Jeremiah 23:33

KJV

¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.

KJV (with Strong's)

And when this people {H5971}, or the prophet {H5030}, or a priest {H3548}, shall ask {H7592} thee, saying {H559}, What is the burden {H4853} of the LORD {H3068}? thou shalt then say {H559} unto them, What burden {H4853}? I will even forsake {H5203} you, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"When [someone from] this people, a prophet or a cohen asks you, 'What is the burden of ADONAI?' you are to answer them, 'What burden? I am throwing you off,' says ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible

“Now when this people or a prophet or priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’

American Standard Version

And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of Jehovah? then shalt thou say unto them, What burden! I will cast you off, saith Jehovah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 23:33 presents a stark and ironic divine confrontation, addressing the people of Judah, including their prophets and priests, who had trivialized God's sacred messages. The verse captures the Lord's profound exasperation with a nation that had come to perceive His divine oracles as a cumbersome "burden" rather than a vital communication. In a powerful reversal, God declares that their true "burden" will not be His challenging word, but His very absence and abandonment, a severe and devastating consequence for their spiritual flippancy and persistent rebellion against His truth.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal and climactic moment within [Jeremiah chapter 23](/jeremiah/23 "Jeremiah 23 - Prophecy Against False Prophets"), a chapter predominantly dedicated to God's scathing indictment of the false prophets and unfaithful leaders who were misleading Judah. Jeremiah, often known as the "weeping prophet" due to his sorrow over Judah's impending doom, consistently delivered messages of judgment due to the nation's rampant idolatry and moral corruption. These authentic, albeit difficult, truths stood in stark contrast to the comfortable, deceptive prophecies of those who claimed to speak for the Lord but offered "peace, peace; when there is no peace" ([Jeremiah 6:14](/jeremiah/6-14 "Jeremiah 6:14 - False Peace")). The people, weary of Jeremiah's genuine pronouncements, had developed a mocking attitude toward divine messages, particularly the prophetic phrase "the burden of the LORD." Jeremiah 23:33 directly addresses this mockery, turning their flippant question into a devastating divine verdict. It serves as a culmination of the warnings against those who would speak "a burden of the LORD" that He had not commanded, as further elaborated in [Jeremiah 23:36](/jeremiah/23-36 "Jeremiah 23:36 - God's True Burden").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of several kings from Josiah to Zedekiah, leading directly to the Babylonian exile. The nation was deeply entrenched in syncretism, worshipping foreign deities alongside Yahweh, and pervasive social injustice was rampant. Prophets and priests, who were divinely appointed to be spiritual guides and guardians of truth, frequently succumbed to corruption or delivered messages that pleased the populace rather than faithfully conveying God's word. The phrase "burden of the LORD" (Hebrew: *massâʼ Yᵉhôvâh*) was a well-established technical term in prophetic literature, referring to a weighty divine oracle, often one of judgment (e.g., [Isaiah 13:1](/isaiah/13-1 "Isaiah 13:1 - The Burden of Babylon") or [Nahum 1:1](/nahum/1-1 "Nahum 1:1 - The Burden of Nineveh")). By asking "What is the burden of the LORD?" in a mocking tone, the people—including their religious leaders—were demonstrating profound disrespect for the divine origin and serious nature of God's word. They viewed it as an unwelcome imposition rather than a sacred truth, reflecting a deep spiritual apathy and a defiant rejection of God's authority.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 23:33 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prominent in the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. First, it underscores the **seriousness and inviolability of God's word**. Divine messages are not to be trifled with; they inherently carry immense weight and consequence, whether for blessing or for judgment. Second, the verse highlights the **divine judgment on spiritual mockery and apostasy**. God's patience has limits, and persistent rejection of His truth, especially when accompanied by contempt, inevitably leads to severe repercussions. The ultimate "burden" for an unfaithful people is the withdrawal of God's presence and favor, culminating in the covenant curses detailed in passages like [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses"). Finally, the verse speaks to the crucial **distinction between true and false prophecy**. Jeremiah's prophecies were indeed a "burden" in the sense of being heavy and unwelcome news, but they were unequivocally true. In contrast, the false prophets offered light, pleasing words, but these ultimately constituted a far heavier burden, leading the people to destruction by obscuring the true path to repentance and life.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Burden (Hebrew, _massâʼ'_):** H4853, from the root `נָשָׂא` (nasah), meaning "to lift, carry." This word signifies "a burden" (something heavy to carry), but also, critically in prophetic contexts, "an utterance," "an oracle," or "a doom." The people used it flippantly, implying God's message was an annoying weight. God's response twists this back, implying that their true "burden" will be His absence, which is the heaviest and most devastating weight of all.
* **Prophet (Hebrew, _nâbîyʼ'_):** H5030, from `נָבָא` (naba), meaning "to prophesy." This term refers to an individual who speaks on behalf of God, conveying His messages to the people. The inclusion of the prophet among the questioners highlights the widespread spiritual decay and corruption, even among those entrusted with divine communication, many of whom were false prophets leading the people astray.
* **Forsake (Hebrew, _nâṭash'_):** H5203, a primitive root meaning "to pound, smite," and by implication "to disperse," "to thrust off, down, out or upon," including "to reject" or "let alone." In this context, it signifies God's decisive act of abandoning His people, withdrawing His protective presence, favor, and covenant blessings due to their persistent unfaithfulness. This is the ultimate "burden" and the most severe consequence for their mockery and rebellion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of the LORD?"**: This opening clause vividly sets the scene, identifying the diverse groups within Judah—the common people, the religious leaders (prophets and priests)—who collectively demonstrate a dismissive and contemptuous attitude towards God's word. Their question, "What is the burden of the LORD?", is not a sincere inquiry seeking divine truth, but rather a sarcastic, mocking challenge. It reveals their weariness and contempt for Jeremiah's stern prophecies of judgment, which they perceived as a heavy, unwelcome load that burdened them.
* **"thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD."**: This is God's devastating, ironic reply delivered through Jeremiah. The Lord echoes their flippant question, "What burden?", but immediately redefines the true "burden" they are about to experience. He declares that the real weight they will bear is not His prophetic word, but His very act of forsaking them. This is the ultimate divine judgment: the withdrawal of God's presence, protection, and covenant blessings, leaving them vulnerable to the full, destructive consequences of their sin, particularly the impending Babylonian invasion and exile. The concluding phrase "saith the LORD" (Hebrew: *nᵉʼum Yᵉhôvâh*, H5002, H3068) emphatically authenticates this as a direct, authoritative, and unalterable divine oracle.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 23:33 is exceptionally rich in literary devices that amplify its powerful and sobering message. The most prominent is **Irony**, specifically **Dramatic Irony**, where the audience (and God) fully comprehend the true meaning and devastating consequence of the people's question, while the questioners themselves remain oblivious to the profound implications of their own words. Their sarcastic inquiry about God's "burden" is met with the ultimate "burden"—God's abandonment of them. This is intricately linked to **Wordplay** (or **Pun**), centered on the Hebrew word *massâʼ* (H4853), which carries the dual meaning of "burden" and "oracle." The people use *massâʼ* to mean an annoying, heavy message. God's response brilliantly redefines *massâʼ* as the crushing weight of His absence, turning their own flippant word against them with devastating effect. The verse also employs a **Rhetorical Question** ("What burden?"), which is immediately answered by God Himself, not to elicit information but to deliver a forceful and undeniable declaration of judgment. Finally, the repeated phrase "saith the LORD" (Hebrew: *nᵉʼum Yᵉhôvâh*) functions as an **Authoritative Declaration**, lending immense weight, finality, and divine authenticity to God's pronouncement, emphasizing that this is not Jeremiah's personal opinion but a direct, unalterable word from the Sovereign God.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 23:33 serves as a stark and timeless reminder of the profound seriousness with which God regards His own word and the dire consequences of treating divine truth with contempt. It powerfully highlights the covenantal principle that God's presence, protection, and blessing are profoundly conditional upon faithfulness and obedience to His revealed will. When His people persistently reject His warnings, mock His messengers, and dismiss His truth, the ultimate "burden" they incur is not merely the content of a difficult prophecy, but the devastating withdrawal of the very God who speaks. This theme resonates throughout Scripture, emphasizing that true spiritual security and flourishing lie in reverent submission to God's revealed will, not in dismissing it as an inconvenience or an outdated imposition. The verse underscores the active and just nature of God's judgment, where His "forsaking" is a deliberate act, allowing the natural, destructive consequences of sin and rebellion to unfold without His protective intervention, thereby demonstrating His holiness and justice.

* [Deuteronomy 28:15](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Deuteronomy 28:15 - Curses for Disobedience")
* [2 Timothy 3:16](/2_timothy/3-16 "2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-Breathed")
* [Hosea 4:6](/hosea/4-6 "Hosea 4:6 - My People Are Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 23:33 stands as a timeless and sobering warning against spiritual apathy, casual dismissal, and outright mockery of God's word. In an age saturated with information and often characterized by skepticism, it is remarkably easy to become desensitized to truth, even divine truth. This verse profoundly challenges us to examine our own hearts and the posture of our communities: Do we approach Scripture with reverence, humility, and a sincere desire to understand and obey, or do we treat it as an outdated text, a collection of burdensome rules, or merely a source of comforting platitudes to be selectively applied? The "burden" of God's word, in its truest sense, is His truth, which may at times convict, challenge, or call us to uncomfortable change and repentance. Yet, it is always for our ultimate good, sanctification, and salvation. To reject, ignore, or mock this divine truth is to invite the far greater "burden" of His absence and the natural, destructive consequences of living apart from His guidance, grace, and protective hand. Our response to God's word is a profound indicator of the true state of our relationship with Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I personally perceive God's commands, warnings, and promises in Scripture – as liberating truth or as an unwelcome "burden" on my life?**
* **In what specific ways might I, or my Christian community, be guilty of spiritual apathy or treating God's revealed word too casually or superficially?**
* **What are the practical and spiritual consequences, both personal and communal, of consistently ignoring or mocking divine truth in today's world?**
* **What concrete steps can I take to cultivate a deeper reverence, responsiveness, and active obedience to God's word in my daily life and decision-making?**

### FAQ
**What does "the burden of the LORD" mean in this context?**

Answer: In Jeremiah 23:33, "the burden of the LORD" (Hebrew: *massâʼ Yᵉhôvâh*) is a prophetic technical term that traditionally referred to a weighty divine oracle, often one of judgment (e.g., [Isaiah 13:1](/isaiah/13-1 "Isaiah 13:1 - The Burden of Babylon")). However, the people of Judah, including the false prophets and priests, were using it mockingly, implying that God's messages—particularly Jeremiah's stern warnings of impending judgment—were an unwelcome, heavy, and annoying imposition. God's response in this verse is a powerful wordplay: He turns their sarcasm back on them, declaring that their true "burden" will not be His spoken word, but His very act of forsaking them, which is the ultimate and most devastating weight they will bear.

**Why would God "forsake" His people?**

Answer: God's act of "forsaking" His people in Jeremiah 23:33 is a severe and just consequence of their persistent and widespread rebellion, idolatry, and profound spiritual apathy. It is not an arbitrary act but a righteous response to their repeated rejection of His covenant and His prophetic warnings. Throughout the Old Testament, God's presence, protection, and blessings are intrinsically tied to His people's faithfulness to the covenant (e.g., [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses")). When they continually break the covenant, mock His word, pursue other gods, and refuse to repent, God, in His holiness and justice, withdraws His protective hand, allowing them to experience the natural, destructive consequences of their sinful choices, such as invasion, famine, and exile. This "forsaking" is a profound form of divine judgment, demonstrating the seriousness of their sin and the inviolable holiness of God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 23:33, with its stark warning against treating God's word as a "burden" and the ultimate consequence of divine abandonment, finds profound fulfillment and redefinition in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "burden" of the Lord in the Old Testament often pointed to the weighty demands of the Law and the crushing consequences of sin, a weight that no one could perfectly bear ([Acts 15:10](/acts/15-10 "Acts 15:10 - The Yoke of the Law")). However, Jesus, the embodiment of God's perfect word, extended an invitation to all who are weary and burdened to come to Him, promising rest, for His "yoke is easy and His burden is light" ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28-30 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary")). He Himself became the ultimate "burden" of sin, bearing the full weight of God's righteous wrath and judgment on the cross, so that those who believe might be freed from the condemnation of the Law ([Romans 8:1-4](/romans/8-1-4 "Romans 8:1-4 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus")). Furthermore, while Jeremiah prophesied God's forsaking of a rebellious nation, Christ experienced the ultimate and most agonizing "forsaking" by God the Father on the cross ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - [Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus Cries Out on the Cross")). This cosmic abandonment was for a singular purpose: so that believers in Him would never be forsaken by God ([Hebrews 13:5](/hebrews/13-5 "Hebrews 13:5 - I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You")). Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, the "burden" of God's judgment is lifted from those who trust in Him, and instead of abandonment, we receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing God's eternal presence with His people under the New Covenant ([John 14:16-17](/john/14-16-17 "John 14:16-17 - The Promise of the Holy Spirit")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Malachi 1:1

¶ The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

Hosea 9:12

Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that there shall] not [be] a man [left]: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

Isaiah 13:1

¶ The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

Habakkuk 1:1

¶ The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

Jeremiah 12:7

¶ I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

Nahum 1:1

¶ The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

Deuteronomy 32:19

¶ And when the LORD saw [it], he abhorred [them], because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.