Jeremiah 23:31

Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

Behold, I am against the prophets {H5030}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}, that use {H3947} their tongues {H3956}, and say {H5001}, He saith {H5002}.

Yes, I am against the prophets," says ADONAI, "who speak their own words, then add, 'He says.'

“Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’”

Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

Jeremiah 23:31 presents a stark declaration from the LORD, expressing His direct opposition to those who falsely claim to speak in His name. This verse exposes the deceptive practices of prophets who invent messages and attribute them to God, thereby misleading the people and undermining true divine communication.

Context

This verse is part of a larger section in Jeremiah 23 where the prophet Jeremiah denounces the false prophets prevalent in Judah during his time. These prophets offered comforting but deceitful messages, promising peace and prosperity when God was, in fact, pronouncing judgment due to the nation's idolatry and sin. Their false prophecies often contradicted Jeremiah's true, albeit unpopular, warnings of impending exile and destruction. The Lord's condemnation here highlights His indignation at those who presume to speak for Him without His authorization, a theme consistently found throughout this chapter. Jeremiah continually warned against such deceit, as seen throughout this very chapter, particularly in Jeremiah 23:21-22.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment on Deception: The verse unequivocally states, "Behold, I am against the prophets," demonstrating God's active and personal opposition to those who misuse His name for their own ends. This is not a passive disapproval but a declaration of divine judgment.
  • Misuse of Divine Authority: False prophets are condemned for speaking their own words ("use their tongues") and then falsely asserting them as God's ("and say, He saith"). This is a profound violation of trust and an insult to God's holy character.
  • The Nature of False Prophecy: It is characterized by human invention disguised as divine revelation. These prophets rely on their own desires, imaginations, or even "dreams" (Jeremiah 23:25) rather than genuine encounter with God, yet they mimic the authentic prophetic formula.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "use their tongues" emphasizes that the words spoken originated from the prophets themselves, not from God. It highlights the human origin of their pronouncements. The subsequent phrase, "He saith," translates the Hebrew formula commonly rendered "Thus saith the LORD" (koh amar YHWH or similar). This was the standard authoritative declaration used by true prophets to introduce a message directly from God. By falsely appending this sacred formula to their own words, these prophets committed a grave sin, effectively stealing God's words and deceiving His people.

Related Scriptures

  • This condemnation is consistent with God's warning in Deuteronomy 18:20, which states that any prophet who presumes to speak a word in God's name that God has not commanded shall die.
  • The Lord's strong disapproval of those who speak falsely in His name is also echoed in Jeremiah 14:14 and Jeremiah 23:32, where He declares Himself against those who prophesy false dreams.
  • In the New Testament, similar warnings against false teachers and prophets are given by apostles, such as in 2 Peter 2:1.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 23:31 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual deception. For believers today, it underscores the critical importance of discerning truth from error. We are called to test the spirits and evaluate all teachings against the standard of God's revealed Word, the Bible. Anyone claiming divine authority must be scrutinized to ensure their words align with the character and truth of God as revealed in Scripture. This verse reminds us that true spiritual authority comes only from God, not from human ambition or invention, and those who claim to speak for Him bear a profound responsibility to speak accurately and truthfully.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 23:17

    They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:10

    And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:12

    And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

  • Isaiah 30:10

    Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

  • 2 Chronicles 18:5

    Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:19

    And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:21

    And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the LORD] said, Thou shalt entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do [even] so.

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