Jeremiah 23

2Therefore thus saith the Lord to the shepherds and have not watched them; behold I will punish you according to your malignant doings.

3And I will gather the remains of My people in every land whither I have driven them and bring them back to their own pasture and they shall increase and multiply.

4And I will raise up shepherds for them who will feed them. And they shall no more be terrified nor affrighted, saith the Lord.

5Behold the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous shoot who shall reign as king and shall understand and execute judgment and justice on the earth.

6In his days Juda shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell securely.

9And the name which the Lord will give him by the prophets shall be Josedek [Lord of righteousness]. (p) My heart within me was broken. All my bones quivered. I was like a man sore bruised and like a man staggering with wine, at the presence of the Lord, and at the comeliness of His glory;

10because on account of them the land mourned and the pastures of the wilderness were parched up-because their course was bad and suitably thereto, their strength.

11(J) Because priest and prophet are polluted, and in My house I have seen their wickedness;

12let their way therefore be slippery and dark, that they may stumble and fall therein. For I will bring evils upon them in the year of their visitation.

13Among the prophets of Samaria I saw indeed unlawful doings-they prophesied in the name of Baal and led My people Israel astray:

14but among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw horrible things-some committing adultery, and some walking in lies, and some strengthening the hands of the multitude, that none might turn from his evil way. To Me they are all become like Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof like Gomorra.

15Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will feed them with wormwood, and give them the water of gall to drink. Because from the prophets of Jerusalem pollution has gone forth through all the land,

16thus saith the Lord Almighty: Hearken not to the words of these prophets; for they contrive for themselves a foolish vision: they speak from their own hearts and not from the mouth of the Lord.

17They say to them who reject the word of the Lord, You shall have peace. Even to all who are walking by their own desires, and to every one walking in the error of his own heart they say, Evils shall not come upon thee.

18For which &earkened and heard His voice?

19Behold a tempest from the Lord and wrath like a hurricane issuinc forth: it will come like a whirlwind upon the wicked; is -.

20and-from the purpose of his heart the wrath of the Lord will not turn away; until it hath executed it; and until He hath established it. In the last of these days they shall perceive this.

21I did not send these prophets, but they ran of themselves; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

22Now had they stood in the firm belief of Me and heard My word, they might have turned My people from their wicked pursuits.

23I am God when near, saith the Lord; and am I not God when far off?

24Can anyone hide himself in secret places and I not see him? Do I not fill the heaven and the earth? saith the Lord.

25I have heard what these prophets speak-what they prophesy in My name, saying falsely, I have dreamed a dream.

26How long shall it be in the heart of these prophets, who prophesy lies, that by prophesying the desires of their own hearts -

27they may count upon causing My name to be forgotten, by their dreams which they tell, every one to his neighbour; as their fathers forgot My name by using Baal?

28Let the prophet, who hath a dream, tell his dream: and let him, to whom My word cometh, declare it with truth. Why is the ch& added to the wheat? Is not this the case with My words? saith the Lord.

29Behold are not My words like fire? saith the Lord; and like a sledge which breaketh a rock?

30Therefore behold I am against those prophets, saith the Lord, who steal My words every one from his neighbour.

31Behold I am against those prophets, who belch forth prophesies of the tongue and drowse their dozy drowsings:

32therefore behold I am against those prophets who prophesy false dreams. Have they not told them and led My people astray by their lies and their errors? As for Me, I neither sent them nor commanded them; therefore they cannot in anywise benefit this people. [

33Now if this people or a priest or a prophet should ask, What is the burden of the Lord? Thou shalt say to them, You are that burden and I will cast you off, saith the Lord.

34As for the prophet and the priests and the people who say, The burden of the Lord; I will punish that man and his house.

35Thus you shall say everyone to his neighbour and everyone to his brother. What hath the Lord answered, and, What hath - the. Lord spoken. ’

36So mention no more the burden of the Lord: since every man’s word shall be his burden.

37But why hath the Lord our God spoken?

38For this cause, saith the Lord our God, because you have used this expression, The Burden of the Lord, though I sent to you saying: You shall not say, The Burden of the Lord.

39Therefore behold I will take and dash down you and this city which I gave to you and your fathers;

40and I will bring upon you everlasting reproach, and everlasting dishonour which shall not be forgotten.