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Concerning the prophets:

My heart within me is broken.
    All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
    and like a man whom wine has overcome,
because of Yahweh,
    and because of his holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
    for because of the curse the land mourns.
The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
    Their course is evil,
    and their might is not right;
11 for both prophet and priest are profane.
    Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says Yahweh.
12 Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness.
    They will be driven on,
    and fall therein;
for I will bring evil on them,
    even the year of their visitation,” says Yahweh.

13 “I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria.
    They prophesied by Baal,
    and caused my people Israel to err.
14 In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing:
    they commit adultery and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
    so that no one returns from his wickedness.
They have all become to me as Sodom,
    and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”

15 Therefore Yahweh of Armies says concerning the prophets:

“Behold, I will feed them with wormwood,
    and make them drink poisoned water;
    for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”

16 Yahweh of Armies says,

“Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
    They teach you vanity.
    They speak a vision of their own heart,
    and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.
17 They say continually to those who despise me,
    ‘Yahweh has said, “You will have peace;”’
and 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 Yahweh,
    that he should perceive and hear his word?
    Who has listened to my word, and heard it?
19 Behold, Yahweh’s storm, his wrath, has gone out.
    Yes, a whirling storm:
    It will burst on the head of the wicked.
20 Yahweh’s anger will not return until he has executed,
    and until he has performed the intents of his heart.
    In the latter days, you will understand it perfectly.
21 I didn’t send these prophets, yet they ran.
    I didn’t speak to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
    then they would have caused my people to hear my words,
and would have turned them from their evil way,
    and from the evil of their doings.

23 “Am I a God at hand,” says Yahweh,
    “and not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places
    so that I can’t see him?” says Yahweh.
    “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says Yahweh.

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False Prophets Denounced

As for the prophets:
My (A)heart is broken within me,
All my bones tremble;
I have become like a drunken man,
And like a man overcome by wine,
Because of the Lord
And because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of (B)adulterers;
For the land (C)mourns because of the curse.
The (D)pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
Their course is evil
And their might is not right.
11 “For (E)both prophet and priest are defiled;
Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore their way will be like (F)slippery paths to them,
They will be driven away into the (G)gloom and fall down in it;
For I will bring (H)disaster upon them,
The year of their punishment,” declares the Lord.

13 “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an (I)offensive thing:
They (J)prophesied by Baal and (K)led My people Israel astray.
14 Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a (L)horrible thing:
The committing of (M)adultery and walking in deceit;
And they strengthen the hands of (N)evildoers,
So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.
All of them have become to Me like (O)Sodom,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

15 Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says concerning the prophets:

‘Behold, I am going to (P)feed them wormwood
And make them drink poisonous water,
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
Ungodliness has spread into all the land.’”

16 This is what the Lord of armies says:
(Q)Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
They are (R)leading you into futility;
They tell a (S)vision of their own [a]imagination,
Not (T)from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They keep saying to those who (U)despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, “(V)You will have peace”’;
And as for everyone who walks in the (W)stubbornness of his own heart,
They say, ‘(X)Disaster will not come on you.’
18 But (Y)who has stood in the council of the Lord,
That he should see and hear His word?
Who has paid (Z)attention to [b]His word and listened?
19 Behold, the (AA)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 (AB)anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has (AC)performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
(AD)In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21 (AE)I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied.
22 But if they had (AF)stood in My council,
Then they would have (AG)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 (AH)near,” declares the Lord,
“And not a God far off?
24 Can a person (AI)hide himself in hiding places
So that I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
(AJ)Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:16 Lit heart
  2. Jeremiah 23:18 Another reading is My