Jeremiah 23

1Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture! declares Yahweh.

2Therefore this is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: “You have scattered my flock and driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Look, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares Yahweh.

3I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply.

4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing, declares Yahweh.”

5Look, the days are coming, declares Yahweh, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch. He will reign as king and act wisely, and he will do justice and righteousness in the land.

6In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: Yahweh Our Righteousness.

7So look, the days are coming, declares Yahweh, when people will no longer say, “As Yahweh lives, who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt,”

8but, “As Yahweh lives, who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where I had driven them.” Then they will live on their own soil.

9Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of Yahweh and because of his holy words.

10For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their power is not used rightly.

11For both prophet and priest are godless; even in my house I have found their wickedness, declares Yahweh.

12Therefore their way will be like slippery paths for them in the darkness; they will be pushed and fall there. For I will bring disaster on them, the year of their punishment, declares Yahweh.

13Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something repulsive: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

14But among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. To me they have all become like Sodom, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.

15Therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Look, I will make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, for from the prophets of Jerusalem godlessness has spread through all the land.”

16This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with empty hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of Yahweh.

17They keep saying 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 disaster will come upon you.’

18But which of them has stood in the council of Yahweh to see and to hear his word? Who has paid attention to his word and listened?

19Look, the storm of Yahweh! His fury has gone out, a whirling storm; it will whirl down on the heads of the wicked.

20The anger of Yahweh will not turn back until he has carried out and accomplished the purposes of his heart. In the last days you will understand it clearly.

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

22But if they had stood in my council, they would have announced my words to my people, and they would have turned them back from their evil way and from their evil deeds.”

23Am I only a God nearby, declares Yahweh, and not a God far away?

24Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares Yahweh. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares Yahweh.

25I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I had a dream! I had a dream!”

26How long will this go on? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies, who prophesy the deceit of their own hearts?

27They plan to make my people forget my name through the dreams they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal.

28Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What does straw have to do with grain? declares Yahweh.

29Is not my word like fire, declares Yahweh, and like a hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?

30Therefore, look, I am against the prophets, declares Yahweh, who steal my words from one another.

31Look, I am against the prophets, declares Yahweh, who use their own tongues and announce, “He declares.”

32Look, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares Yahweh, who tell them and lead my people astray with their lies and their recklessness. I did not send them or command them, and they do not benefit this people at all, declares Yahweh.

33When this people, or a prophet or a priest, asks you, “What is the burden of Yahweh?” you are to say to them, “What burden? I will cast you off, declares Yahweh.”

34As for the prophet or the priest or anyone of the people who says, “The burden of Yahweh,” I will punish that man and his household.

35This is what each of you is to say to his neighbor and to his brother: “What has Yahweh answered?” or “What has Yahweh spoken?”

36But you must no longer mention “the burden of Yahweh,” for each man’s own word becomes his burden, and you have twisted the words of the living God, Yahweh of Armies, our God.

37This is what you are to say to the prophet: “What has Yahweh answered you?” or “What has Yahweh spoken?”

38But if you say, “The burden of Yahweh,” then this is what Yahweh says: “Because you have said these words, ‘The burden of Yahweh,’ even though I sent to you, telling you, ‘Do not say, “The burden of Yahweh,”’

39therefore, look, I will utterly forget you and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your ancestors.

40I will bring on you everlasting disgrace and everlasting shame that will never be forgotten.”