1 WOE be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
2 Therefore 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.
3 And 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.
4 And 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.
5 Behold, 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.
6 In 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.
7 Therefore, 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;
8 But, 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.
9 Mine 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.
10 For 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.
11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
12 Wherefore 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.
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14 I 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.
15 Therefore 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.
16 Thus 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.
17 They 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.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 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 it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But 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.
23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?
24 Can 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.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which 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.
28 The 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.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, 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.
33 And 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.
34 And 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.
35 Thus 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?
36 And 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.
37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
38 But 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;
39 Therefore, 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:
40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

1Woe bee vnto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheepe of my pasture, saith the Lord.

2Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Yee haue scattered my flocke and driuen them away, and haue not visited them; behold I will visite vpon you the euill of your doings, saith the Lord.

3And I wil gather the remnant of my flocke, out of all countreis whither I haue driuen them, and will bring them againe to their foldes, and they shalbe fruitfull and increase.

4And I will set vp shepheards ouer them which shall feed them, and they shal feare no more nor be dismaied, neither shall they bee lacking, saith the Lord.

5 Behold, the daies come, saith the Lord, that I wil raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch, and a King shall reigne and prosper, and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the earth.

6In his dayes Iudah shalbe saued, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his Name whereby hee shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousnes.

7Therefore behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say; The Lord liueth, which brought vp the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt:

8But, The Lord liueth, which brought vp, and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North countrey, and from all countreis whither I had driuen them, and they shall dwell in their owne land.

9 Mine 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 ouercome) because of the Lord, and because of the words of his Holinesse.

10For the land is full of adulterers, for because of swearing the land mourneth: the pleasant places of the wildernes are dried vp, and their course is euil, and their force is not right.

11For both prophet and priest are prophane, yea in my house haue I found their wickednesse, saith the Lord.

12Wherefore their way shalbe vnto them as slippery wayes in the darkenes: they shalbe driuen on and fall therein: for I will bring euill vpon them, euen the yeere of their visitation, saith the Lord.

13And I haue seene folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophecied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to erre.

14I haue seene also in the prophets of Ierusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walke in lies: they strengthen also the hands of euill doers, that none doeth returne from his wickednesse: they are all of them vnto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

15Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the Prophets; Behold, I will feede them with wormewood, and make them drinke the water of gall: for from the Prophets of Ierusalem is profanenesse gone forth into all the land.

16Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not vnto the wordes of the prophets that prophecie vnto you; they make you vaine: they speake a vision of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

17They say still vnto them that despise me; The Lord hath sayde, Yee shall haue peace; and they say vnto euery one that walketh after the imagination of his owne heart, No euill shall come vpon you.

18For who hath stood in the counsell of the Lord, and hath perceiued, and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

19Behold, a whirlewinde of the Lord is gone foorth in furie, euen a grieuous whirlewinde, it shall fall grieuously vpon the head of the wicked.

20The anger of the Lord shall not returne, vntill hee haue executed, and til he haue performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter dayes ye shall consider it perfectly.

21I haue not sent these prophets, yet they ranne: I haue not spoken to them, yet they prophecied.

22But if they had stood in my counsell, and had caused my people to heare my wordes, then they should haue turned them from their euil way, and from the euill of their doings.

23Am I a God at hand, sayth the Lord, and not a God afarre off?

24Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him, saith the Lord ? doe not I fill heauen and earth, sayth the Lord ?

25I haue heard what the prophets said, that prophecie lyes in my Name, saying; I haue dreamed, I haue dreamed.

26How long shall this bee in the heart of the prophets that prophecie lies? yea they are prophets of the deceit of their owne heart;

27Which thinke to cause my people to forget my Name by their dreames which they tell euery man to his neighbour, as their fathers haue forgotten my Name, for Baal.

28The prophet that hath a dreame, let him tell a dreame; and hee that hath my word, let him speake my word faithfully: what is the chaffe to the wheat, sayth the Lord ?

29Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord ? and like a hammer that breaketh the rocke in pieces?

30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, sayth the Lord, that steale my worde euery one from his neighbour.

31Beholde, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that vse their tongues, and say; He sayth.

32Behold, I am against them that prophecie false dreames, sayeth the Lord, and doe tell them, and cause my people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse, yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profite this people at all, sayth the Lord.

33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest shall aske thee, saying; What is the burden of the Lord ? thou shalt then say vnto them; What burden? I will euen forsake you, saith the Lord.

34And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people that shal say, The burden of the Lord, I will euen punish that man and his house.

35Thus shall yee say euery one to his neighbour, and euery one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and what hath the Lord spoken?

36And the burden of the Lord shall yee mention no more: for euery mans word shall be his burden: for yee haue peruerted the words of the liuing God, of the Lord of hostes our God.

37Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and what hath the Lord spoken?

38But sith ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus sayeth the Lord, Because you say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I haue sent vnto you, saying; Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord:

39Therefore beholde, I, euen I will vtterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the citie that I gaue you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence.

40And I will bring an euerlasting reproch vpon you, and a perpetuall shame, which shall not be forgotten.

II == Ex 32:34

III == Jer 32:37 ; Ezek 34:13

IV == Jer 3:15 ; Ezek 34:23

V == Ps 72:2 Isa 4:2 ; 9:7 ; 11:1 ; 32:1 , 18 ; 40:10-11 ; Jer 33:14-16 ; Dan 9:24 ; Zech 3:8 ; 6:12 ; John 1:45

VI == Deut 33:28 ; Jer 32:37 ; 33:16 ; Zech 14:11 ; 1st Cor 1:30

VII == Jer 16:14-15

VIII == Isa 43:5-6 ; Jer 23:3

IX == Hab 3:16

X == Jer 5:7-8 ; 9:2 , 10 ; 12:4 ; Hos 4:2-3

XI == Jer 6:13 ; 7:30 ; 8:10 ; 11:15 ; 32:34 ; Ezek 8:11 ; 23:39 ; Zeph 3:4

XII == Ps 35:6 ; Prov 4:19

XIII == Isa 9:16 ; Jer 2:8

XIV == Deut 32:32 ; Isa 1:9-10 ; Jer 23:26 ; 29:23 ; Ezek 13:22

XV == Jer 8:14 ; 9:15

XVI == Jer 14:14 ; 23:21

XVII == Jer 6:14 ; 8:11 ; 13:10 ; Ezek 13:10 ; Mic 3:11 ; Zech 10:2

XVIII == Job 15:8 ; 1st Cor 2:16

XX == Jer 30:24

XXIV == 1st Kings 8:27 ; Ps 139:7 ; Amos 9:2-3

XXVII == Judg 3:7 ; 8:33-34

XXX == Deut 18:20 ; Jer 14:14-15

XXXII == Zeph 3:4

XXXIII == Jer 23:39 ; Mal 1:1

XXXIX == Jer 23:33 ; Hos 4:6

XL == 2nd Kings 24:12 ; 2nd Chr 36:10 ; Jer 20:11 ; 22:24 ; 29:2 ; Amos 7:1 , 4 ; 8:1

1 Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD.

2 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.

3 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply.

4 I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

5 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.

6 In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: "The LORD our justice."

7 Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, "As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt";

8 but rather, "As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north" - and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land.

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

10 With adulterers the land is filled; on their account the land mourns, the pasture ranges are seared. Theirs is an evil course, theirs is unjust power.

11 Both prophet and priest are godless! In my very house I find their wickedness, says the LORD.

12 Hence their way shall become for them slippery ground. In the darkness they shall lose their footing, and fall headlong; Evil I will bring upon them: the year of their punishment, says the LORD.

13 Among Samaria's prophets I saw unseemly deeds: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

14 But among Jerusalem's prophets I saw deeds still more shocking: Adultery, living in lies, siding with the wicked, so that no one turns from evil; To me they are all like Sodom, its citizens like Gomorrah.

15 Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts against the prophets: Behold, I will give them wormwood to eat, and poison to drink; For from Jerusalem's prophets ungodliness has gone forth into the whole land.

16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Listen not to the words of your prophets, who fill you with emptiness; Visions of their own fancy they speak, not from the mouth of the LORD.

17 They say to those who despise the word of the LORD, "Peace shall be yours"; And to everyone who walks in hardness of heart, "No evil shall overtake you."

18 Now, who has stood in the council of the LORD, to see him and to hear his word? Who has heeded his word, so as to announce it?

19 See, the storm of the LORD! His wrath breaks forth In a whirling storm that bursts upon the heads of the wicked.

20 The anger of the LORD shall not abate until he has done and fulfilled what he has determined in his heart. When the time comes, you shall fully understand.

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

22 Had they stood in my council, and did they but proclaim to my people my words, They would have brought them back from evil ways and from their wicked deeds.

23 Am I a God near at hand only, says the LORD, and not a God far off?

24 Can a man hide in secret without my seeing him? says the LORD. Do I not fill both heaven and earth? says the LORD.

25 I have heard the prophets who prophesy lies in my name say, "I had a dream! I had a dream!"

26 How long will this continue? Is my name in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies and their own deceitful fancies?

27 By their dreams which they recount to each other, they think to make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.

28 Let the prophet who has a dream recount his dream; let him who has my word speak my word truthfully! What has straw to do with the wheat? says the LORD.

29 Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, like a hammer shattering rocks?

30 Therefore I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who steal my words from each other.

31 Yes, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who borrow speeches to pronounce oracles.

32 Yes, I am against the prophets who prophesy lying dreams, says the LORD, and who lead my people astray by recounting their lies and by their empty boasting. From me they have no mission or command, and they do this people no good at all, says the LORD.

33 And when this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, "What is the burden of the LORD?" you shall answer, "You are the burden, and I cast you off, says the LORD."

34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else mentions "the burden of the LORD," I will punish that man and his house.

35 Thus you shall ask, when speaking to one another, "What answer did the LORD give?" or, "What did the LORD say?"

36 But the burden of the LORD you shall mention no more. For each man his own word becomes the burden so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.

37 Thus shall you ask the prophet, "What answer did the LORD give?" or, "What did the LORD say?"

38 But if you ask about "the burden of the LORD," then thus says the LORD: Because you use this phrase, "the burden of the LORD," though I forbade you to use it,

39 therefore I will lift you on high and cast you from my presence, you and the city which I gave to you and your fathers.

40 And I will bring upon you eternal reproach, eternal, unforgettable shame.

 v 1-4. Unrighteous kings were like shepherds who were scattering God’s flock. God will regather them at the end of the tribulation period and raise new leaders.

v 5-6. The branch of Jehoiachin was cut off, but God would raise up a righteous Branch of David, Christ, who offered Himself at first advent but will be King at second. Christ is the Branch in Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 3315; Zech. 3:8.
Here Christ is called “The Lord Our Righteousness”. In 33:16 it is Jerusalem.

v 7,8. Regathering from all the world will be more dramatic than The Exodus.

v 9-12. Jeremiah turns from the wicked kings to the wicked prophets and priests. They disobeyed God, and polluted His house with wickedness, so faced disaster.

v 13-15. The prophets of Samaria prophesied by Baal and led Israel astray. The prophets of Judah had become even more repulsive to God and would be punished.

v 16-22. The false prophets proclaimed peace and did not rebuke the people for sin. They spoke what was in their own mind, not what God said. After the Lord’s fury is released like a whirlwind, the people will know they were false prophets who should have turned people from their sins.

v 23-32. The false prophets thought their lies were hidden from God, but He had heard them tell lies in His name. Compared to true prophecy, theirs was like chaff instead of wheat. Their word was powerless, but God’s Word penetrates like fire or has the power of a hammer that breaks rock in pieces. They copied each other’s lies and claimed it was the word of the Lord. God opposed those who mislead people with lies.

v 33-40. The burden of the Lord is an utterance or oracle, the burden the Lord lays on the heart of the prophet to proclaim. False prophets had lied in the name of the Lord so much that they and their families would be punished if they said “The burden of the Lord”. (Like saved and unsaved today saying “Lord willing”) People were not to ask what was the burden of the Lord, because He had already spoken and they did not listen. Those who continued to falsely say, “the burden of the Lord”, would be cast out of Jerusalem and become a perpetual shame.