Jeremiah 23:34

34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message from the LORD,’ I will punish them and their household.

Jeremiah 23:34 in Other Translations

34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house.

34 And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, 'The burden of the LORD,'I will punish that man and his household.

34 “If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the LORD,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family.

34 "And if anyone, including prophets and priests, goes around saying glibly 'God's Message! God's Message!' I'll punish him and his family.

34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of Jehovah, I will even punish that man and his house.

34 Suppose the prophets, the priests, or these people say, 'This is the LORD's revelation!' I will punish them and their families.

34 "As for the prophet, priest, or people who say: The burden of the Lord, I will punish that man and his household.

34 "A prophet or priest might make a claim. Or someone else might do it. He might claim, 'I have received a message from the Lord.' Then I will punish him and his family.

Jeremiah 23:34 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:34

And [as for] the prophet, and the priest, and the people
Be they one or the other, or all of them; no regard will be had to their character and office, rank and dignity: that shall say, the burden of the Lord;
using that phrase in a bantering and ludicrous manner: I will even punish that man and his house;
not only he, but his family, shall suffer for it. This shows how much it is resented by the Lord, and what a dangerous thing it is to lampoon the word of God, to make a jest of Scripture phrases, or to joke with them; this is foolish jesting, which is not convenient, yea, impious and abominable. It is also hard jesting with edge tools.

Jeremiah 23:34 In-Context

32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the LORD. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the LORD.

33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message from the LORD?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’

34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message from the LORD,’ I will punish them and their household.

35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’

36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the LORD’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God.

Cross References

• 1. Lamentations 2:14
• 2. Zechariah 13:3