Jeremiah 23:9

¶ Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.

Mine heart {H3820} within {H7130} me is broken {H7665} because of the prophets {H5030}; all my bones {H6106} shake {H7363}; I am like a drunken {H7910} man {H376}, and like a man {H1397} whom wine {H3196} hath overcome {H5674}, because {H6440} of the LORD {H3068}, and because of the words {H1697} of his holiness {H6944}.

Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken, all my bones are shaking; I am like a drunk, like a man overcome by wine, because of ADONAI, because of his holy words.

As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.

Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of his holy words.

Commentary

Jeremiah 23:9 captures the profound anguish of the prophet Jeremiah, often called the "weeping prophet," as he grapples with the spiritual decay of his nation and the heavy burden of God's divine message. This verse serves as a powerful expression of a true prophet's agony when confronted with widespread deception and the impending judgment it portends.

Context

This verse is situated within a larger discourse in Jeremiah chapter 23 where the prophet vehemently condemns the false prophets who proliferated in Judah during his time. These self-proclaimed messengers offered comforting lies ("peace, peace") instead of God's urgent call to repentance, leading the people further astray from the Lord. Jeremiah's ministry was characterized by challenging this deception and delivering God's unpopular but necessary messages of judgment and eventual restoration, which often brought him immense personal suffering as Judah headed toward the Babylonian exile.

Key Themes

  • Prophetic Anguish: Jeremiah's physical and emotional distress ("Mine heart within me is broken; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man") is a testament to the immense burden of bearing God's truth in a rebellious age. His pain stems not from personal failure, but from the overwhelming reality of God's holiness and the sin of the false prophets.
  • Divine Holiness and Judgment: The phrase "because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness" highlights that Jeremiah's profound reaction is a direct response to the purity and power of God's character and His uncompromised word. The truth of God's holy nature exposes all falsehood and necessitates judgment, and Jeremiah felt the weight of this revelation deeply.
  • Authenticity of True Prophecy: In stark contrast to the superficiality of the false prophets, Jeremiah's agony underscores the authenticity and costly nature of true prophetic ministry. He personally experienced the crushing weight of God's message, which burned within him even when he tried to suppress it (Jeremiah 20:9).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "broken" (shavar) implies a shattering or crushing, indicating a profound and intense internal pain, not just mild sadness. Similarly, "shake" (rachaph) suggests a trembling or quivering, often used in contexts of intense emotion or divine presence. Jeremiah's description of himself as "like a drunken man" vividly conveys a loss of control, an overwhelming sensation that transcends physical intoxication, resulting from the sheer impact of God's truth and the spiritual devastation he witnessed among the people of Judah.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 23:9 reminds us of the profound impact God's true word should have on our hearts. It challenges us to:

  • Discern Truth: In an age saturated with information, we must cultivate spiritual discernment to distinguish genuine spiritual teaching from deceptive messages, always testing teachings against the unchanging word of God.
  • Embrace God's Holiness: Recognize that God's holiness demands truth and righteous living. His word, though sometimes uncomfortable, is pure and transformative, designed to bring about conviction and change.
  • Feel the Weight of Sin: Like Jeremiah, we should feel a deep conviction and sorrow over sin, both our own and that which grieves God in the world, rather than embracing complacency or comforting falsehoods.

This verse powerfully illustrates the burden of spiritual integrity and the cost of standing for divine truth in a world prone to deception, emphasizing the profound reverence due to God's holy words.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Habakkuk 3:16 (4 votes)

    ¶ When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

  • Daniel 8:27 (3 votes)

    And I Daniel fainted, and was sick [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood [it].

  • Isaiah 51:21 (3 votes)

    Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

  • Lamentations 3:15 (3 votes)

    He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

  • Psalms 60:3 (3 votes)

    Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

  • Isaiah 6:5 (2 votes)

    ¶ Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

  • Jeremiah 5:31 (2 votes)

    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?