The big picture
Jeremiah 23 opens in verse 1 with “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 20 with “The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have…”, and closes in verse 40 with “And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, prophets, burden, people, word. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 40Jeremiah 23:1-8
1–8: Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my…
Jeremiah 23:1–8 opens with “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD .” and reaches “But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 23 develops its own movement around LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, Israel, days.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD .” Naming Woe keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD , that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD , that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 23:1-8
King James Version1Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD .
2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD .
3And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD .
5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD , that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD , that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
Jeremiah 23:9-16
9–16: Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones…
Jeremiah 23:9–16 opens with “Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken…” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 23 develops its own movement around LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, prophets, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man…” Naming Mine keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD .” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.” Naming Baal and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 23:9-16
King James Version9Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD , and because of the words of his holiness.
10For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
11For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD .
12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD .
13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD .
Jeremiah 23:17-24
17–24: They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall…
Jeremiah 23:17–24 opens with “They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say…” and reaches “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD . Do not I fill…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 23 develops its own movement around LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, evil, counsel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 23:17-24
King James Version17They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD , and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD , and not a God afar off?
24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD . Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD .
Jeremiah 23:25-32
25–32: I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name…
Jeremiah 23:25–32 opens with “I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I…” and reaches “Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD , and do tell them, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 23 develops its own movement around LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, prophets, lies.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.” The line’s distinctive content terms include dreamed, lies, name. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their…” Naming Baal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 23:25-32
King James Version25I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD .
29Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD ; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD , that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD , that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD , and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD .
Jeremiah 23:33-40
33–40: When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying…
Jeremiah 23:33–40 opens with “And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of…” and reaches “And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 23 develops its own movement around LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, with particular weight carried by LORD, burden, prophet.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD ? thou shalt…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Jeremiah 23:33-40
King James Version33And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD ? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD .
34And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD , I will even punish that man and his house.
35Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
36And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.
37Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
38But since ye say, The burden of the LORD ; therefore thus saith the LORD ; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD , and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD ;
39Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
40And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 23:1 begins with “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD .”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 23:20 forms a natural hinge: “The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider…”
The final note
Jeremiah 23:40 leaves the reader with “And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, prophets, burden, people, word, evil help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why repeat the details of the property?
The description establishes a recognized, witnessed holding for the family.
How do grief and promise coexist?
Abraham mourns fully while securing a burial place in the land associated with the promise.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.