, Hiphil PARTICIPLE) occurs only here. The Qal form occurs in Jer. 2:5. The NOUN form (BDB 210) is used of the nothingness of idols (i.e. 2 Kgs. 17:15; Isa. 57:13; Jer. 10:15; 16:19; 51:18).

▣ Judeans are not to "listen" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense) to their prophets, because they are prophesying (BDB 612, KB 659, Niphal PARTICIPLE) falsehoods. This is recorded in Jer. 23:17b (cf. Jer. 6:14; 8:11; 14:13-14). Jeremiah has predicted that the Babylonians

1. will invade
2. will capture Judah and her leaders
3. will destroy Jerusalem and the temple
4. will exile most of the population
5. will take the temple treasures to the temple of Marduk in Babylon as spoils

▣ "They speak a vision of their own imagination" "Imagination" is literally "heart." One wonders if they knew it was a false vision. Were they self-duped or intentionally lying? Verse 17 implies they knew it was a false message of hope (cf. Jer. 23:21,26).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART

23:17 "They keep saying" This is the Qal PARTICIPLE and INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root ("to say," BDB 55, KB 65), denoting intensity.

The UBS Text Project, p. 244, gives the first option (NASB) a "C" rating (considerable doubt). The difference is a matter of vowel choice, not a consonantal change. The NET Bible prefers option #2 (LXX, RSV, NEB).

▣ "You will have peace" This was the basic message of the false prophets (cf. Jer. 5:12; 6:14; 8:11; 14:13; 28:8-9; Ezek. 13:10). God's word to the wicked is not "peace" but a "fire" and a "hammer" (cf. Jer. 23:29).

SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE (OT)

23:18 Jeremiah is describing his own situation. He did "see" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense) in the council of YHWH (cf. Amos 3:7). He heard YHWH's word (i.e. from Him directly, or a literary way of referring to the "heavenly council" of YHWH and those angels who serve Him, cf. 1 Kgs. 22:19-23; Job 2:1-6) and performed it/spoke it! YHWH honors those who hear/heed/live His word and will (cf. Jer. 23:22).

▣ "in the council of the Lord" This may refer to the heavenly council of YHWH and those angels who surround Him.

1. for praise ‒ Isa. 6:2-3; Rev. 4:8
2. for protection ‒ Gen. 3:24
3. for action ‒ Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; 1 Kgs. 22:19-22; Job 1:6; 2:1; 29:4; Ps. 89:7
4. for judgment ‒ Dan. 7:10,22,26

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVENLY COUNCIL OF ANGELIC BEINGS

SPECIAL TOPIC: GODLY ONES, HOLY ONES

The JPSOA footnote suggests a revocalization that yields "approve it," a VERB which occurs in vv. 22 and 28.

1. "listened," BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERFECT with waw
2. "announce," BDB 1033, KB 1570, Hiphil IMPERFECT (vv. 22,28)

23:19-20 This is similar to Jer. 30:23-24. The repetition occurs often in Jeremiah, which shows his various sermons and poems were collected and edited after his death or towards the end of his life (cf. Jer. 23:7-8, repeated in Jer. 16:14-15; Jer. 23:15 repeated in Jer. 9:15).

23:20 YHWH's judgment will come (cf. Jer. 30:24; Isa. 45:23; 55:11). The time for repentance has passed. Judah cannot repent (cf. Jer. 13:23). YHWH's only choice for His larger redemptive purpose of using Israel was to destroy and exile the current idolatrous generation. Only radical surgery can save the patient (cf. Isa. 1:5-6).

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

▣ The last line of Jer. 23:20 seems to be a promise of a future time when God's people will, one day, understand

1. His actions and greater purpose (i.e. eschatological, see chapter 17, "God's Plan" in Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, second ed., pp. 371-390)
2. that they were duped by their false leadership (i.e. concerning the Neo-Babylonian invasion and exile, cf. Jer. 30:23)

The NET Bible (p. 1357) has a good comment about "clearly understand." This is "a Hebrew construction where a noun functions as the object of a verb from the same word root (the Hebrew cognate accusative)." See BDB 106, KB 122, Hithpolel IMPERFECT and the NOUN, BDB 108, cf. Jer. 30:24. Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the OT, pp. 94-95, also discusses this root and feels it denotes that which is clear or complete; here, it refers to a message of divine judgment.

▣ "in the last days" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE LAST DAYS

23:21-22 YHWH speaks again, as in Jer. 23:16-18 and also Jer. 23:23-24, 25-32. It is difficult to know how the OT writers received YHWH's revelation. Either they speak in His name and then comment on it or there is a more direct verbal reception of the message. See Hard Sayings of the Bible, chapter 8, pp. 66-69.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WAYS OF REVELATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration)

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: ILLUMINATION

23:21 YHWH rejects these proclaimers of "peace" (cf. Jer. 29:9,23).

These false prophets are characterized as:

1. "they ran" ‒ This may reflect a messenger coming to a king with haste.
2. YHWH
   1. did not send them
   2. did not speak to them
3. They spoke as if they knew YHWH's will, but they did not.

Notice the sarcasm of vv. 30-32!

23:22 YHWH's spokespersons can effect change and help His people turn from evil and walk in His word and ways!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:23-24
²³"Am I a God who is near," declares the Lord,
 "And not a God far off?
²⁴Can 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.

23:23-24 Notice the three rhetorical questions. The first and third expect a "yes" answer and the second a "no" answer.

This brief strophe is a self-affirmation of YHWH's immanence

1. personal presence with His people
2. desire for fellowship
3. active participation in His people's lives
4. His presence throughout creation (i.e. His transcendence, cf. 1 Kgs. 8:27; Ps. 139:7-16; Isa. 66:1)

This expresses YHWH's immanence/omnipresence! He is the Holy One of Israel, but He is also "Father" (cf. Isa. 57:15). For a good discussion of the theological relationship between immanence and transcendence, see Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2^nd ed., pp. 327-345.

Some see this brief strophe as YHWH's way of denying that He is just one of many local deities. See chapter 15, "God's Nearness and Distance. . ." in Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, second ed., pp. 327-345.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:25-32
²⁵"I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, 'I had a dream, I had a dream!' ²⁶How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, ²⁷who 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? ²⁸The 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? ³⁰Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," declares the Lord, "who steal My words from each other. ³¹Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the Lord, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares.' ³²Behold, 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.

23:25-32 YHWH describes the false prophets. They claim revelation but have none! They even get their message from one another (Jer. 23:30). Their message (in dreams) is their own message and it will destroy Judah.

For "dreams" as a method of revelation in the ANE, see John Walton, ANE Thought and the OT, p. 243.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WAYS OF REVELATION

23:25 "I had a dream, I had a dream" This was a claim to divine revelation. Dreams were common ways for God to communicate (cf. Gen. 20:3; 28:12; 31:11,24; 37:5; Deut. 13:1-5). Joseph had dream interpretation as a gift from God (cf. Genesis 40-41), as did Daniel (cf. Daniel 2).

Other suggestions by scholars is to supply the missing SUBJECT (cf. JPSOA)

1. my word
2. lies (LXX, RSV, JSPOA)
3. My name

23:27 "forgot My name" This is that special use of the name to refer to God's covenant relationship and eternal character. Judah was attributing God's acts to Ba'al!

SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: CALL ON HIS NAME

23:29 In this verse YHWH describes His word as

1. a fire (cf. Jer. 5:14; 20:9)
2. a hammer which shatters a rock

God's word has results (cf. Isa. 49:2)! The false prophets bring no benefit (cf. Jer. 23:32; this is the Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB of the same root [BDB 418, KB 420] which denotes intensity). The imagery in the NT of Jesus with a two edged sword coming out of His mouth is the same type of figurative language (cf. Rev. 1:16; 2:12,16; 19:15; Heb. 4:12).

23:30-32 the UBS Handbook for Translators on Jeremiah says these verses are a summary of YHWH's message against the false, self-deceived prophets (p. 513, this is such a helpful grammatical and syntactical resource for translators and interpreters).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JEREMIAH 23:33-40
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.' ³⁴Then 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. ³⁵Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother, 'What has the Lord answered?' or, 'What has the Lord spoken?' ³⁶For 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. ³⁷Thus you will say to that prophet, 'What has the Lord answered you?' and, 'What has the Lord spoken?' ³⁸For 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!'"' ³⁹Therefore behold, I will surely forget you and cast you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. ⁴⁰I will put an everlasting reproach on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten."

23:33-40 This strophe presents its message by a series of questions that Judeans ask each other about YHWH's revelation (i.e. what is the oracle of the Lord).

1. prophets
2. priests
3. people

Jeremiah's answer is that there are no more messages to be received, only judgment (i.e. "I shall abandon you," cf. Jer. 12:7; 23:39). The religious leaders were making up their own message in YHWH's name (cf. Jer. 23:36). They did not really want to hear from Him.

Because of this false message supposedly from God, YHWH says

1. I will forget you (this is a PERFECT VERB and an INFINITIVE ABSOSLUTE from the same root, which denotes intensity)
2. I will cast you away from My presence
3. I will cast away the Jerusalem/temple
4. I will give you an everlasting reproach
5. I will give you an everlasting humiliation, either of which will never be forgotten

Wow! These idolatrous Judeans and their leaders will be permanently cut off. The faithful remnant, though not specifically mentioned, will be restored.

SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY

23:33 "oracle" The term (BDB 672) meant "to lift up a burden." It is a play on the two uses of this term (see full note at Isa. 13:1).

1. a heavy word from God
2. a load that an animal carried

The AB suggests that the Hebrew text be divided in a different way from the MT. If so it could read, "What is the massa" (that is, the utterance of Yahweh? say to them, "you are the massa [that is, the burden], and I will cast you off‒Yahweh's word," p. 150). The LXX and Vulgate, followed by NRSV, REB, NET, have, "You are the burden." Hereby the word play on "burden" (BDB 672 I) is made clear.

The Hebrew root, םשׂא, can mean

1. burden ‒ BDB 672 II
2. utterance ‒ BDB 672 III, cf. Isa. 13:1; 15:1; Jer. 23:33,34,36,38 (thrice)

23:35-36 This is exactly the opposite of the "new covenant" of Jer. 31:31-34 (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36). Knowledge of the Lord is the exception, not the rule!

23:36 "every man's own word will become the oracle" This very phrase is the reality of a post-modern, western, twenty-first century culture. There are no absolutes! Everyone's opinion has weight and authority! This is a lie since there is an inspired revelation from the one true God.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration)

▣ "you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God" The VERB (BDB 245, KB 253, Qal PERFECT with waw) means "to turn" or "to overturn." To put this in modern idiom, these false religionists put a "spin" on their words, their interest, their presuppositions, their historical setting, their personal preferences, claiming it was God's words.

The same occurs today by denominations and secularists! Only a commitment to revelation and a knowledge of it can protect a believer.

This verse ends with three titles for Israel's Deity.

1. Elohim (BDB 43, lit. "the Loving God")
2. YHWH of Hosts (BDB 217 and BDB 838; see SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS)
3. our God (Eloah, BDB 43, see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C.)

There are several grammatical elements.

1. the first VERB, "forget" (נשׁה, BDB 674 III, KB 728, Qal PERFECT with waw) is followed by its INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root in the MT, which denotes intensity
2. some Hebrew MSS and the Septuagint change the VERB to "lift up" (נשׁא, BDB 669, KB 724), which is the same root as "burden," used in Jer. 23:33 (twice),34,36 (twice), 38 (thrice)
3. the parallel VERB in Jer. 23:33, "cast off" (BDB 643, KB 695, Qal PERFECT with waw) is repeated in Jer. 23:39
4. the change made by the LXX makes sense in the context of Jer. 23:33-40 (i.e. word play)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEPTUAGINT

SPECIAL TOPIC: MASORETIC TEXT

23:40 "everlasting" This Hebrew term, 'olam (BDB 761), must always be interpreted theologically in light of

1. the context where it is used
2. the conditional nature of God's covenant with humans (i.e. mercy and repentance are always possible)

SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam and aiōnios)

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

▣ "everlasting reproach" The first NOUN is 'olam (BDB 761). It must be interpreted in specific context because of its wide semantic field.

The second NOUN (BDB 357) means "reproach" or "scorn." The root is used several times in Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 6:10; 15:15; 20:8; 23:40; 24:9; 25:18; 31:19; 42:18; 44:8,12; 49:13 (of Edom); 51:51.

▣ "everlasting humiliation" The first NOUN is the same as above. The second NOUN (BDB 484) is found in this form only here in the OT and means "ignominy." A related root is found in Jer. 20:11, where it is translated "eternal dishonor" or "eternal disgrace."

Verse 40 is obviously hyperbolic. See D. Brent Sandy. Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic.

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