PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. The literary context of chapter 23 starts in 21:11-14, which begins YHWH's word to the royal house of Judah.

B. The basic outline of 22:1-23:8

1. Zedekiah, 22:1-9

2. Shallum, 22:10-12 (Jehoahaz)

3. Jehoiakim, 22:13-23

4. Jehoiachim, 22:24-30 (Coniah)

5. Zedekiah, 23:1-8 (although Zedekiah is not mentioned by name in 23:1-8, if the shepherd series continues, he is the object of the message)

C. This chapter is a sharp contrast between the false shepherd and YHWH's Righteous Branch (i.e., Messiah). The contrast is heightened by the use of

1. say - BDB 55, KB 65, used 16 times

2. speak - BDB 180, KB 210, used 5 times

3. prophesy - BDB 612, KB 659, used 6 times

D. This chapter has several titles for Judah's Deity.

1. the Lord God of Israel, v. 2

2. a righteous branch, v. 5

3. the Lord our righteousness (Davidic Messiah's name), v. 6

4. the Lord of hosts, vv. 15,16,36

5. a God who is near, v. 23

6. not a God far off, v. 23

7. the living God, v. 36

8. our God, v. 36

E. In the midst of terrible judgment comes the wonderful promise of YHWH's righteous Branch! There is hope; there will be salvation; there will be justice! A new day will arise from the ashes of judgment.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:1-4
¹"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!" declares the Lord. ²Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares the Lord. ³"Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.

23:1-4 This is a "woe" strophe (i.e., funeral dirge, a 3/2 meter/beat). The false shepherds (prophets, priests, civic leaders):

1. are destroying YHWH's flock, v. 1

2. are scattering YHWH's flock, vv. 1-2

3. have not attended YHWH's flock, v. 2

4. have driven them away, v. 2

YHWH will raise up true shepherds.

1. He will gather His flock, v. 3

2. they will be fruitful and multiply, v. 3 (the expressed desire of YHWH in Gen. 1:22,28; 9:1,7)

3. good shepherds will tend them, v. 4

4. they will not be afraid or terrified any longer, v. 4

5. none of them are missing, v. 4

YHWH's special Davidic leader (cf. Ezekiel 34):

1. Davidic seed

2. righteous seed

3. Branch (cf. 30:9; 33:15-16; Isa. 4:2; 11:1-5; 53:2; Zech. 3:8; 6:12-13)

4. He will reign as king, v. 5 

5. He will act wisely, v. 5

6. He will do justice and righteousness, v. 5

7. His name will be "the Lord our righteousness," v. 6

What a contrast!

1. the wicked leaders do not attend YHWH's flock. He will attend them for their evil deeds, v. 2

2. the righteous leader will

a. save, v. 6 (i.e., physical deliverance)

b. cause to dwell securely, v. 6

c. return them to the Promised Land, v. 8 (i.e., reflects the land promise of Gen. 12:1-3)

The God who acts, will act (cf. Ezek. 36:22-38)! The Good Shepherd will come (John 10), but He will be rejected (cf. Zechariah 11).

23:3 "I Myself shall gather the remnant of My flock" Notice that the problem of fallen human's, even covenant humans, inability to follow God is answered by God Himself acting on their behalf. This is the "new covenant" of 31:31-34 (cf. Ezek. 36:22-38). The new covenant is based on grace, not performance (i.e., Rom. 3:21-31; Galatians 3; the book of Hebrews).

The term "remnant" has several meanings. See Special Topic at 5:10-13. However, in this context it carries the dual meaning of

1. returnee from exile

2. the faithful followers of YHWH

This chapter makes it hard to distinguish between the return from exile and the future Messianic reign (cf. v. 4).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:5-6
⁵"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord,
"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
⁶In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
'The Lord our righteousness.'

23:5 "I will raise up for David a righteous Branch" This is literally "sprout," BDB 855. This was a symbol of life out of death. It was used of the Messiah in 33:15-16; Zech. 3:8; 6:12; the same concept but different terms in Isa. 11:1 ("twig," BDB 310 and "shoot," BDB 666); 53:2 ("young plant," BDB 413; "a root," BDB 1057). It (BDB 855) apparently refers to Zerubbabel in Zechariah, but foreshadows the Messiah.

In the midst of oracles of judgment, judgment, judgment, comes hope, promise, and a new leader, a new day! The concept of a Messiah is recurrent in the OT although the term is not. The Aramaic Targums read "Messiah" in this context, paralleling "Branch," which shows the rabbis of that day saw this text as Messianic. See Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 343-344, for the title's four different usages.

I would like to add my comments from Isaiah 4:2 which includes brief quotes from Zech. 3:8; 6:12, and a Special Topic.

Isa. 4:2 "the Branch of the Lord" To describe this title (BDB 855, Targums interpreted it as the Messiah) let me quote from my commentary on Daniel and Zechariah where the term is also used (but just a note of caution, we must be careful about assigning a technical meaning everywhere a word or phrase is used-context, context, context is crucial). This term may have developed over time from a reference to ideal abundance to God's special Servant who will restore that abundance (i.e., a shoot, a branch).

Let me share notes from my commentary on Zechariah.

Zech. 3:8 "the Branch" This may be "sprout" (BDB 855). This is another Messianic title (cf. 6:12; Isa. 4:2; 11:1; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15). See full discussion and SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE at Dan. 4:15.

This title is used of Zerubbabel in 6:12 as a symbol of the royal Davidic line. It is surprising that it is used in this context, which emphasizes the priestly aspect of the Messiah. The twin aspects of redeemer (priestly, cf. Isaiah 53) and administrative leader (kingly, cf. Isa. 9:6-7) are merged in the book of Zechariah (cf. chapter 4).

Zech. 6:12 "Branch" This word (BDB 855) means "sprout" (cf. 3:8; 6:12; Isa. 4:2; 11:1; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15). This is a title for the Messiah. In Zechariah it refers to Zerubbabel as a type of the Messiah (cf. Ibn Ezra and Rashi). The name, Zerubbabel, in Akkadian, means "shoot of Babylon." This was possibly a play on his name since he rebuilt the temple in 516 b.c., but it is really an ultimate reference to Jesus. This title and the matching verb ("will branch out," Qal imperfect) appear together in this verse.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE

▣ A description of YHWH's "Branch" (NKJV, NRSV, JB)

1.beautiful, BDB 840, cf. Jer. 3:19 (often used of Promised Land in Dan. 8:9; 11:16,41)

2.glorious, BDB 458 means "abundance," "honor," and "glory" ("glory," BDB 802, also in this verse)

These two terms are often used together (cf. 13:19; 28:1,4,5).

Some versions take this verse as a reference to plant growth in the period of restoration (LXX, Peshitta, TEV, NJB, REB, NET Bible). In a sense the Messiah and the age of restoration are lexically linked (first part of v. 2; second part fruitful Promised Land).

This is also from my notes on Isaiah 11:1:

11:1 "a shoot" This rare word found only here in the OT ("twig," "branch," or "shoot" translated "rod" in Pro. 14:3, BDB 310, KB 307), obviously refers to a supernatural Davidic descendant (cf. 6:13; II Samuel 7; Rev. 22:16). Out of this seemingly dead stump (i.e., exiled Judah) will come a new king! This imagery (but different Hebrew word) is seen again in the Suffering Servant Song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (i.e., v. 2).

The Jewish Study Bible (p. 807) adds an interesting comment on "stump."

"If the translation 'stump' is correct, then the passage may presume that the Davidic dynasty will (or has) come to an end; this reading would deviate significantly from Isaiah's notion that Davidic kings will reign eternally (cf. II Sam. 7:8-16; Ps. 89:20-37). But the Hebrew 'geza' refers not only to a stump of a tree that has been cut down but also to the trunk of a living tree."

I cannot confirm this meaning for "shoot" unless it is 40:24.

▣ "from the stem of Jesse" Jesse was King David's father. This future descendant is mentioned in v. 10; 9:7; 16:5.

The OT gives the lineage of the Special Coming One, the Anointed One.

1. from the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:8-12, esp. v. 10 and Rev. 5:5

2. from the family of Jesse, II Samuel 7

The special child of the new age has now been identified as a special ruler. His person will characterize the new age (cf. Jer. 23:5).

▣ "a branch from his roots" The noun "branch," "sprout," or "shoot" (BDB 666, cf. 14:19; 60:21; Dan. 11:7) is parallel to "branch" or "sprout" (BDB 855, cf. 4:2; 61:11). New growth will come! See Special Topic at 4:2.

▣ "will bear fruit" The MT has the verb "bear fruit" (הרפ, BDB 826, KB 963, Qal imperfect, Dead Sea Scrolls, NASB), but most ancient and modern versions assume a similar verb, חרפ (BDB 827).

1. NKJV, NRSV, Peshitta, "shall grow out"

2. NJB, "will grow"

3. LXX, Targums, "shall come up"

4. REB, "will spring from"

5. JPSOA, "shall sprout"

The second option fits the parallelism best!

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

23:6 "Judah. . .Israel" This would predict the reunited kingdom. The United Monarchy split in 922 b.c. under Solomon's son, Rehoboam, and Jeroboam II, an Ephraimitic labor leader (cf. I Kings 12).

▣ "The Lord our righteousness" This may be a play on the name "Zedekiah," which means "the Lord is righteous," the person Nebuchadnezzar put on the throne to replace Jehoiachin (cf. II Kings 24). It is a descriptive Messianic title in 30:15; 33:16. It is parallel to "a righteous Branch" in v. 5.

23:7,8 This is a repeated literary piece from 16:14-15. The same sentiment is found in Isa. 43:18-19. A new day is coming (cf. 16:14; Hos. 3:4-5)! The new age of the Spirit, the new age of righteousness, the new age of the Messiah is coming!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:7-8
⁷"Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when they will no longer say, 'As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' ⁸but, 'As the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil."

23:7 "As the Lord lives" See note at 22:24.

23:8 "who brought up and led back" As YHWH's power and grace were seen in the Exodus, so too, in the return from exile!

▣ "from the north land" Assyria and Babylon were to the east of Palestine, but the only land route was from/to the north (i.e., basically following the Euphrates River). This is due to the large desert between Palestine and the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (i.e., Mesopotamia).

▣ "where I had driven them" God is in control of history. Assyria and Babylon were merely His tools of judgment (cf. Isa. 10:5).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:9-12
⁹As for the prophets:
My heart is broken within me,
All my bones tremble;
I have become like a drunken man,
Even like a man overcome with wine,
Because of the Lord
And because of His holy words.
¹⁰For the land is full of adulterers;
For the land mourns because of the curse.
The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
Their course also is evil
And their might is not right.
¹¹"For both prophet and priest are polluted;
Even in My house I have found their wickedness," declares the Lord.
¹²"Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them,
They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it;
For I will bring calamity upon them,
The year of their punishment," declares the Lord.

23:9-32 Jeremiah addresses the false prophets, as they surely condemned him (cf. Example in chapter 28).

23:9 The prophet is speaking of the physical effects of God's message on him. This is much like what happened to Daniel (i.e., Dan. 7:15,28; 8:27; 10:8,16).

1. broken heart (i.e., the center of the intellect, not emotions, cf. 8:18)

2. bones tremble

3. like an intoxicated person (i.e., with YHWH's revelation)

▣ "drunken man. . .a man overcome with wine" Drunkenness here is a sign of confusion, but in 25:15 it is a sign of judgment. See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Biblical Attitudes Toward Alcohol (fermentation) and Alcoholism (addiction)

▣ Lines 6 and 7 give the reason for Jeremiah's distress. He believed God's word! He knew it was true. I so wish modern believers would tremble at God's word (cf. Isa. 66:5). Do we grieve over our own sinful societies and the sure wrath of God that will come (i.e., Romans 1-2; Gal. 6:7)?

23:10 "adulterers" In this context this could refer to

1. fertility worship (literal adultery), 3:2,6,8-9; 5:7-8

2. foreign alliances (spiritual adultery), i.e., "lovers" (cf. 2:25; 3:1; 22:20,22)

▣ "land mourns" This is parallel to 10c, "dries up." This is part of the curses of Lev. 26:4,19-20; Deut. 28:23-24; 29:20-21; and Rom. 8:18-22!

NASB"Their course also is evil,
And their might is not right"
NKJV"Their course of life is evil.
And their might is not right"
TEV"they live wicked lives and misuse their power"
NJB"They are prompt to do wrong,
Make no effort to do right"
JPSOA"For they run to do evil.
They strain to do wrong"

There is no verb in these last two lines of v. 10. It seems that Jeremiah has changed imagery from nature disrupted to humans disrupted! Neither is what YHWH intended in Gen. 1:31!

23:11 It is a common theme in Jeremiah to condemn both prophet and priest (cf. 2:8). What a terrible situation! The people only hear the false words.

The prophets of Israel are described in v. 12 and the prophets of Judah in v. 14. YHWH's judgment falls on both in v. 15.

One wonders about the historical setting of this strophe. It seems to assume Israel was still in the land. The time element of Hebrew verbs is totally related to the context. Jeremiah had his ministry soon after Josiah became king (+ 626 b.c.). The northern kingdom of Israel was exiled in 722 b.c. by Assyria. This reference is not a "history thing" (western mindset), but a "theme thing" (eastern mindset).

Possibly the reason for mentioning the prophets of Israel is that the prophets of Judah should have learned from other's judgment (cf. 3:6-10; Ezek. 23:4-49).

23:12 "slippery paths" This is a Hebrew idiom of sinful living (cf. 13:16; Ps. 35:6; 73:18; Pro. 4:19). It is the opposite of "faith," which is "to be firm" or "to be sure" (see Special Topic at 15:18). God's word/will was like a clearly marked path (cf. Ps. 119:105; Pro. 6:23).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:13-15
¹³"Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing:
They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.
¹⁴Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing:
The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood;
And they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.
All of them have become to Me like Sodom,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
¹⁵Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets,
'Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood
And make them drink poisonous water,
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
Pollution has gone forth into all the land.'"

23:13 "Samaria" This was the capital of the northern kingdom and used as a symbol for the nation as a whole.

▣ "They prophesied by Baal" This refers to Canaanite fertility worship (cf. 2:8). See Special Topic at 2:20.

▣ "astray" This verb (BDB 1073, KB 1766, Hiphil imperfect) denoted mental and moral confusion and the resulting poor choices (cf. II Kgs. 21:9; Isa. 3:12; 9:16; Jer. 23:13,32; 42:20; Amos 2:4; Micah 3:5). The people of Judah were morally responsible for their choices, but they also had been led astray by people they trusted!

23:14 This verse describes the prophets of Judah (i.e., involved in Ba'al worship like Israel).

1. They committed adultery (see note at v. 10)

2. They walked in falsehood (i.e., lies)

3. They strengthened the hand of evildoers

4. No one repented (people or prophet or priest or shepherd)

Notice how often Jeremiah addresses the false prophets (cf. 2:8; 4:9; 5:30-31; 6:13-15; 8:10-12; 14:13-15; 18:18-23; 26:8,11,16; 27:1-22; 28:1-17).

Every generation of believers must decide to whom they will listen and respond. There are charlatans, deceivers, crooks. How does a believer know who to believe! Here are some Scriptural guidelines.

1. the accuracy of their predictions, cf. Deut. 13:1-5; 18:18-22 (this does not relate to conditional prophecies like Jonah's)

2. lifestyle, cf. Jer. 23:13-22; Matt. 7:15-23

3. content of the message (for NT), cf. I Cor. 12:3; 15:3-4; I John 4:1-3

See Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, pp. 210-211, "The Characteristics of False Prophets."

23:15 This verse describes what YHWH will do to these false prophets (cf. 9:15).

1. feed them wormwood

2. make them drink poisonous water

He gives them a taste of their own actions. They taught poison, now they must drink it themselves (cf. 17:10; Gal. 6:7). False teaching spreads like gangrene!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:16-22
¹⁶Thus says the Lord of hosts,
"Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
They are leading you into futility;
They speak a vision of their own imagination,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
¹⁷They keep saying to those who despise Me,
'The Lord has said, "You will have peace";
And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,
They say, 'Calamity will not come upon you.'
¹⁸But who has stood in the council of the Lord,
That he should see and hear His word?
Who has given heed to His word and listened?
¹⁹Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath,
Even a whirling tempest;
It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.
²⁰The anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
In the last days you will clearly understand it.
²¹I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied.
²²But if they had stood in My council,
Then they would have announced My words to My people,
And would have turned them back from their evil way
And from the evil of their deeds.

23:16 "They speak a vision of their own imagination" They speak in God's name but the message is their own (cf. v. 25; 5:31; 14:14; Ezek. 13:2,17).

▣ "futility" This verbal (BDB 211, KB 236, Hiphil participle) occurs only here. The Qal form occurs in 2:5. The noun form (BDB 210) is used of the nothingness of idols.

▣ Judeans are not to "listen" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense) because they are prophesying (BDB 612, KB 659, Niphal participle, see Appendix Two) falsehoods. This is recorded in v. 17b (cf. 6:14; 8:11; 14:13-14). The Babylonians

1. will invade

2. will capture Judah and her leaders

3. will destroy Jerusalem and the temple

4. will exile most of the population

5. will take the temple treasures to the temple of Marduk in Babylon as spoils

▣ "They speak a vision of their own imagination" "Imagination" is literally "heart." One wonders if they knew it was a false vision. Were they self-duped or intentionally lying? Verse 17 implies they knew it was a false message of hope (cf. v. 21,26).

23:17 "They keep saying" This is the Qal participle and infinitive absolute of the same root ("to say," BDB 55, KB 65), denoting intensity.

NASB, NKJV,
NJB, JPSOA"to those who despise Me,
The Lord has said"
LXX, NRSV,
REB"to those who despise the word of the Lord"

The UBS Text Project gives the first option (NASB) a "C" rating. The difference is a matter of vowel choice, not a consonantal change. The NET Bible prefers option #2 (LXX).

▣ "You will have peace" This was the basic message of the false prophets (cf. 5:12; 6:14; 8:11; 14:13; 28:8-9; Ezek. 13:10). God's word to the wicked is a "fire" and a "hammer" (cf. 23:29).

23:18 Jeremiah is describing his own situation. He did "see" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense) in the council of YHWH (cf. Amos 3:7). He heard YHWH's word (i.e., from Him directly, or a literary way of referring to the "heavenly council" of YHWH and those angels who serve Him (cf. I Kgs. 22:19-23; Job 2:1-6) and performed it/spoke it! YHWH honors those who hear/heed/live His word and will (cf. v. 22).

▣ "in the council of the Lord" This may refer to the heavenly council of YHWH and those angels who surround Him.

1. for praise - Isa. 6:2-3; Rev. 4:8

2. for protection - Gen. 3:24, Ezek. 1:15; 10:1-22

3. for action - Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; I Kgs. 22:19-22; Job 1:6; 2:1; 29:4; Ps. 89:7

4. for judgment - Dan. 7:10,22,26

23:19-20 This is similar to 30:23-24. The repetition occurs often in Jeremiah, which shows his various sermons and poems were collected and edited after his death or towards the end of his life (cf. vv. 7-8, repeated in 16:14-15; v. 15 repeated in 9:15).

23:20 YHWH's judgment will come (cf. 30:24; Isa. 45:23; 55:11). The time for repentance has past. Judah cannot repent (cf. 13:23). YHWH's only choice for His larger redemptive purpose of using Israel was to destroy and exile the current idolatrous generation. Only radical surgery can save the patient (cf. Isa. 1:5-6).

▣ The last line of v. 20 seems to be a promise of a future time when God's people will, one day, understand

1. His actions and greater purpose (i.e., eschatological, see chapter 17, "God's Plan" in Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, second ed., pp. 371-390; also see Special Topic at 1:5)

2. that they were duped by their false leadership (i.e., Babylonian invasion and exile, cf. 30:23)

The NET Bible (p. 1357) has a good comment about "clearly understand." This is "a Hebrew construction where a noun functions as the object of a verb from the same word root (the Hebrew cognate accusative)." See BDB 106, KB 122, Hithpolel imperfect and BDB 108.

23:21-22 YHWH speaks again, as in vv. 16-18 and also vv. 23-24, 25-32. It is difficult to know how the OT writers received YHWH's revelation. Either they speak in His name and then comment on it or there is a more direct verbal reception of the message. See Hard Sayings of the Bible, chapter 8, pp. 66-69.

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: ILLUMINATION

23:21 YHWH rejects these proclaimers of "peace" (cf. 29:9,23).

23:22 YHWH's spokespersons can effect change and help His people turn from evil and walk in His word and ways!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:23-24
²³"Am I a God who is near," declares the Lord,
"And not a God far off?
²⁴Can a man hide himself in hiding places

So I do not see him?" declares the Lord.

"Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the Lord.

23:23-24 Notice the three rhetorical questions. The first and third expect a "yes" answer and the second a "no" answer.

This brief strophe is a self-affirmation of YHWH's

1. personal presence with His people

2. desire for fellowship

3. active participation in His people's lives

4. His presence throughout creation (cf. I Kgs. 8:27; Ps. 139:7-16; Isa. 66:1)

This expresses YHWH's immanence! He is the Holy One of Israel, but He is also "Father" (cf. Isa. 57:15).

Some see this brief strophe as YHWH's way of denying that He is just one of many local deities (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM at 1:5). See chapter 15, "God's Nearness and Distance. . ." in Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, second ed., pp. 327-345.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:25-32
²⁵"I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, 'I had a dream, I had a dream!' ²⁶How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, ²⁷who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? ²⁸The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?" declares the Lord. ²⁹"Is not My word like fire?" declares the Lord, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock? ³⁰Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," declares the Lord, "who steal My words from each other. ³¹Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the Lord, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares.' ³²Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the Lord, "and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit," declares the Lord.

23:25-32 YHWH describes the false prophets. They claim revelation but have none! They even get their message from one another (v. 30). Their message (in dreams) is their own message and it will destroy Judah.

For "dreams" as a method of revelation in the ANE, see John Walton, ANE Thought and the OT, p. 243.

23:25 "I had a dream, I had a dream" This was a claim to divine revelation. Dreams were common ways for God to communicate (cf. Gen. 20:3; 28:12; 31:11,24; 37:5; Deut. 13:1-5). Joseph had dream interpretation as a gift from God (cf. Genesis 40-41), as did Daniel (cf. Daniel 2).

23:26

NASB"is there anything in the hearts of the prophets"
NKJV"How long will this be in the heart of the prophets"

Other suggestions by scholars is to supply the missing subject (cf. JPSOA)

1. my word

2. lies (LXX)

3. My name

23:27 "forgot My name" This is that special use of the name to refer to God's covenant relationship and eternal character. Judah was attributing God's acts to Ba'al!

23:29 In this verse YHWH describes His word as

1. a fire (cf. 5:14; 20:9)

2. a hammer which shatters a rock

God's word has results (cf. Isa. 49:2)! The false prophets bring no benefit (cf. v. 32; this is the Hiphilinfinitive absolute and imperfect verb of the same root [BDB 418, KB 420] which denotes intensity). The imagery in the NT of Jesus with a two edged sword coming out of His mouth is the same type of figurative language (cf. Rev. 1:16; 2:12,16; 19:15; Heb. 4:12).

23:30-32 the UBS Handbook says these verses are a summary of YHWH's message against the false, self-deceived prophets (p. 513, this is such a helpful grammatical and syntactical resource for translators and interpreters).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:33-40
³³"Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you saying, 'What is the oracle of the Lord?' then you shall say to them, 'What oracle?' The Lord declares, 'I will abandon you.' ³⁴Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, 'The oracle of the Lord,' I will bring punishment upon that man and his household. ³⁵Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother, 'What has the Lord answered?' or, 'What has the Lord spoken?' ³⁶For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord, because every man's own word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. ³⁷Thus you will say to that prophet, 'What has the Lord answered you?' and, 'What has the Lord spoken?' ³⁸For if you say, 'The oracle of the Lord!' surely thus says the Lord, 'Because you said this word, "The oracle of the Lord!" I have also sent to you, saying, "You shall not say, 'The oracle of the Lord!'"' ³⁹Therefore behold, I will surely forget you and cast you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. ⁴⁰I will put an everlasting reproach on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten."

23:33-40 This strophe presents its message by a series of questions that Judeans ask each other about YHWH's revelation (i.e., what is the oracle of the Lord).

1. prophets

2. priests

3. people

Jeremiah's answer is that there are no more messages to be received, only judgment (i.e., "I shall abandon you," cf. 12:7; 23:39). The religious leaders were making up their own message in YHWH's name (cf. v. 36). They did not really want to hear from Him.

Because of this false message from God, YHWH says

1. I will forget you (this is a perfect verb and in infinitive absolute from the same root)

2. I will cast you away from My presence

3. I will cast away the Jerusalem/temple

4. I will give you an everlasting reproach

5. I will give you an everlasting humiliation, either of which will never be forgotten

Wow! These idolatrous Judeans and their leaders will be permanently cut off. The faithful remnant, though not specifically mentioned, will be restored.

23:33 "oracle" The term (BDB 672 I) meant "to lift up a burden." It is a play on the two uses of this term:

1. a heavy word from God

2. a load that an animal carried

The AB suggests that the Hebrew text be divided in a different way from the MT. If so it could read, "What is the massa" (that is, the utterance of Yahweh? say to them, "you are the massa [that is, the burden], and I will cast you off - Yahweh's word," p. 150). The LXX and Vulgate, followed by NRSV, REB, NET, have, "You are the burden." Hereby the word play on "burden" (BDB 672 I) is made clear.

23:35-36 This is exactly the opposite of the "new covenant" of 31:31-34. Knowledge of the Lord is the exception, not the rule!

23:36 "every man's own word will become the oracle" This very phrase is the reality of a post-modern, western, twenty-first century culture. There are no absolutes! Everyone's opinion has weight and authority! This is a tragedy if there is an inspired revelation from the one true God.

▣ "you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God" The verb (BDB 245, KB 253, Qal perfect) means "to turn" or "to overturn." To put this in modern idiom, these false religionists put a "spin" on their words, their interest, their presuppositions, their historical setting, their personal preferences, into God's words (notice the threefold titles. For "Lord of Hosts" see Special Topic at 15:15-18)! The same occurs today by denominations and secularists! Only a commitment to revelation and a knowledge of it can protect a believer.

23:39

NASB"I shall surely forget you and cast you away"
NKJV"I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you"
NRSV"I will surely lift you up and cast you away"
TEV"I will certainly pick them up and throw them far away"
JPSOA"I will utterly forget you and I will cast you away"

There are several grammatical elements.

1. the first verb, "forget" (BDB 674, KB 728, Qal perfect) is followed by its infinitive absolute of the same root in the MT

2. some Hebrew MSS and the Septuagint change the verb to "lift up" (BDB 669, KB 724), which is the same root as "burden," used in vv. 33 (twice),34,36 (twice), 38 (thrice)

3. the parallel verb in v. 33, "cast off" (BDB 643, KB 695, Qal perfect) is repeated in v. 39

4. the change made by the LXX makes sense in the context of vv. 33-40 (i.e., word play), but does not answer why the infinitive absolute of the verb "forget" is in the text; it is best to go with the MT

23:40 "everlasting" This Hebrew term, 'olam (BDB 761), must always be interpreted theologically in light of

1. the context where it is used

2. the conditional nature of God's covenant with humans (i.e., mercy and repentance are possible)

See Special Topic at 7:7.

▣ "everlasting reproach" The first noun is 'olam (BDB 761), see Special Topic at 7:7. It must be interpreted in specific context because of its wide semantic field.

The second noun (BDB 357) means "reproach" or "scorn." The root is used several times in Jeremiah (cf. 6:10; 15:15; 20:8; 23:40; 24:9; 25:18; 31:19; 42:18; 44:8,12; 49:13 (of Edom); 51:51.

▣ "everlasting humiliation" The first noun is the same as above. The second noun (BDB 484) is found in this form only here in the OT and means "ignominy." A related root is found in 20:11, where it is translated "eternal dishonor" or "eternal disgrace."

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:1-7
¹The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), ²which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ³"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. ⁴And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, ⁵saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; ⁶and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm. ' ⁷Yet you have not listened to Me," declares the Lord, "in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm."

25:1 This is obviously an attempt to date the prophecy historically (cf. v. 3).

1. the fourth year of Jehoiakim (i.e., 605 b.c., same year as the defeat of Egypt at Carchemish; see chart in Appendix One)

2. the first year of Nebuchadnezzar II (see historical survey in Appendix Three)

The poems of Jeremiah have been organized by themes, key words, word plays (sound plays, semantic field). They are not chronological (although the earlier chapters may be).

One tenant in hermeneutical theory is to establish the historical setting and try to identify the reason for the poem/prophecy. When there is no historical item mentioned it becomes theological speculation.

Notice the king of Neo-Babylon is spelled here Nebuchadnezzar. There are always differences when transliterating names. The Babylonian name is Nabu-kudurri-osur, but it is transliterated two different ways in the OT (with an "n" and an "r").

25:2 Jeremiah identifies his audience as

1. all the people of Judah, vv. 1,2

2. all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, v. 2

The first designation would relate to the common people of Judah and the second to her leadership and elite of society.

Notice that in v. 4 he calls them "His servants." YHWH's people are meant to be servants and priests (see Special Topic at 1:5). Jeremiah's twenty-three years of delivering YHWH's revelations had not affected these sin-hardened people.

25:3 "the thirteenth year of Josiah" This would be 627 b.c., the year of Jeremiah's call (cf. 1:1-3).

▣ "even to this day" This phrase (and variations) occurs many times in the OT. For most scholars it shows the presence of a later editor/compiler, but here it is used by an author to refer to his previous ministry. We must always be careful of our assumptions. They are just that! Moderns do not understand ancient literature as well as they think they do!!

▣ "the word of the Lord has come to me" As a modern preacher/teacher, how do I know the Lord has spoken to me, directed me? It is obvious the OT prophets and NT apostles had a unique revelation (see Special Topics at 23:21-22). For those of us who live and serve in the post-apostolic age, our message must be linked to inspired authors and their message. Every text has only one meaning (i.e., the intent of the original author) but many applications. We cannot just say, "God told me!" We must point people to texts that they can evaluate themselves! Texts have priority!

NASB, REB"again and again"
NKJV"rising early and speaking"
NRSV, JPSOA"I have spoken persistently to you"
NJB"I have never tired of speaking to you"

The NKJV is the Hebrew idiom (two infinitive absolutes). It occurs in v. 4; 7:25; 11:7; 26:5. This idiomatic language represents one of the greatest challenges to interpreters because idioms, by their very nature, are not literal. The words have a special meaning. An idiom such as this can be understood because it is repeated and contextually obvious, but others are very difficult

1. to identify as an idiom

2. to ascertain its meaning in context

I am sure when we get to heaven and get to visit with these original authors, we and they, will be shocked by what we think they wrote!

▣ "but you have not listened" This verb (BDB 1033, KB 1570) is a Qal perfect which denoted a settled opposition to hearing and obeying YHWH! These are His people. They have His revelation but they seem not to recognize the choice of "life" or "death" (cf. Deut. 30:15) connected to YHWH's words (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28).

For further insights to this verb, see notes in my commentary on Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:1; and 6:5. It is online free in several languages at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

25:4 Notice the parallelism between

1. you have not listened

2. inclined your ear to hear

Hebrew poetry must be interpreted through (1) purposeful parallelism, (2) parallel passages, and (3) word plays. See the Appendix One: Introduction to Hebrew Poetry.

Also notice the number of Hebrew words that begin with שׁ in vv. 305.

1. hear (thrice), שׁמע

2. send (twice), שׁלח

3. rise (twice), שׁכם

4. turn, שׁוב

5. dwell, ישׁב

25:4-7 YHWH lists why He is angry with His people, Judah.

1. they have not listened and obeyed, vv. 4, 7

2. they have not responded (see Special Topic at 2:22), v. 5

3. they have committed flagrant idolatry, vv. 6, 7 (i.e., "the work of your hands," cf. v. 14; 1:16; 10:3-5; Isa. 2:8; 17:8; 37:19)

25:5 "dwell in the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever" This reflects 7:7 (see Special Topic there), which reflects Deut. 4:40. The land was part of the Abrahamic Covenant (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 15:12-21). It was meant to be a permanent gracious gift, but there were conditions (i.e., covenant obedience, cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28, 30).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:8-11
⁸"Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Because you have not obeyed My words, ⁹behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the Lord, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. ¹⁰Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. ¹¹This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

25:8-11 YHWH lists the results of their disobedience (v. 8).

1. I will send and take all the families of the north. YHWH controls both Assyria and Babylon, as well as Persia, for His purposes!

2. They will invade, destroy, and exile the people of Palestine.

3. Society will be radically changed from peace to panic.

a. I will take (i.e., "cause to perish") the voice of joy

b. I will take the voice of gladness

c. I will take the voice of the bridegroom

d. I will take the voice of the bride

e. I will take the sound of the millstone

f. I will take the light of the lamp

This means utter destruction (cf. v. 9). The land of promise and abundance will be the land of

1. horror, vv. 9, 11

2. hissing, v. 9

3. everlasting desolation, vv. 9, 11

25:9 "My servant" This is the same title (BDB 712, 713) used of the Messiah in Isaiah 40-66. Here it is not used in a Messianic sense, but is a way of denoting one who fulfills YHWH"s purpose (i.e., 27:6; 43:10; Isa. 13:3).

Cyrus is called "My shepherd" (Isa. 44:28) and "His anointed" (Isa. 45:1) in the same sense. As YHWH used Pharaoh in the Exodus, so He uses these kings.

The one true God (see Special Topic at 1:5) is actively involved in all of human history. The Bible records that aspect of this involvement that relates to redemption through Israel and the Messiah (see Special Topic at 23:5).

▣ "utterly destroy" This is the Hebrew verb herem (BDB 355 I, KB 353), Hiphil perfect. It is used of things devoted to God and thereby they become too holy for common use (BDB 356, cf. Lev. 27:21, 28, 29; Num. 28:14; Deut. 7:26; 13:17; Josh 6:17-18; 7:1,11,12,13,15). The same root (BDB 355) means "to completely destroy" (cf. 25:9; 50:21, 26; 51:3; Exod. 22:20; Lev. 27:28, 29; Num. 21:2, 3; Deut. 2:34; 3:6; 7:2; 13:15; 20:17). This second sense is how the word is used in Jeremiah.

This is "holy war" terminology. The God who fought for Israel in the conquest of Joshua now fights against Judah and Jerusalem (i.e., the very place He caused His name to dwell).

NASB"horror"
NKJV"astonishment"
NRSV, NJB,
REB"object of horror"
JPSOA"desolation"

This Hebrew word (BDB 1031, KB 1566) means "waste" or "devastation." It is used numerous times by Jeremiah (cf. 4:27; 6:8; 9:11; 10:22; 12:10, 11; 25:12; 32:43; 34:22; 44:6; 49:2, 33; 50:13; 51:26, 62).

▣ "hissing" This Hebrew word (BDB 1057, KB 1657) means "to hiss" (cf. v. 18) or "to whistle." The Jewish Study Bible, at Jer. 18:6, has the footnote, "These actions were performed at the sight of ruin to ward off a like fate from the observer" (p. 964).

▣ "an everlasting desolation" The word translated "everlasting" (BDB 352) must be interpreted in context. It has a wide semantic field. See Special Topic at 7:7.

For a good discussion of the use of hyperbole, see D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks, chapter 2, "What Makes Prophecy Problematic?" (pp. 31-57).

25:11 "seventy years" This time prediction is also mentioned in 29:10; II Chr. 36:21-23; Dan. 9:2; and Zech. 7:5. Seventy is a round number which denotes (1) multiple generations or (2) a complete life (cf. Ps. 90:10; Isa. 23:15). It is interesting that the date of the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar (i.e., 586 b.c.) is exactly seventy years from the rebuilding of the second temple by Zerubbabel (i.e., 516 b.c., cf. Zech. 1:12).

Remember the ancients used numbers differently than moderns. See the Special Topic: Symbolic Numbers in Scripture at 15:9.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:12-14
¹²'Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' declares the Lord, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. ¹³I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)'"

25:12-14 Jeremiah records YHWH's commitment to judging Babylon. The same phrase, "an everlasting desolation" from v. 9 is now used of the ones who made Palestine desolate.

Notice that Jeremiah alludes to his own book (i.e., "this book"), but notice Jeremiah is mentioned by name, which implies Baruch (cf. 36:4,29,32) or another editor (i.e., Ezra). The destruction and judgment of Neo-Babylon is predicted and described in chapter 51.

25:13 "against all the nations" Several of the Prophets have chapters about YHWH's judgment of the nations. These nations probably never heard these messages. They are written to show the universal nature of Israel's God. All history is before Him. He is not like the dead, blind, deaf idols; He acts in His world.

The NJB entitles 25:13c-38 "Introduction to the Prophecies Against the Nations." The LXX moves these prophecies from chapters 46-51 in the MT to begin at chapter 25 in the Septuagint.

25:14 This verse is in parentheses in the NASB, NKJV, which denotes the comments of an editor or an aside from Baruch.

▣ "I will recompense them according to their deeds" See full notes at 17:10. We reap what we sow, often in kind!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:15-16
¹⁵For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me, "Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. ¹⁶They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them."

25:15 "this cup of the wine" This is a Hebrew idiom for judgment (cf. 13:13; 51:7; Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17,22). Notice it again asserts that YHWH, not the gods of the nations, controls the outcome of wars and international treaties, etc. (cf. v. 28; 1:10; Deut. 32:8).

This same imagery is used of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 24:39; also note 20:22).

Notice the number of times the verbs related to drinking/drunkenness are used.

1. give to drink - BDB 1052, KB 1639, Hiphil perfect, vv. 15, 17

2. drink - BDB 1059, KB 1667, Qal perfect, vv. 16, 26, 28 (thrice)

3. be drunk - BDB 1016, KB 1500, Qal imperative, v. 27

4. surely drink - BDB 1059, KB 1667, infinitive absolute and Qal imperfect of the same root for intensity, v. 27

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:17-26
¹⁷Then I took the cup from the Lord's hand and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: ¹⁸Jerusalem and the cities of Judah and its kings and its princes, to make them a ruin, a horror, a hissing and a curse, as it is this day; ¹⁹Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes and all his people; ²⁰and all the foreign people, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (even Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod); ²¹Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon; ²²and all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon and the kings of the coastlands which are beyond the sea; ²³and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair; ²⁴and all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who dwell in the desert; ²⁵and all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam and all the kings of Media; ²⁶and all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground, and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

25:17 "all the nations" The list of nations in vv. 18-26 is

1. mostly listed in chapters 46-51

2. listed as part of the Persian Empire

25:23 "all who cut the corners of their hair" This pagan practice is mentioned two other times in Jeremiah (cf. 9:26; 49:32) and may relate to Lev. 19:27-28 or 21:5 (cf. Deut. 14:1-2). Its exact nature is uncertain.

25:26 "all the kings of the north, near and far" This phrase is used of those nations directly north of Palestine and those of the Fertile Crescent/Mesopotamia.

▣ "Sheshach" This (BDB 1058) is a cryptogram for Babel (footnote on p. 1001 from the New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV). AB says in a footnote, "a cipher by which letters of one name, counted from the beginning of the alphabet, are exchanged for corresponding letters counted from the end" (p. 161). This is from Jerome. The method is called atbash (also note 51:1).

▣ "all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground" This is hyperbole (cf. v. 29)! This refers to the nations of which Israel/Judah had knowledge (i.e., the ANE). It would not include China, the Americas, etc., but theologically it would! God loves all the nations and wants all of them to know Him!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:27-29
²⁷"You shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, "Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among you."' ²⁸And it will be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you will say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "You shall surely drink! ²⁹For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth," declares the Lord of hosts.'

25:27 there is a string of commands related to drunkenness as a metaphor for judgment.

1. drunk - BDB 1059, KB 1667, Qal imperative

2. be drunk - BDB 1016, KB 1500, Qal imperative

3. vomit - BDB 883, KB 1096, Qal imperative

4. fall - BDB 656, KB 709, Qal imperative

5. notice the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of #1 in v. 28 for intensity

25:29 Jerusalem, who had such privileges, will be judged along with the rest of mankind!

▣ "completely free" This is the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb from the same root (BDB 667, KB 720) for dramatic emphasis. The city which was called by YHWH's name was surely responsible for her covenant breaking, refusal to repent, continued idolatry!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:30-31
³⁰"Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them,
'The Lord will roar from on high
And utter His voice from His holy habitation;
He will roar mightily against His fold.
He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
³¹'A clamor has come to the end of the earth,
Because the Lord has a controversy with the nations.
He is entering into judgment with all flesh;
As for the wicked, He has given them to the sword,' declares the Lord."

25:30-31 This strophe characterizes YHWH and His purposes. He wanted to bless mankind but they would not, so judgment came on all (hyperbole). Notice the one true God judges (cf. v. 38)

1. His own flock, v. 30, line 4

2. the world (i.e., "the nations," "all flesh"), v. 31

25:30 "roar" The metaphor of YHWH's judgment changes in vv. 30-38 to YHWH as a lion.

"Roar" is the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb from the same root (BDB 980, KB 1367) for intensity. For this same imagery see Joel 2:11 and Amos 1:2.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:32
³²Thus says the Lord of hosts,
"Behold, evil is going forth
From nation to nation,
And a great storm is being stirred up
From the remotest parts of the earth.

25:32-38 Again a poem of YHWH's universal judgment is appended to the similar poem of vv. 30-31. Were they spoken together at the same time? Probably not. The reason the prophet seems so repetitive is the organization of these poems by theme or key words.

Notice the phrases that speak of universal judgment.

1. v. 15 - "caused all the nations to drink it" (cup of judgment)

2. v. 17 - "made all the nations to drink it"

3. v. 19 - "all his (i.e., Pharaoh) people"

4. v. 20 - "all the foreign people"

5. v. 20 - "all the kings" (vv. 20 [twice], 22 [thrice],24,24,24)

6. v. 26 - "all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground" 

7. v. 15 - "all the inhabitants of the earth" (for "earth" see Special Topic at 6:18-19)

8. v. 30 - "against all the inhabitants of the earth"

9. v. 31 - "to the ends of the earth"

10. v. 31 - "with the nations"

11. v. 31 - "with all flesh"

12. v. 32 - "from nation to nation"

13. v. 32 - "from the remotest part of the earth"

14. v. 33 - "from one end of the earth to the other"

One God created the earth (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM at 1:5). One God wanted fellowship with humans made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26,27). All humans rebelled (i.e., in Adam, Genesis 3, and in personal choices, Rom. 3:9-18, 23). The consequences are universal, but so too, the love of God in the Messiah (cf. John 3:16; II Tim. 2:4; II Pet. 3:9; I John 2:2). Judgment is not the last word but it is a necessary word!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:33-38
³³"Those slain by the Lord on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be lamented, gathered or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground.
³⁴"Wail, you shepherds, and cry;
  And wallow in ashes, you masters of the flock;
For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions have come,
And you will fall like a choice vessel.
³⁵Flight will perish from the shepherds,
And escape from the masters of the flock.
³⁶Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds,
And the wailing of the masters of the flock!
For the Lord is destroying their pasture,
³⁷And the peaceful folds are made silent
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
³⁸He has left His hiding place like the lion;
For their land has become a horror
Because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword
And because of His fierce anger."

25:34 There are two difficulties in this verse.

1. "dispersions" (NASB, NKJV, NRSV)

    "shattered" (NJB, NIV)

    "break you in pieces" (JPSOA)

   The Hebrew word is found only here and its root is uncertain.

2. "vessel" (MT, NASB, NKJV, NJB, JPSOA)

   "rams" (LXX, TEV, AB)

   The Hebrew word is uncertain. The UBS Text Project gives "vessel" a "B" rating.

25:38 "His fierce anger" See Special Topic at 1:9.

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. The LXX text of this chapter is much shorter (LXX chapter 34). The question is, "Does the LXX remove the doublets and repetitions or does the MT expand the text for clarity or current stylistic considerations?

B. Notice Jeremiah addresses several groups.

1. the ambassadors from the surrounding nations (cf. v. 3) who wanted Judah to join their coalition against Babylon

2. the king of Judah, Zedekiah, v. 12-15

3. the priests, v. 16

4. the people, v. 16

C. Notice the number of times and the variety of phrasing that Jeremiah used to assure his audiences that he is speaking the message of YHWH, not his own opinion.

1. this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, v. 1

2. thus says the Lord to me, v. 2

3. thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, vv. 4,21

4. the Lord has spoken to that nation (i.e., Babylon), v. 13

5. v. 15 has two disclaimers of YHWH speaking through the false prophets

6. thus says the Lord, v. 16

7. thus says the Lord of hosts, v. 19

8. declares the Lord, v. 22 

D. Chapters 27-29 form a literary unit.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 27:1-7
¹In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying- ²thus says the Lord to me-"Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck, ³and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴Command them to go to their masters, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, ⁵"I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. ⁶Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him. ⁷All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant.

27:1 "Zedekiah" Most manuscripts of the MT have "Jehoiakim" (JPSOA). However, the Peshitta (Syriac) and the Arabic, along with three Hebrew MSS, have "Zedekiah" because of:

1. vv. 3, 12; 28:1

2. the internal setting of the chapter fits Zedekiah better

3. the LXX omitted the verse

The date must be after 597 b.c., possibly 594 b.c., because an account in the Babylonian Chronicles tells us of the attempted coalition between small western states against Nebuchadnezzar II (cf. v. 3).

▣ "Jeremiah" Jeremiah's name (והימרי, i.e., 26:7) is spelled differently in Hebrew (ירמיה), reason unknown. Several names in the OT are spelled differently, examples are Joshua, Nebuchadnezzar.

27:3 "bonds and yokes" This refers to oxen yokes (BDB 557). How many Jeremiah made is uncertain, whether one for himself or one for each ambassador. They symbolized servitude (cf. v. 8; Deut. 28:48). Probably the Hebrew "them" of v. 3 refers to a message, not a yoke.

▣ "by the messengers" This refers to the officials sent by the surrounding nations who were trying to encourage Zedekiah to resist Babylon, along with them.

27:5 This is the theological assertion that YHWH is the God of creation (cf. Gen. 1:1-2:3). Verses 5-6 also assert His sovereignty over all nations (cf. Deut. 32:8; Job 12:23; Acts 17:26).

▣ "by My great power and by My outstretched arm" This is a repeated anthropomorphic (see Special Topic at 1:9) theme.

1. YHWH's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, Deut. 4:34; 5:15; 6:21; 9:29

2. YHWH as creator, II Kgs. 19:15; Jer. 27:5; 32:17

▣ "I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight" This phrase also refers to Cyrus II, King of Persia (cf. Isa. 44:28; 45:1-7), but here to Nebuchadnezzar II (cf. 28:14). YHWH is in control of history!

The verb (BDB 678, KB 733) is used four times in vv. 5-8. The emphasis is not on the power of human kings, but on YHWH's control of nations and events for His redemptive purposes!

27:6 "My servant" This is a honorific title used of (1) the Messiah (cf. Isa. 52:13) and (2) Nebuchadnezzar II (cf. 25:9; 43:10). God is in control of history, men, nations, and even Satan, who may all be used to accomplish His redemptive purposes!

The footnote of the Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 545, is very helpful as it outlines the different usages of the title "My Servant."

1. a servant of God as a prophet, cf. Num. 12:7-8; Neh. 1:7; Dan. 9:11

a. Moses

b. Daniel, cf. Dan. 9:17

2. a servant of God as a military leader (i.e., Joshua), cf. Josh. 24:29; Jdgs. 2:8

3. a servant of God as King (i.e., David), cf. II Sam. 7:5,8; Psalm 18,36; Ezek. 34:24; 37:24

4. a servant of God as administrator

a. Nehemiah, cf. Neh. 1:6

b. Zerubbabel, cf. Hag. 2:23

5. all Israel (or Jacob), cf. Isa. 42:1,19; 43:10; 44:1,21; 49:3; Ezek. 28:25; 37:25

6. the remnant of Israel, cf. Isa. 41:8-10

7. a godly individual, cf. Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:8

8. unbelieving rulers who serve YHWH's purposes

a. Cyrus, Isa. 44:28; 45:1

b. Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10

▣ "also the wild animals of the field to serve him" This is a strange phrase. It apparently relates to v. 5, where it is a way of referring to creation. Here it is used in a series of statements (cf. 28:14).

1. creation given, v. 5

2. lands given, v. 6

3. animals given, v. 6

4. nations given, v. 7

▣ "to serve him" This verb (BDB 712, KB 773, here used of Nebuchadnezzar) is used eleven times in this chapter.

1. Qal infinitive construct, v. 6

2. Qal perfect, vv. 7(twice),11(twice)

3. Qal imperfect, vv., 8,9,13,14

4. Qal imperative, vv. 12,17

27:7 "him, and his son, and his grandson" The LXX omits "grandson." Historically the throne was seized from Nebuchadnezzar's son by a relative. Remember, modern westerners turn Hebrew prophecy into "historical narrative." This phrase is a literary way of asserting Babylon's domination for a period of time (i.e., 70 years, cf. 25:11).

Also notice that as YHWH used Nebuchadnezzar to punish His unrepentant people, the day is coming when YHWH will use Cyrus to judge Babylon for her sins (cf. 25:12; chapters 50-51; Isa. 14:4-6).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 27:8-11
⁸"It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence," declares the Lord, "until I have destroyed it by his hand. ⁹But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.' ¹⁰For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. ¹¹But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land," declares the Lord, "and they will till it and dwell in it."'"

27:8 "the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him" A good example of this is Jeremiah's words to Zedekiah in 38:17-23.

▣ "sword. . .famine. . .pestilence" This is a common trio used to describe a military takeover and its consequences. See note at 14:12.

27:9 ▣ "do not listen" This verb (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense) is repeated in vv. 14,16, and 17! We have a choice who we listen to!

▣ There is a series of forbidden ways to know God's will and manipulate future events (cf. Deut. 18:9-14).

1. your prophets (BDB 611) - false prophets (cf. v. 9; 2:8; 23:13-15,26; 29:9)

2. your diviners (BDB 890) - This is from the Hebrew root for "divine" (BDB 890, cf. Num. 22:7; 23:23; Ezek. 21:21; II Kgs. 17:17). It is the general term describing several different methods, but all intent on determining the will of a deity by mechanical or natural means (such as examining the livers of sheep or casting arrows). It is based on the pagan worldview that there is information about the future hidden in natural events and that gifted humans (i.e., false prophets, e.g., Jer. 27:9; 29:8; Ezek. 13:9; 22:28) know it and influence this future.

3. your dreamers (BDB 321) - false revelations (cf. 23:25-28; 29:8; Deut. 13:1-3; see good brief article in John Walton, ANE Thought and the OT, p. 243). The REB changes the vowels and translates this as "your women dreamers." NEB has "wise women."

4. your soothsayers (BDB 778) - This term (BDB 778 II, KB 857) is related to the term "cloud" (BDB 777). Linguists think the term is related to sound:

a. the hum of insects

b. sound of wind in the trees

c. unknown etymology (if cloud, then related to sight)

The parallel passage in Moses' writings which prohibits these same pagan practices is in Lev. 19:26-20:8 (see esp. 19:26). This same term is also found in Jdgs. 9:37; II Kgs. 21:6; II Chr. 33:6; Isa. 2:6; 57:3; Jer. 27:9; Micah 5:12.

5. your sorcerers (BDB 506, the noun occurs only here) - This term (BDB 506, KB 503) basically means "to cut up" (1) as in the shredding of ingredients for a magical potion or (2) cutting oneself as a way of getting the deity's attention (i.e., Syrian usage, cf. I Kgs. 18:28). This term was used to describe Pharaoh's wise men in Exod. 7:11 and Nebuchadnezzar's wise men in Dan. 2:2.

27:10 "lie" This (BDB 1055) is placed first for emphasis.

27:11 This verse is illustrated in 40:9-12 and alluded to in 21:9; 38:2. YHWH is true to His promises. Even in judgment, obedience to His word brings its own reward (cf. Num. 21:4-9 [cf. John 3:14-15])!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 27:12-15
¹²I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! ¹³Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the Lord has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you; ¹⁵for I have not sent them," declares the Lord, "but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."

27:12,17 Jeremiah's words to King Zedekiah have urgency.

1. bring your necks under the yoke - BDB 97, KB 112, Hiphil imperative

2. serve him - BDB 712, KB 773, Qal imperative

3. live - BDB 310, KB 309, Qal imperative

Several of these imperatives are repeated in v. 17 (i.e., #2, #3). Verse 12 is addressed to Zedekiah, while v. 17 is addressed to the priests and people (cf. v. 16).

27:15 "for I have not sent them" This statement is repeated in 23:21 and 29:9. I wonder if the false prophets thought He had or if they knew in their hearts they were speaking only for themselves (or because of political pressure).

I ask that because all speakers for God who do not receive verbal messages must wonder also! My only consolation is that I seek to communicate revelatory Scripture, not cultural or denominational personal opinions. Even then we face the task of application! I rest in the fact that

1. God knows the heart

2. the message of the NT is priority

3. NT prophets are different from OT prophets (see Special Topic at 1:4 and NT Prophets in Special Topic list online)

4. the Spirit is present with gospel proclaimers

It is uncertain how the inappropriate means of v. 9 are related to the methods of the false prophets of Judah or the surrounding pagan nations (cf. v. 3).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 27:16-22
¹⁶Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, "Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, 'Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon'; for they are prophesying a lie to you. ¹⁷Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin? ¹⁸But if they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now entreat the Lord of hosts that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. ²¹Yes, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, ²²'They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them,' declares the Lord. 'Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.'"

27:16 "the vessels" See v. 18; I Kgs. 7:15-20; Jer. 52:17ff. The first deportation had already occurred (i.e., 597 b.c., cf. v. 20). However, the false prophets were asserting these taken items would be returned soon.

27:18 "if they are prophets" Jeremiah puts them to the test of Deut. 13:1-3!

27:19 Several of the items of the temple were left.

1. the pillars (cf. I Kgs. 7:15; II Kgs. 25:13,17)

2. the sea (cf. I Kgs. 7:23-26)

3. the stands (cf. I Kgs. 7:27-39

4. the rest of the vessels

See Jer. 52:17-23 where all are taken to Babylon, most placed in Marduk's temple.

27:20 The exile of Jehoiachin is described in Jer. 22:28; 24:1; II Kgs. 24:12,14-16; II Chr. 36:10,18.

27:22 "Then I will bring them back" Here is the hope and promise of Ezra 1:7-11; 5:13-15; 7:19! YHWH sends and YHWH brings back (see 1:10; Isa. 6:9-10)! He is sovereign in world affairs!

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is a rare example of personal correspondence during the period of the fall of the kingdom of Judah. This represents letters between the Jewish exiles in Babylon and the Jews in Jerusalem. There were two previous deportations by Nebuchadnezzar (605 and 597 b.c.) before the city was completely destroyed in 586 b.c.

B. There is some conjecture as to how many letters are combined in this chapter. The theories are:

1. there is only one letter

2. there are two letters: 29:1-14 and 29:15-32

3. there are three letters: 29:1-15; 29:21-23; 29:31-32

4. there are four letters: 29:1-14; 29:15-20; 29:21-23; 29:31-32

It seems to me that there are probably four pieces of correspondence either being alluded to or comprising this chapter.

C. Some see the date of this chapter as around 594 b.c. for the following reasons.

1. We know from secular literature (i.e., Babylonian Chronicles) that there were internal problems within the Babylonian Empire.

2. Some prophets among the Jewish exiles seem to have been killed because they advocated rebellion, 29:21-22.

3. This is the year that Zedekiah was required to show loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar and this may be reflected in the coming of the officials to Babylon, 29:3.

D. King Jeconiah, mentioned in v. 2, is really King Jehoiachin. His father, King Jehoiakim, had paid tribute to Nebuchadnezzar for three years and then had rebelled. Before Nebuchadnezzar could come militarily, Jehoiakim died. His son replaced him and apparently ruled with the help of his queen-mother. Nebuchadnezzar arrived and exiled him to captivity after he had reigned only three months. He was replaced by another relative (uncle) of Josiah, Zedekiah.

E. This chapter clearly presents YHWH's sovereignty in the actions of history. Notice the string of "I have. . ." or "I will . .." statements.

 1. I have sent into exile, vv. 4,14,18,20

 2. I have not sent them (i.e., the false prophets in Babylon), v. 9

 3. I will visit you (i.e., in Babylon), v. 10

 4. I will fulfill My good word (i.e., to bring you back to Palestine), v. 10

 5. I have plans for you (two emphatic "I's"), v. 11

 6. I will listen to you (see note at vv. 11-14), v. 12

 7. I will restore your fortunes, v. 14

 8. I will gather you from all the nations. . .where I have driven you, v. 14

 9. I will send upon them the sword, famine, and pestilence (i.e., the Jews still in Judah), v. 17

10. I will make them like rotten fruit (i.e., the Jews still in Judah), v. 17

11. I will pursue them with the sword, v. 18

12. I sent to them again and again My servants (i.e., the prophets), v. 19

13. I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (i.e., false prophets killed in Babylon), v. 21

14. I did not command them (i.e., the false prophets to speak), v. 23

15. I am He who knows and am a witness, v. 23

16. I am about to punish Shemaiah (i.e., false prophet), v. 32

17. I am about to do (good) to My people (i.e., the Jews in Babylon), v. 32

YHWH, unlike the lifeless idols, is active in the lives of His people for His larger redemptive purposes!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:1-9
¹Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) ³The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, ⁴"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ⁵'Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. ⁷Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.' ⁸For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. ⁹For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the Lord.

29:1 "to the rest of the elders of the exile" The term "rest" (BDB 451 #1,2) can mean "remnant" or "residue," but also "preeminence" (#3, cf. Gen. 49:3). Some believe that many of the elders or leaders of the Jewish community had already been killed by Nebuchadnezzar because of their treasonous activity, along with prophets (cf. vv. 21-23).

29:2 The NASB and NKJV show v. 2 as a parenthesis, probably related in II Kgs. 24:12-16. The JPSOA has a dash separating v. 1 from v. 4. This may be an editorial addition to specify the exact historical setting.

The group of exiled leadership would match the exile of 596 b.c. (cf. II Kgs. 24:10-17).

1. King Jeconiah (i.e., Jehoiachin)

2. the queen mother (i.e., Nehushta, cf. II Kgs. 24:8)

3. court officials

4. children of Jeconiah (possibly 605 b.c., cf. Dan. 1:3)

5. children of powerful families in Jerusalem (possibly 605 b.c., cf. Dan. 1:3)

6. craftsmen (possibly taken in 605 b.c.)

7. smiths (possibly taken in 605 b.c.)

▣ "the court officials" This literally is "eunuchs." It is an Akkadian word which means "the one at the head." Usually this refers to those who had been castrated and put into public service. But, since Potiphar (Gen. 39:1) was married and has this same title, this term may have come to mean simply "a government official."

▣ "the craftsmen and the smiths" It is obvious that the first term means "craftsmen" or "artisan," but the second term in Hebrew is very uncertain (see note at 24:1). There is no unanimity about its meaning or origin. We know that this exile occurred in 597 b.c. (II Kgs. 2:14) and is alluded to in Jer. 52:28. The number of the exiles is somewhat different in these two passages and scholars are not exactly sure why.

29:3 "Elasah the son of Shaphan" This is probably Ahikam's brother of 26:24 who helped Jeremiah during the reaction to his temple sermon. The father mentioned here was probably the scribe of Josiah (cf. II Kgs. 22:8).

▣ "Gemariah the son of Hilkiah" Although we know nothing about this man, his father may have been the high priest who is referred to in II Kings 24, but this is only conjecture.

▣ "whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon" The purpose for this may have been (1) to pay tribute or (2) to assure Nebuchadnezzar of Zedekiah's loyalty. These two men are supportive of Jeremiah and willingly, enthusiastically brought his letter to the exiles.

This verb "send" (BDB 1018, KB 1511) is used an unusual number of times in this chapter.

1. letter sent, v. 1

2. people sent, v. 3

3. prophets YHWH did not send, vv. 9,25,31

4. YHWH sends the sword, famine, and pestilence, v. 17

5. YHWH's word sent by His prophets, vv. 19 (twice), 28,31

It is a common verb but its repetition shows the problem-who speaks for God?

29:4 "whom I have sent into exile" Again, throughout the account of this period God claims to be in control of history (i.e., Isa. 10:5). The exile is His judgment on Judah in order to bring His people back to personal faith in Him (cf. v. 7).

29:5-8 "build houses. . .plant gardens. . .take wives" Jeremiah's advice is to settle down and make life as normal as possible. Apparently the Jews were living in makeshift houses and some were even refusing to unpack. Jeremiah advises them to settle down for a long wait. This very message is referred to in the letter by Shemaiah, a false prophet mentioned in v. 28. It must have seemed like treason to the Jewish leaders.

Notice the commands in Jeremiah's letter (i.e., vv. 5-8; also note v. 28).

1. build houses - BDB 124, KB 139, Qal imperative

2. live in them - BDB 442, KB 444, Qal imperative

3. plant gardens - BDB 642, KB 694, Qal imperative

4. eat their produce - BDB 37, KB 46, Qal imperative

5. take wives - BDB 542, KB 534, Qal imperative

6. beget (i.e., have children) - BDB 408, KB 441, Hiphil imperative

7. take wives for your sons - same as #5

8. give your daughters - BDB 678, KB 733, Qal imperative

9. that they may bear - BDB 408, KB 441, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

10. multiply there - BDB 915, KB 1176, Qal imperative

11. do not decrease - BDB 589, KB 611, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

12. seek the welfare of the city - BDB 205, KB 233, Qal imperative

13. pray to the Lord on its behalf - BDB 813, KB 933, Hithpael imperative

14. do not let your prophets. . .deceive you - BDB 674, KB 728, Hiphil imperfect used in a jussive sense

15. do not listen to the dreams - BDB 1033, KB 150, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

The whole point is, resume a normal as possible life. You will not be back in Judah until the 70 year prophecy (cf. v. 10) is fulfilled.

29:7 "seek the welfare of the city. . .and pray to the Lord on its behalf" This is the only example in the OT of praying for one's enemies, particularly a Gentile city(s) of exile. Some have said that this is the beginning of the belief that prayers can substitute for sacrifice or that this refers to prayer at the local synagogue, which would be the beginning of this institution during the exilic period. Or, this may form the basis of the rabbinical admonition, followed by the NT, of praying for civil government (cf. Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1).

29:8 "let your prophets. . .your diviners. . .the dreams which they dream" This is referring to false prophets among the exiles. Most of the letters recorded in this chapter are either about false prophets or are from false prophets. The list of what the prophets were doing is condemned in Lev. 19:26,31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-13 (cf. Jer. 27:9-10). It is important to note the biblical material on how to test a true prophet (cf. Deut. 13:1-5; 18:14-22; Matt. 7:15-27; I John 4:1-3).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:10-14
¹⁰"For thus says the Lord, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ¹²Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'"

29:10 "When seventy years have been completed for Babylon" This same round number is mentioned in Jer. 25:11,12. Some see the time span

1. from the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Syria in 612 b.c. to the fall of the capital of Babylon in 539 b.c.

2. from the destruction of the first temple in 586 b.c. to the construction of the second temple in 516 b.c.

3. from Nebuchadnezzar becoming king in 605 b.c. to the fall of Babylon in 539 b.c.

The truth of the matter is that there is no literal seventy year period about which scholars are unanimous. This seems to be a round number which refers to several generations or the normal life span of one individual. See Special Topic: Symbolic Numbers in Scripture at 15:9.

▣ "I will visit you" This visit may be the vision of Ezekiel 1 and 10. YHWH leaves the temple because of its idolatry (Ezekiel 8) and comes to the exiles.

▣ "fulfill My good" This is described later in v. 10 as restoration to the land of promise (cf. 24:6-7).

29:11-14 This beautiful passage is an affirmation that the covenant has not been totally revoked. God would fulfill His Deuteronomic agreement with His people after this period of judgment (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28,30; Leviticus 26). The emphasis here is that His people must return to Him. Only a spiritually renewed remnant will return and be blessed.

Notice the conditions of blessing.

1. you call upon Me - BDB 894, KB 1128, Qal perfect

2. come to Me - BDB 229, KB 246, Qal perfect, cf. 33:3; Isa. 55:6

3. pray to Me - BDB 813, KB 933, Hithpael perfect

4. seek me - BDB 134, KB 152, Piel perfect, cf. Deut. 4:29

5. search for Me with all your heart - BDB 205, KB 233, Qal imperfect, cf. Deut. 4:29; Jer. 24:7

All of these denote a worship experience that has become a lifestyle relationship.

Notice how YHWH responds (possible allusion to Deut. 30:3-5).

1. I will listen to you, v. 12 - BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal perfect, cf. 33:3; Deut. 4:30

2. you will find Me, v. 13 - BDB 592, KB 619, Qal perfect, cf. Deut. 4:29

3. I will be found by you, v. 14 - BDB 592, KB 619, Niphal perfect

4. I will restore your fortunes - BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal perfect(term often used of repenting)

5. I will gather you from all the nations - BDB 867, KB 1062, Piel perfect, cf. 23:3; 31:8

6. I will bring you back (i.e., to Palestine) - BDB 996, KB 1427 (see #4), Hiphil perfect

29:11 The pronoun "I" (יכנא, BDB 59) is repeated twice for emphasis. YHWH will bring about His plans and purposes for His people (see Special Topic at 1:5).

YHWH's plan of restoration is clarified

1. for welfare (BDB 1022, see Special Topic at 6:14)

2. not for calamity (BDB 449, such a common word in Jeremiah)

3. give you a future

a. a people's existence, cf. Num. 24:20

b. posterity, cf. Pro. 23:18; esp. 24:14

4. give you a hope, cf. Pro. 23:18; 24:14; Ezek. 37:11

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:15-20
¹⁵"Because you have said, 'The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon'- ¹⁶for thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile-¹⁷thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, ¹⁹because they have not listened to My words,' declares the Lord, 'which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,' declares the Lord. ²⁰You, therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

29:15-23 These verses seem to involve a second letter. It is interesting that vv. 16-20 are not found in the LXX, which is the Greek translation of the OT (but are in all Hebrew MSS). This section seems to break the sequences between vv. 15 and 21. Possibly these ancient Jewish translators saw this section simply as a repeat of 24:8-10. There are many repetitious passages in Jeremiah because it is obviously an book edited around themes, not chronological sequence (an anthology).

29:17 "the sword, famine, and pestilence" This is the threefold horror of ancient warfare (see note at 14:12). It is extremely significant that God's favor rest swith the Jews in exile and not the Jews remaining in Jerusalem. At this time apparently the Jews in Jerusalem were claiming spiritual superiority because they had been spared captivity, but in reality the opposite was true.

NASB"split-open"
NKJV, NSRV,
TEV, NJB,
REB"rotten"
JPSOA"loathsome"

This adjective (BDB 1045) has several meanings (KB 1613-1615). The NASB gets its translation from KB 1614 II, Syrian "to split" or Arabic "to break open." This adjective is found only here in the OT.

The same three consonants are found in the word for "horrible thing" (BDB 1045) in 5:30; 18:13; 23:14, but it is uncertain if it is related etymologically.

As with so many of these rare words, the context is clear even if the word is not. Meaning is not affected!

29:18 See notes at 24:9.

29:19 Here is the recurrent problem. Humans, even covenant humans, do not listen and obey YHWH's words/message/covenant (cf. 6:19)! Obedience is a marker of devotion (cf. Luke 6:46).

Notice that the same series of words beginning with ש is found in 25:4 (BDB 1018, 1014, 1033).

Also see the note at 7:13 for the Hebrew idiom "again and again."

29:20 "hear the word of the Lord" This verb (BDB 1033, KB 1570) can be translated (examples from NIV):

1. hear - 2:4; 5:21; 6:19; 7:2; 10:1; 13:15; 17:20; 19:3; 21:11; 22:2; 31:30; 42:15; 44:24,26; 49:20; 50:45

2. obey - 7:23; 11:4,7; 35:13; 38:20

3. listen - 11:2,6

4. proclaim - 4:5,16; 5:20; 46:14 (twice); 50:2

5. summon - 50:29; 51:27

This is the crucial covenant issue!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:21-23
²¹"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, 'Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes. ²²Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, "May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, ²³because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness," declares the Lord.'"

29:21 "Lord of hosts" See Special Topic at 15:15-18.

▣ "Ahab. . .Zedekiah" These were false prophets who were in Babylon and who apparently would be publicly executed by Nebuchadnezzar. We learn from Ezekiel 13 that there were other false prophets in exile also. This entire literary unit, chapters 26-29, seems to be related by the theme of false prophets.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 556 and the NASB Study Bible, p. 1103, make the interesting comment that there is a purposeful word play between

1. Kolaiah - BDB 877, קוליה

2. curse - BDB 887, קללה

3. roast - BDB 885 I, קלה

29:22 "May the Lord make you like" This verse reflects an ancient proverb and curse formula.

▣ "roasted in fire" We have learned from the Code of Hammurabi that this was a common public means of execution (cf. Section 25:110,157). These prophets betrayed themselves by their lifestyle (cf. v. 23; 7:15-23; Matt. 7:15-27).

29:23

NASB"folly"
NKJV"disgraceful things"
NRSV"perpetrated outrage"
TEV"terrible sins"
NJB"scandalous thing"
JPSOA"vile"
REB"outrage"

This noun (BDB 615, KB 663) obviously has a wide semantic field, but it denotes some kind of evil thought or act. It denotes someone who acts inappropriately either mentally or morally (cf. Gen. 34:7; Deut. 22:21; Josh. 7:15; Jdgs. 19:23-24; 20:6,10; I Sam. 25:25; II Sam. 13:12; Job 42:8; Isa. 9:17; 32:6). In this context of Jer. 29:23 (only use in Jeremiah) it describes the actions of two false prophets.

1. adultery (cf. 23:14)

2. spoken falsely in YHWH's name (cf. 2:8; 23:13)

▣ "in Israel" This does not speak so much of geographical Israel as genealogical Israel. For the name "Israel" see Special Topic at 2:3.

▣ "I am He who knows, and am a witness" This is the affirmation that God judges the heart as well as the deeds (cf. Jer. 7:11; 16:17; 17:10; 32:19; Pro. 5:21; I Cor. 4:5; Heb. 4:13). This should be a warning to all those who claim to speak for God!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:24-28
²⁴To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, ²⁵"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶"The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar, ²⁷now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? ²⁸For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, 'The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce.'"'"

29:24 "Shemaiah" This is a reference to another false prophet in exile who apparently wrote letters to the priestly leaders in Jerusalem encouraging them to judge and punish Jeremiah for his treasonous statements (cf. v. 27).

▣ "the Nehelamite" This refers either to the name of a city whose site is unknown or it is a form of the root "to dream" (Niphal participle), which may refer to his being a prophet.

29:25 "Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest" This man is referred to in Jer. 1:1; 37:3).

29:26 "Jehoiada" This is possibly the person left in charge of the temple police (cf. II Kings 11).

▣ "every madman" The term "madman," alluding to Jeremiah, BDB 993, was originally used of animal sounds (i.e., pigeon, camel), but came to denote humans in a deranged sense of howling or anger. It is true that the prophets of the older sections of the OT had these kinds of actions (i.e., I Sam. 10:9-13). It was used of prophets in

1. II Kgs. 9:11

2. Hosea 9:7

It was a slur to discredit the actions and words of a speaker for YHWH, here Jeremiah (i.e., in stocks in 20:2). It disregarded the message because of the way in which it was delivered. Even though part of Jeremiah's prophecy had come true, the vast majority of the leaders of Judah still thought that Jeremiah was a treasonous, insane person.

29:28 This is a reference to Jeremiah's message recorded in vv. 5-6

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:29-32
²⁹Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet. ³⁰Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, ³¹"Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, "Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie," ³²therefore thus says the Lord, "Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people," declares the Lord, "because he has preached rebellion against the Lord"'"

29:31 "he has made you trust in a lie" This same phrase is used in 28:15. It is referring to the messages of peace and rapid restoration coming from the false prophets in both the Jewish community in Babylon and the Judean capital of Jerusalem. Ezekiel well describes these false prophets in Ezek. 13:2-3, 22; 22:28.

The concept of "lie" (BDB 1044) can denote

1. idols (cf. 10:14; 13:25; 51:17)

2. false messages (cf. 14:14; 18:8; 20:6; 23:5,6; 27:10,14,16; 28:15; 29:9)

3. false testimony (cf. 5:2; 37:14)

4. unbelief (cf. I John)

5. rejecting YHWH's message/messenger (cf. 28:16)

29:32 "he shall not have anyone living among this people" Jeremiah pronounces judgment on this false prophet in the total eradication of all of his relatives and descendants. To a Jew this was a horrifying prospect.

▣ "because he has preached rebellion against the Lord" Notice that the rejection of God's prophet is the rejection of God.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, whichmeans that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How many letters seems to be involved or mentioned in this chapter?

2. Explain the historical background of chapter 29.

3. Why were Jeremiah's words believed to be treasonous?

4. What are the implications of v. 7?

5. Is seventy years meant to be a symbolic or literal figure?

6. How do you know a false prophet?

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