Jeremiah 23:28 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 23:28 kjv
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:28 nkjv
"The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:28 niv
Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:28 esv
Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:28 nlt
"Let these false prophets tell their dreams,
but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word.
There is a difference between straw and grain!
Jeremiah 23 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name... They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds." | Condemnation of false visions and lies |
| Jer 23:16-17 | "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you... They speak visions of their own minds..." | Warning against heeding human-generated messages |
| Deut 18:20 | "But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded... is to be put to death." | Consequence for presuming to speak God's word |
| Eze 13:3 | "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!" | Rebuke for following personal whims, not divine sight |
| 1 Kgs 22:28 | Micaiah declared, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me." | Testing a prophet by the fulfillment of their words |
| Ps 1:4 | "Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away." | Chaff symbolizing the ungodly and transient |
| Job 21:18 | "How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?" | Chaff representing weakness and judgment |
| Isa 41:15 | "I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains... and make the hills like chaff." | Chaff for complete removal and judgment |
| Mal 4:1 | "Surely the day is coming... all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble... the day that is coming will set them on fire." | Chaff/stubble symbolizing judgment of the wicked |
| Mt 3:12 | "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." | Jesus' judgment, separation of true believers |
| Lk 3:17 | (Similar to Mt 3:12) | John the Baptist's prophecy of Messiah's judgment |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you." | Warning about false teachers in the New Covenant |
| Mt 7:15-16 | "Beware of false prophets... You will recognize them by their fruits." | Discernment through examination of life and teaching |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." | Imperative for discernment of spiritual claims |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty..." | God's word is effective and accomplishes His purpose |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword..." | God's word is living, powerful, and discerning |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." | Source and authority of Scripture |
| 2 Tim 4:2 | "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season..." | Command to faithfully preach God's word |
| Prov 30:5-6 | "Every word of God proves true... Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you..." | Integrity of God's word and warning against alteration |
| Rev 22:18-19 | "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything... If anyone takes words away..." | Strong prohibition against altering divine revelation |
| 1 Cor 3:12-13 | "If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw... his work will be shown for what it is." | Human works (straw) vs. lasting, valuable work |
| Rom 1:16 | "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." | The word (gospel) as the power of God for salvation |
| Zec 13:3-4 | "If anyone still prophesies, their father and mother will say to them... you are speaking lies in the Lord's name..." | Discrediting false prophets |
Jeremiah 23 verses
Jeremiah 23 28 meaning
Jeremiah 23:28 distinguishes between two types of prophetic utterances and their sources: human dreams versus God's revealed word. It instructs those who have only their own dreams to share those, but those entrusted with God's actual word are commanded to speak it truthfully and entirely, without addition or alteration. The verse then employs a rhetorical question, "What is the chaff to the wheat?", to unequivocally declare the vast qualitative difference between these two sources, deeming human dreams as worthless and transient "chaff" in comparison to the essential, life-giving "wheat" of God's authentic message. This is a divine judgment on the authenticity and value of prophecy.
Jeremiah 23 28 Context
Jeremiah chapter 23 serves as a stern condemnation of the corrupt leadership and false prophets prevalent in Judah during a critical period leading up to the Babylonian exile. The chapter opens by denouncing "wicked shepherds" who scatter and destroy God's flock, promising a future "righteous Branch" who will govern wisely. The immediate context of verse 28 focuses squarely on differentiating between genuine prophetic revelation originating from God and counterfeit messages fabricated by humans, often presented as divine. Jeremiah repeatedly faced opposition from these false prophets, who offered optimistic, uncritical pronouncements of peace and prosperity, contrasting sharply with Jeremiah's dire warnings of impending judgment and exile. This verse provides a critical criterion for the people to discern between those truly speaking for God and those promoting their own illusions. Historically, Judah was in a state of spiritual decay, ripe for judgment, and false prophets exacerbated this by preventing genuine repentance.
Jeremiah 23 28 Word analysis
- The prophet (הַנָּבִיא, ha-navī’): Signifies one called or commissioned to speak for God. The definite article 'the' emphasizes a specific, known role.
- who has a dream (אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ חֲלוֹם, asher itto chalom): Lit. "who with him is a dream." This refers to personal, often subconscious, mental images or narratives experienced during sleep, originating from human internal processes rather than direct divine inspiration. It sets the stage for a source distinct from God's explicit word.
- let him tell (יְסַפֵּר, yəsappēr): From the verb 'saphar', meaning "to recount, relate, tell." It implies merely verbalizing or disseminating. The imperative form indicates permission or a direct command for disclosure, distinguishing it from authoritative proclamation.
- his dream (חֲלוֹמוֹ, chalomoh): Emphasizes the personal ownership and human origin of the dream, reinforcing it as self-generated, not God-given for the people.
- but he who has (וַאֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ, va'asher itto): "And he who with him is." This parallel structure sets up a direct contrast to the preceding phrase.
- My word (דְּבָרִי, d'varī): The possessive "My" explicitly identifies God as the direct and sole author of the message. This signifies divine origin, authority, truth, and power.
- let him speak (יְדַבֵּר, yədabēr): From 'dabbar', "to speak, declare, converse." This term often carries more weight and authority than 'saphar' ("to tell"), implying an authoritative declaration.
- My word (דְּבָרִי, d'varī): Repeated for emphasis, highlighting the content to be proclaimed is exclusively God's.
- (faithfully): While not a separate Hebrew word in this precise clause (it says "let him speak My word"), this rendering by many English translations correctly captures the implication of the contrast. Speaking God's word "as it is" – truthfully, completely, and without personal additions or interpretations – is inherent in the opposition to speaking one's own dream. The absence of explicit qualification reinforces the idea that God's word is truth, and speaking it means speaking truthfully.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream": This segment addresses prophets whose messages derive from their own internal experience (dreams). The permissive "let him tell" indicates that they may speak, but the source (his dream) marks it as personal and lacking divine authority for communal direction. This also implies they should not present it as God's word.
- "but he who has My word, let him speak My word": This creates a sharp antithesis. For those genuinely bearing God's message, the command is direct and unequivocal: declare My word. The repetition of "My word" underscores its unique, divine provenance and authority. The contrast with "tell his dream" strongly implies speaking God's word truly and accurately.
- "What is the chaff to the wheat?": This is a powerful rhetorical question (מַה לַתֶּבֶן אֶת־הַבָּר, mah lateven et-habbar?). It employs an agricultural analogy familiar in ancient Israel. "Chaff" (תֶּבֶן, teben) is the lightweight, worthless husks separated from grain during threshing, easily blown away. "Wheat" (בָּר, bar) is the heavy, nourishing grain, a staple for life. The question requires no answer; its self-evident truth highlights an incomparable difference in value, substance, and fate between human inventions and divine revelation.
- "declares the Lord (נְאֻם־יְהוָה, ne’um-Yahweh)": This authoritative declaration often concludes a divine pronouncement. It authenticates the preceding words as a direct utterance from the sovereign God, making the contrast and judgment irrefutable. It stamps the entire statement with divine certainty.
Jeremiah 23 28 Bonus section
The metaphor of "chaff and wheat" also carried strong eschatological and judgment implications in ancient Jewish thought, extending beyond the immediate context of discerning prophecy. It signified a coming time when God would decisively separate the righteous (wheat) from the wicked (chaff) or the genuine from the fake, consigning the latter to destruction or insignificance. This verse thus hints not only at the present discernment needed but also at God's ultimate judgment on all forms of falsehood. Furthermore, the act of "telling" a dream versus "speaking" God's word implies a difference in responsibility; one might share a dream without personal authority, but to speak God's word is to bear the full weight of His divine commission, with grave accountability if handled falsely. This verse underlines the profound sanctity and inherent power of God's revealed truth as a pure, sustaining essence in stark contrast to everything merely human.
Jeremiah 23 28 Commentary
Jeremiah 23:28 establishes a fundamental hermeneutical and ethical principle for divine revelation: an absolute qualitative distinction exists between humanly generated insights or "dreams" and God's directly spoken, authoritative "word." The prophet Jeremiah faced widespread false prophecy, where individuals presented their personal ideas or even deceptive imaginings as if they were divine messages. God, through this verse, cuts through the ambiguity, making it clear that His word is substantial, enduring, and life-giving like wheat, while human imitations are insubstantial, ephemeral, and worthless like chaff. True prophets are stewards of God's word, tasked with its faithful proclamation, implying an unwavering commitment to accuracy, integrity, and non-alteration. They are not to mix their own thoughts with divine truth. This principle remains crucial for discerning authentic spiritual teaching today, reminding believers to always prioritize the unadulterated Word of God over human opinions, subjective experiences, or popular notions, understanding that only God's word possesses the power and truth necessary for life.