Jeremiah 23:33

Translation
King James Version
¶ 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.’
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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.
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World English Bible Messianic
When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask you, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? Then you shall tell them, What burden! I will cast you off, says the LORD.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And when this people, or the prophet, or a Priest shall aske thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say vnto them, What burden? I will euen forsake you, saith the Lord.
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Young's Literal Translation
And when this people, or the prophet, Or a priest, doth ask thee, saying, What is the burden of Jehovah? Then thou hast said unto them: Ye are the burden, and I have left you, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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See also
Malachi 1:1Hosea 9:12Isaiah 13:1Habakkuk 1:1Jeremiah 12:7Nahum 1:1Deuteronomy 32:19
In the KJVVerse 19,518 of 31,102

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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, 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). 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.
  • 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 or Nahum 1:1). 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. 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.

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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). This cosmic abandonment was for a singular purpose: so that believers in Him would never be forsaken by God (Hebrews 13:5). 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).

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Commentary on Jeremiah 23 verses 33–40

The profaneness of the people, with that of the priests and prophets, is here reproved in a particular instance, which may seem of small moment in comparison of their greater crimes; but profaneness in common discourse, and the debauching of the language of a nation, being a notorious evidence of the prevalency of wickedness in it, we are not to think it strange that this matter was so largely and warmly insisted upon here. Observe,

I. The sin here charged upon them is bantering God's prophets and dialect they used, and jesting with sacred things. They asked, What is the burden of the Lord? Jer 23:33 and Jer 23:34. They say, The burden of the Lord, Jer 23:38. This was the word that gave great offence to God, that, whenever they spoke of the word of the Lord, they called it, in scorn and derision, the burden of the Lord. Now, 1. This was a word that the prophets much used, and used it seriously, to show what a weight the word of God was upon their spirits, of what importance it was, and how pressingly it should come upon those that heard it. The words of the false prophets had nothing ponderous in them, but God's words had; those were as chaff, these as wheat. Now the profane scoffers took this word, and made a jest and a byword of it; they made people merry with it, that so, when the prophets used it, they might not make people serious with it. Note, It has been the artifice of Satan, in all ages, to obstruct the efficacy of sacred things by turning them into matter of sport and ridicule; the mocking of God's messengers was the baffling of his messages. 2. Perhaps this word was caught at and reproached by the scoffers as an improper word, newly-coined by the prophets, and not used in that sense by any classic author. It was only in this and the last age that the word of the Lord was called the burden of the Lord, and it could not be found in their lexicons to have that signification. But if men take a liberty, as we see they do, to form new phrases which they think more expressive and significant in other parts of learning, why not in divinity? But especially we must observe it as a rule that the Spirit of God is not tied to our rules of speaking. 3. Some think that because when the word of the Lord is called a burden it signifies some word of reproof and threatening, which would lay a load upon the hearers (yet I know not whether that observation will always hold), therefore in using this word the burden of the Lord in a canting way they reflected upon God as always bearing hard upon them, always teasing them, always frightening them, and so making the word of God a perpetual uneasiness to them. They make the word of God a burden to themselves, and then quarrel with the ministers for making it a burden to them. Thus the scoffers of the latter days, while they slight heaven and salvation, reproach faithful ministers for preaching hell and damnation. Upon the whole we may observe that, how light soever men may make of it, the great God takes notice of, and is much displeased with, those who burlesque sacred things, and who, that they may make a jest of scripture truths and laws, put jests upon scripture language. In such wit as this I am sure there is no wisdom, and so it will appear at last. Be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. Those that were here guilty of this sin were some of the false prophets, who perhaps came to steal the word of God from the true prophets, some of the priests, who perhaps came to seek occasions against them on which to ground an information, and some of the people, who had learned of the profane priests and prophets to play with the things of God. The people would not have affronted the prophet and his God thus if the priests and the prophets, those ringleaders of mischief, had not shown them the way.

II. When they are reproved for this profane way of speaking they are directed how to express themselves more decently. We do not find that the prophets are directed to make no more use of this word; we find it used long after this (Zac 9:1; Mal 1:1; Nah 1:1; Hab 1:1); and we do not find it once used in this sense by Jeremiah either before or after. It is true indeed that in many cases it is advisable to make no use of such words and things as some have made a bad use of, and it may be prudent to avoid such phrases as, though innocent enough, are in danger of being perverted and made stumbling-blocks. But here God will have the prophet keep to his rule (Jer 15:19), Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them. Do not thou leave off using this word, but let them leave off abusing it. You shall not mention the burden of the Lord any more in this profane careless manner (Jer 23:36), for it is perverting the words of the living God and making a bad use of them, which is an impious dangerous thing; for, consider, he is the Lord of hosts our God. Note, If we will but look upon God as we ought to do in his greatness and goodness, and be but duly sensible of our relation and obligation to him, it may be hoped that we shall not dare to affront him by making a jest of his words. It is an impudent thing to abuse him that is the living God, the Lord of hosts, and our God. How then must they express themselves? He tells them (Jer 23:37): Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, when thou art enquiring of him, What hath the Lord answered thee? And what hath the Lord spoken? And they must say thus when they enquire of their neighbours, Jer 23:35. Note, We must always speak of the things of God reverently and seriously, and as becomes the oracles of God. It is a commendable practice to enquire after the mind of God, to enquire of our brethren what they have heard, to enquire of our prophets what they have to say from God; but then, to show that we enquire for a right end, we must do it after a right manner. Ministers may learn here, when they reprove people for what they say and do amiss, to teach them how to say and do better.

III. Because they would not leave off this bad way of speaking, though they were admonished of it, God threatens them here with utter ruin. They would still say, The burden of the Lord, though God had sent to them to forbid them, Jer 23:38. What little regard have those to the divine authority that will not be persuaded by it to leave an idle word! But see what will come of it. 1. Those shall be severely reckoned with that thus pervert the words of God, that put a wrong construction on them and make a bad use of them; and it shall be made to appear that it is a great provocation to God to mock his messengers: I will even punish that man and his house; whether he be prophet or priest, or one of the common people, it shall be visited upon him, Jer 23:34. Perverting God's word, and ridiculing the preachers of it, are sins that bring ruining judgments upon families and entail a curse upon a house. Another threatening we have Jer 23:36. Every man's word shall be his own burden; that is, the guilt of this sin shall be so heavy upon him as to sink him into the pit of destruction. God shall make their own tongue to fall upon them, Psa 64:8. God will give them enough of their jest, so that the burden of the Lord they shall have no heart to mention any more; it will be too heavy to make a jest of. They are as the madman that casts firebrands, arrows, and death, while they pretend to be in sport. 2. The words of God, though thus perverted, shall be accomplished. Do they ask, What is the burden of the Lord? Let the prophet ask them, What burden do you mean? Is it this: I will even forsake you? Jer 23:33. This is the burden that shall be laid and bound upon them (Jer 23:39, Jer 23:40): "Behold I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you. I will leave you, and have no thoughts of returning to you." Those are miserable indeed that are forsaken and forgotten of God; and men's bantering God's judgments will not baffle them. Jerusalem was the city God had taken to himself as a holy city, and then given to them and their fathers; but that shall now be forsaken and forgotten. God had taken them to be a people near to him; but they shall now be cast out of his presence. They had been great and honourable among the nations; but now God will bring upon them an everlasting reproach and a perpetual shame. Both their sin and their punishment shall be their lasting disgrace. It is here upon record, to their infamy, and will remain so to the world's end. Note, God's word will be magnified and made honourable when those that mock at it shall be vilified and made contemptible. Those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 33–40. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 33 and following) So if this people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you, saying: what is the burden of God (or what is the assumption of the Lord)? you shall say to them: You are the burden (or assumption). For I will cast (or hurl) you away, says the Lord. And the prophet and the priest and the people, who says the burden (or assumption) of the Lord, I will visit (or avenge) upon that man and upon his house. Each one will say to his friend (nearest in the Vulgate) and to his brother: what did the Lord answer, and what did the Lord speak? And the burden (or assumption) of the Lord will not be remembered anymore, because the burden (or assumption) will be each one's own word (in the Alexandrian version). The Hebrew word massa means burden and weight, as interpreted by Aquila as ἅρμα, that is, burden and weight: Symmachus, Septuagint, and Theodotion translate it as assumption. Therefore, wherever it is heavy, what the Lord threatens, and full of weight and labor, and unendurable, it is also called a burden in the title ἅρμα, that is, weight. Wherever, indeed, the Lord promises prosperity, or after a threat, he promises better things, there the Vision is spoken, or certainly the word of the Lord: and it was clear from the very title of the prophecy of the weight, or vision, and the Word of God, what kind of prediction would follow. Therefore, since the Prophets used to announce sad things and threaten punishments to the sinful people, in order to turn them back to repentance: but the merciful and compassionate Lord delayed his judgment for a long time, the deceived people, led astray by the fraud of false prophets, thought that what the Lord threatened would not come true, and they turned the true matter into a game and a joke; and mocking the prophets, they said: Here again he sees the weight and burden of the Lord. And so it happened that, not at all seriously but as a joke and mockery, the burden and weight were called the Vision. Therefore, the Lord instructed that whether the people, the prophets, or the priests asked Jeremiah what the burden or assumption of the Lord was, he should respond to them and say: You are the burden, and you are the assumption. For I will take you and cast you away, and I will crush you and make you perish. But if anyone thereafter, whether a prophet, a priest, or a member of the people, dares to name the burden and weight of the Lord, I will visit," he said, "upon that man and upon his house; and I will destroy him forever. Therefore let each person say to his neighbor and friend, 'Surely it is not the burden of the Lord?' But what did the Lord respond? And what did the Lord say? You have forgotten the Old: burden and weight, or assumption, should no longer resound in your mouth. For to each person, his own words and deeds will be considered a burden and weight, according to what is written: 'By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned' (Matthew 15).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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