1
“Woe to the shepherds who let the sheep of My pasture be lost and scattered!” — declares the LORD.
2
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd My people:
“You have scattered My sheep and driven them away, and you have not cared for them.
So behold, I will bring upon you the evil deeds you have done,” declares the LORD.
3
And I Myself will gather the remnant of My sheep from all the lands to which I have driven them,
and I will bring them back to their pasture: they will be fruitful and multiply.
4
I will set over them shepherds who will shepherd them,
so that they will no longer fear, nor be dismayed, and none shall be missing, declares the LORD.
5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,
when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch.
He will reign as king wisely and will do justice and righteousness in the land.
6
In his days Judah will be delivered, and Israel will dwell securely;
and this is the name by which he will be called: THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7
Therefore, thus says the LORD, behold, the days are coming,
when people will no longer say: “As the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt!”,
8
but rather: “As the LORD lives, who brought up and brought back the descendants of the house of Israel
from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had scattered them!”
Then they shall dwell in their own land.
9
Concerning the prophets.
My heart is broken within me,
all my bones tremble.
I am like a drunkard,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the LORD and because of His holy word.
10
The land is full of adulterers;
indeed, because of this curse the land mourns,
and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up;
what they pursue is evil,
and their strength is injustice.
11
For both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in My house I have found their wickedness,
declares the LORD.
12
Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths;
in the darkness they shall be driven and fall there;
for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,
declares the LORD.
13
Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something unseemly:
they prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.
14
But among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw something dreadful:
they commit adultery and walk in deceit;
they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that no one turns back from his wickedness;
all of them have become like Sodom to Me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets:
“Behold, I will feed them with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink,
because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”
16
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you!
They are only filling you with empty hopes,
and speaking visions from their own hearts,
not what comes from the mouth of the LORD.
17
They keep saying to those who despise the word of the LORD,
‘You shall have peace!’
and to everyone who follows the stubbornness of his own heart they say,
‘No disaster shall come upon you!’”
18
For who has stood in the council of the LORD,
that he should perceive and hear His word?
Who has paid attention to His word and heard it?
19
Behold, the storm of the LORD, the heat of His anger, has gone forth,
— a whirling storm —
and it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
20
The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has carried out and accomplished
what He has planned in His heart;
in the latter days you will understand it clearly.
21
“I did not send those prophets, yet they ran;
I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.
22
If they had stood in My council,
then they would surely have declared My words to My people,
and would have turned them back from their evil way and from their evil deeds.
23
Am I only a God near at hand, declares the LORD,
and not a God far away also?
24
Can anyone hide himself in secret places,
so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD.
Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.
25
I have heard what the prophets have said,
who prophesy lies in My name, saying:
‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’
26
How long will this be in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies
and who prophesy the deceit of their own hearts,
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who plan to make My people forget My name
by their dreams that they tell one another,
as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal?
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Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream,
and let the one who has My word speak My word faithfully!
What has straw in common with grain? declares the LORD.
29
Is not My word like fire, declares the LORD,
and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
30
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD,
who steal my words from one another.
31
Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD,
who use their tongues at will to utter divine words.
32
Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,
declares the LORD,
and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and by their boasting.
I did not send them, and I did not command them.
They are of no benefit at all to this people,
declares the LORD.
33
When this people — whether prophet or priest — asks you:
What is the burden of the LORD?,
then answer them: “You are the burden!”
Therefore I will cast you off from my presence, declares the LORD.
34
As for the prophet or the priest or the people who still speak of the burden of the LORD,
I will bring punishment upon that man and upon his house.
35
Thus shall you say, each to his neighbor and each to his brother:
“What is the LORD’s answer?” or: “What is the word of the LORD?”
36
But the burden of the LORD you shall no longer mention,
for each person’s burden is his own word,
because you have twisted the words of the living God,
the LORD of hosts, our God.
37
Thus you shall say to the prophet:
“What is the LORD’s answer to you?” or: “What is the word of the LORD?”
38
But if you still speak of the burden of the LORD,
then thus says the LORD:
Because you keep using this expression,
even though I sent word to you, saying:
“You shall not speak of the burden of the LORD,”
39
therefore, behold, I will surely seize you and cast you off from my presence,
you and the city that I gave to you and to your fathers.
40
I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace and everlasting shame that shall not be forgotten.”
🧑⚖️🐑🔥 Summary of Jeremiah 23 – False Shepherds & the Promise of the True Shepherd
Jeremiah 23 is a stern warning from God against failed spiritual leaders, especially the shepherds (priests, prophets, and kings) who lead God’s people astray. They are called destroyers of the flock, not caretakers. God condemns false prophets who speak lying dreams, give false hope, and draw the people away from repentance. Yet in the midst of the rebuke, there is a great promise: the LORD will raise up the True Shepherd from David’s line — a messianic prophecy about Jesus Christ.
📌 1. Rebuke of the Shepherds Who Destroy the Flock (verses 1–4)
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy My sheep…”
➡️ The Lord is angry because the leaders who were meant to shepherd instead lead His people astray and destroy them.
➡️ The Lord Himself will gather His scattered people and raise up new shepherds who are faithful.
🎯 Leaders who do not care for the people will be replaced by leaders chosen by the Lord Himself.
📌 2. The Promise of the Shepherd from David’s Line (verses 5–6)
“I will raise up a righteous branch from David…”
➡️ A prophecy about the Messiah: A king who rules with wisdom, justice, and righteousness.
➡️ His name: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (YHWH Tsidkenu)
🎯 This points directly to Jesus Christ, the perfect shepherd and king.
📌 3. There Will Be a Return from the North (verses 7–8)
“The living Lord who brought the descendants of Israel out of the land of the north…”
➡️ God promises the restoration of the people from exile — even greater than the event of the exodus from Egypt.
🎯 Spiritual and national restoration is part of the Lord’s plan through the True Shepherd.
📌 4. Warning Against False Prophets (verses 9–32)
“My heart is broken because of the prophets…”
➡️ Jeremiah describes false prophets who were not sent by the Lord, but who delivered their own dreams and visions.
➡️ They gave false hope, strengthened sinners, and turned the people away from repentance.
➡️ The Lord rejects them: “I did not send them!”
🎯 The true word of God rebukes sin, not pleasing the ear; false prophets give a false sense of security that destroys.
📌 5. The Prohibition against Saying “A Word from the Lord” (verses 33–40)
“Do not say: ‘A word from the Lord!’”
➡️ People misuse spiritual phrases to justify their own thoughts.
➡️ The Lord will punish those who speak in the Lord’s name without divine authority.
🎯 Misusing the name of the Lord is a grave sin — claiming to speak from God when one does not, and inviting His wrath.
📖 Main Teaching
- Spiritual leaders are responsible to shepherd with love and truth
- False prophets who please the ear but lead the people astray will be judged
- The Lord rejects every form of misuse of His name
- In the midst of corrupt leaders, the Lord remains faithful and will send the True Shepherd
- Jesus is the fulfillment of the people’s hope for a just and righteous leader
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd…”
➡️ Jesus fulfills Jeremiah’s prophecy: not only a Davidic king, but the divine Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep.
📖 Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets…”
➡️ Jesus warned of the same thing — false prophets deceive many people with a spiritual appearance.
📖 2 Timothy 4:3–4
“They will gather teachers to suit their own desires to satisfy the ears…”
➡️ Paul describes a time when people no longer endure sound teaching — as in Jeremiah’s day.
📖 Hebrews 13:20–21
“He is the great Shepherd of the sheep…”
➡️ Jeremiah 23 points toward the knowledge of Christ, the perfect and eternal Shepherd.
🕊️ “I will raise up for David a righteous branch…” – Jeremiah 23:5
🕊️ “The LORD our righteousness.” – Jeremiah 23:6
🕊️ “I did not send those prophets, yet they ran.” – Jeremiah 23:21
🕊️ “Is not My word like fire, like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” – Jeremiah 23:29
