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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:9-32

Here is a long lesson for the false prophets. As none were more bitter and spiteful against God's true prophets than they, so there were none on whom the true prophets were more severe, and justly. The prophet had complained to God of those false prophets (Jer. 14:13), and had often foretold that they should be involved in the common ruin; but here they have woes of their own. I. He expresses the deep concern that he was under upon this account, and what a trouble it was to him to see men who... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33-40

The profaneness of the people, with that of the priests and prophets, is here reproved in a particular instance, which may seem of small moment in comparison of their greater crimes; but profaneness in common discourse, and the debauching of the language of a nation, being a notorious evidence of the prevalency of wickedness in it, we are not to think it strange that this matter was so largely and warmly insisted upon here. Observe, I. The sin here charged upon them is bantering God's prophets... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:27

Which think to cause my people to forget my name ,.... The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "my law". The word and worship of God; from which men are drawn off by false teachers, and are in a fair way to be brought to atheism, and to forget that there is a God; for when once men are turned from the word of God to believe lies, and from the pure worship of God to a false religion, there is no knowing where things will end; and, indeed, it was the design of these false prophets, a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:28

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream ,.... These words are directed not to a true prophet of the Lord, that has a dream from him, or something communicated to him in a dream by the Lord, which he is to deliver as such; but to a false prophet, that says he has dreamed; and if he has dreamed a dream, let him tell it as a "dream" F12 יספר חלום "narret ut somnium", Grotius, Gataker, Schmidt. ; so some supply it, as the fruit of his own roving fancy and imagination in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:29

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord ,.... The legal part of it is as fire; it is called a "fiery law", Deuteronomy 33:2 ; like fire, it is quick and piercing, and penetrating into the hearts and consciences of men; and works wrath there, and raises a fearful expectation of fiery indignation; it threatens with everlasting fire; it sentences men to the fire of hell; and the righteous Judge, in the execution of it, will be a consuming fire to wicked men. The Gospel part of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:30

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord ,.... The false prophets, with whom the Lord was displeased; he set himself against them, and was determined to bring wrath and ruin on them. So the Targum, "therefore, behold, I send my fury against the false prophets;' that steal my word , or "words" F17 דברי "verba mea", Munster, Pagniuus, Montanus, Schmidt. , everyone from his neighbour ; either from the true prophets; beginning their prophecies as they did,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:31

Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord ,.... Not another sort of prophets distinct from the former, or those that follow; but the same under another character, and against whom he was, and set his face on another occasion; that use their tongues ; at their pleasure, their lips being their own. So the Targum, "who prophesy according to the will of their own hearts;' talk in a haughty and insolent manner, speaking bold and daring things of the divine Being; or in a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:32

Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord ,.... And not true ones, such as the Lord spoke in to his prophets, and which they communicated from him to his people; see Numbers 12:6 ; and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness ; by the false doctrines and prophecies which they delivered, and by their loose and disorderly lives which they led; so that they debauched the principles of the people by the former, and their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33

And when this people, or a prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee ,.... Any of the people, who were grown very profane; or any of the false prophets, who encouraged them in their irreligion and impiety; or any of the priests, who were in combination with them against the true prophets of the Lord; when any of these, in a scoffing jeering manner, should ask the Prophet Jeremiah, saying, what is the burden of the Lord ? or prophesy in the name of the Lord, as the Targum; and because some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:34

And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people ,.... Be they one or the other, or all of them; no regard will be had to their character and office, rank and dignity: that shall say, the burden of the Lord ; using that phrase in a bantering and ludicrous manner: I will even punish that man and his house ; not only he, but his family, shall suffer for it. This shows how much it is resented by the Lord, and what a dangerous thing it is to lampoon the word of God, to make a... read more

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