Jeremiah 23:13 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 23:13 kjv
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
Jeremiah 23:13 nkjv
"And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err.
Jeremiah 23:13 niv
"Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
Jeremiah 23:13 esv
In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
Jeremiah 23:13 nlt
"I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil,
for they prophesied in the name of Baal
and led my people of Israel into sin.
Jeremiah 23 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 13:1-5 | "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you...and says, ‘Let us follow other gods’...that prophet shall be put to death..." | Warning against false prophets and other gods |
| Dt 18:20-22 | "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak...that prophet shall die." | Criterion for distinguishing false prophets |
| Isa 9:15-16 | "The elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; for those who guide this people have led them astray." | False prophets leading people astray |
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them...They are prophesying to you false visions..." | YHWH's denial of sending false prophets |
| Jer 23:14 | "And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies..." | Comparison with Jerusalem's prophets |
| Jer 28:15 | "Hear now, Hananiah: The LORD has not sent you, but you have made this people trust in a lie." | Direct condemnation of a false prophet |
| Eze 13:3 | "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!" | Denunciation of prophets who speak their own thoughts |
| Mic 3:5-7 | "Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray...no answer from God." | Blindness and deception of false prophets |
| Zech 13:2-5 | "I will remove the names of the idols from the land...and I will also remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness." | Eradication of idolatry and false prophecy |
| Mt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Jesus' warning against false prophets |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you..." | New Testament warning against false teachers |
| Ex 20:3-5 | "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image..." | First Commandment violation |
| Lev 18:21 | "You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech..." | Idolatry involving child sacrifice often associated with Baal rites |
| Num 25:1-3 | "While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods." | Early example of syncretism and idolatry |
| Jgs 2:11-13 | "The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals." | Recurrent cycle of Baal worship |
| 1 Kgs 18:18-21 | "You have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals...How long will you hesitate between two opinions?" | Elijah's confrontation with Baal prophets |
| 2 Kgs 1:16 | "You have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron – is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?" | Inquiring of other gods when YHWH is available |
| Hos 2:8 | "She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil...and used the gold and silver for Baal." | Ascribing YHWH's blessings to Baal |
| Dt 13:6-8 | "If your brother, the son of your mother...entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’..." | Leading others astray |
| Isa 3:12 | "My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray..." | Consequences of corrupt leadership |
| Mt 15:14 | "Let them alone; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." | Spiritual blindness leading to ruin |
| Ps 33:13-15 | "The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man...He who fashions the hearts of them all..." | YHWH's omniscience and seeing |
| Heb 4:13 | "No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." | All things are visible to God |
| Gal 1:8-9 | "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." | Warning against perverting the truth |
Jeremiah 23 verses
Jeremiah 23 13 meaning
YHWH declares that He personally witnessed morally corrupt and repulsive actions among the prophets of the Northern Kingdom, specifically in Samaria. These prophets claimed divine inspiration, but their messages and power source originated from the pagan deity Baal, directly betraying the one true God. Their idolatrous prophecies resulted in leading YHWH's covenant people, Israel, into sin and away from their divine relationship.
Jeremiah 23 13 Context
Jeremiah 23:13 is part of a broader prophecy where YHWH, through Jeremiah, condemns false prophets in Judah (verses 9-40). This specific verse serves as a crucial comparison, recalling the egregious sins of earlier false prophets in the Northern Kingdom, Israel (Samaria), to highlight the present, and often more insidious, spiritual decay occurring in Judah. Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom, had fallen to Assyria in 722 BCE, a devastating event used throughout the prophets as a cautionary tale. Historically, Baal worship was a persistent and dominant threat to YHWH worship in Israel, particularly prominent during the Omride dynasty (e.g., King Ahab and Queen Jezebel) centuries before Jeremiah. Baal, a Canaanite storm and fertility god, represented a direct challenge to YHWH's sovereignty over nature and life, often drawing people into syncretism and morally depraved practices, including temple prostitution and even child sacrifice. Jeremiah invokes the memory of Samaria's folly to underscore the seriousness of Judah's own prophetic corruption, implying that Judah's transgressions were mirroring, or even exceeding, those of its fallen northern counterpart.
Jeremiah 23 13 Word analysis
- And I have seen (וָאֶרְאֶה - va'ereh): The speaker is YHWH. The perfect tense signifies a completed action, emphasizing divine observation and a definitive judgment that has been made. It is not merely a report, but YHWH's direct and authoritative perception, indicative of His omniscience and imminent action.
- folly (נִבְלָה - nivlah): More profound than simple foolishness or error. It carries connotations of moral degradation, spiritual disgrace, an abhorrent or repulsive act that is offensive to God. In a biblical context, it often refers to an outrageous breach of covenant, spiritual adultery, or blasphemy against YHWH, reflecting a depraved character.
- in the prophets of Samaria (בְּנִבְלֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן - binviei Shomron): "Prophets" (נְבִיאִים - nəvi'im) refers to those claiming to be spokespersons for God. "Samaria" designates the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This phrase identifies the specific group and geographical context of their spiritual transgression, serving as a historical example.
- they prophesied (נִבְּאוּ - nib'u): This is a Piel verb, indicating an intensive or repetitive action of prophetic speaking. Here, it denotes their public declarations and spiritual activities, highlighting that their claim to speak for God was integral to their offense.
- by Baal (בַּבַּעַל - ba-ba'al): The preposition "by" (בְּ - be) indicates the source of inspiration, power, or authority. They spoke in the name of, or under the influence of, Baal, a principal Canaanite deity associated with fertility and storms. This is an explicit act of idolatry and treason against YHWH, violating the very first commandments.
- and caused my people Israel to err (וַיַּתְעוּ אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל - vayyat'u 'et-'ammi Yisra'el): "Caused to err" (התעה - hita, Hiphil causative) signifies actively leading astray, deceiving, making someone wander from the right path, or inducing them to sin. This reveals the detrimental impact of the false prophets' actions. "My people Israel" emphasizes YHWH's covenant relationship with them, making the prophets' actions even more heinous due to their destructive influence on God's chosen.
- "I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria": This grouping emphasizes YHWH's personal and judicial indictment. It highlights that the source of spiritual depravity lay directly within the prophetic office of the Northern Kingdom, a leadership role that should have guided the people toward YHWH but instead committed heinous acts in His sight.
- "they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err": This phrase links the idolatrous source of prophecy directly to its corrupting consequence. It demonstrates how religious deception (prophesying by Baal) inevitably leads to spiritual apostasy and sin for the community, illustrating a cause-and-effect relationship where false spiritual leadership actively destroys the covenant relationship between YHWH and His people.
Jeremiah 23 13 Bonus section
- The phrase "I have seen folly" is an intentional echo and a direct declaration of divine witness and judgment, setting the stage for the following comparisons with Judah's prophets. YHWH doesn't just hear reports; He personally observes the moral fabric and actions of His people and their leaders.
- By juxtaposing the sins of Samaria's prophets (prophesying by Baal) with Judah's (walking in lies, committing adultery, and strengthening evildoers in v. 14), Jeremiah hints that Judah's prophets, though perhaps not always explicitly prophesying by Baal, were perhaps even more insidious by creating a pervasive culture of unrighteousness while claiming to represent YHWH, thereby misleading His people under a guise of religiosity.
- The condemnation of nivlah (folly/disgraceful act) places the prophets' actions not just as an error in judgment, but as a deliberate and egregious moral failing that shames and desecrates the covenant relationship and YHWH's name.
Jeremiah 23 13 Commentary
Jeremiah 23:13 is YHWH's sharp condemnation of the historical prophets in Israel's Northern Kingdom (Samaria), whose actions serve as a stark precursor to Judah's contemporary corruption. YHWH declares He saw their "folly"—a term connoting egregious moral depravity and spiritual prostitution—stemming from their active prophecy by Baal. This was an outright rejection of YHWH, the ultimate betrayal of their sacred calling. The gravest outcome of their idolatrous ministry was their success in causing "My people Israel to err," leading God's covenant nation away from Him and into sin. This verse profoundly highlights the severe consequences of corrupt spiritual leadership that aligns with pagan influences rather than divine truth, emphasizing YHWH's unchanging standard for His prophets and His righteous judgment against those who lead His people astray. It's a foundational lesson that the source of inspiration for prophetic utterance is paramount; if not YHWH, it is destructive.