Jeremiah 23 30

Jeremiah 23:30 kjv

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

Jeremiah 23:30 nkjv

"Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who steal My words every one from his neighbor.

Jeremiah 23:30 niv

"Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me.

Jeremiah 23:30 esv

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another.

Jeremiah 23:30 nlt

"Therefore," says the LORD, "I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me.

Jeremiah 23 verses

Jeremiah 23 30 meaning

Jeremiah 23:30 declares God's firm opposition to the false prophets who operated in ancient Judah. The essence of their sin, stated here, is that they "steal My words from one another." This means they did not receive a genuine revelation from the Lord but rather appropriated, imitated, or fabricated messages, presenting them as divine, often borrowing common religious phrases or popular ideas, sometimes even from true prophets, and passing them off as God's direct communication, thus lacking authentic divine origin.

Jeremiah 23 30 Context

Jeremiah chapter 23 serves as a profound condemnation of the false shepherds (rulers and prophets) who mislead God's people. The chapter contrasts their failures with the future righteous branch (Jesus Christ) and God's true restoration. Verses 9-40 specifically target the prophets in Judah and Jerusalem who claim to speak for the Lord but deliver messages that contradict His true counsel. At the time, Judah faced impending Babylonian invasion, yet many prophets preached peace and prosperity, a message welcomed by the people, directly opposing Jeremiah's call for repentance and submission to God's judgment through exile. Jeremiah 23:30 directly addresses one of their core deceptions: the appropriation of divine words without true divine reception.

Jeremiah 23 30 Word analysis

• Therefore, behold, (Hebrew: הִנֵּה - hinnēh)

  • Word: "Hinnēh" is an interjection meaning "behold," "look," or "indeed." It functions as a powerful rhetorical device, drawing immediate and emphatic attention to what follows. It signals a weighty and important declaration from God.
  • Significance: It serves to intensify the declaration, signaling a direct and unavoidable confrontation by God Himself.

• I am against (Hebrew: אֲנִי עַל - ʾanī ʿal)

  • Words-group: This is a strong statement of divine opposition. "ʾanī" means "I" (emphatic first-person pronoun), and "ʿal" (typically "upon," "over") here conveys antagonism or opposition "against."
  • Significance: It denotes active, personal, and decisive confrontation by Yahweh Himself. This is not passive disapproval but an announced, engaged hostility.

• the prophets, (Hebrew: הַנְּבִאִים - hannᵉvīʾīm)

  • Word: "Hannᵉvīʾīm" means "the prophets," referring to a specific group, made definite by the article "ha-". In context, it specifically designates the false prophets, the very individuals who claimed to speak for God in that era.
  • Significance: While the term "prophet" can denote a true messenger of God, here it refers to those who usurped the title and role without divine commission, leading the people astray.

• declares the Lord, (Hebrew: נְאֻם יְהוָה - nᵉʾum Yahweh)

  • Words-group: This is a common formula in prophetic literature, directly attributing the preceding statement as a divine oracle from Yahweh, the covenant name of God. "Nᵉʾum" indicates a formal declaration or oracle.
  • Significance: This phrase authenticates the words as God's own, reinforcing His authority and the seriousness of His declaration against the false prophets. It contrasts with the human origin of the false prophets' messages.

• who steal (Hebrew: גֹּנְבִים - gōnevîm)

  • Word: "Gōnevîm" is a participle from the root גָּנַב (gānav), meaning "to steal," "to carry off by stealth," "to deceive." It implies appropriation without permission or rightful claim, and often by cunning.
  • Significance: This goes beyond simple plagiarism. It means counterfeiting divine authority, passing off humanly generated words or generic religious pronouncements as direct divine revelation. They claim inspiration they don't possess. This offense deeply wounds the sanctity and authority of God's direct communication.

• My words (Hebrew: דְבָרַי - dᵉvāray)

  • Words-group: "Dᵉvāray" (from dābār meaning "word," "utterance," "matter," "thing," with the 1st person singular possessive suffix "-ay" for "My"). It refers to the specific messages, revelations, and declarations that rightfully originate from God.
  • Significance: God explicitly states ownership of "My words," emphasizing that genuine revelation belongs solely to Him and is transmitted through His chosen messengers. This highlights the severe breach of impersonation.

• from one another. (Hebrew: אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ - ʾîš mērēʿēhû)

  • Words-group: "ʾΚ" means "man," "each," and "mērēʿēhû" means "from his companion/friend/neighbor." This phrase means "each man from his neighbor" or "from one another."
  • Significance: This clarifies the source of the stolen words: they are not from God (as they ought to be) but from human circulation. They echoed common religious ideas, picked up phrases from others, or simply repeated what was popular, all without actual divine encounter or commission. It indicates an echo chamber of human rather than divine communication.

Jeremiah 23 30 Bonus section

The accusation of "stealing My words" goes to the very core of prophetic legitimacy. A true prophet's authority is intrinsically tied to having "stood in God's counsel" (Jer 23:18, 22), meaning they were privy to the divine decree and purpose. False prophets, by contrast, had no such privileged access. Their "stealing" indicates a fundamental lack of authentic revelation. They mimicked the outward form of prophecy but lacked the inner, divine burden (מַשָּׂא YHWH), which refers to the weighty, divinely imparted message, often implying judgment or a serious word from God. By borrowing words or ideas, they effectively stole the authority that God bestows on His genuine message, even if the content itself might have contained elements found in true prophecy but stripped of their original context or divine anointing. This serves as an enduring warning against superficial religious utterances, popular doctrines lacking biblical depth, or pronouncements made without genuine spiritual insight, all of which might masquerade as "God's word" but originate purely from human or even malevolent sources.

Jeremiah 23 30 Commentary

Jeremiah 23:30 powerfully reveals the depth of divine disdain for false prophecy. God’s declaration "I am against" conveys His active opposition to those who corrupt divine communication. The phrase "who steal My words from one another" succinctly captures their modus operandi: instead of standing in God's genuine counsel and receiving His direct message, these prophets traded in humanly devised or second-hand messages, presenting them as divinely inspired. This act fundamentally undermines God’s sovereignty over His word, deceiving His people and eroding their ability to discern truth. Their message lacks the authoritative origin and transformative power that distinguishes true prophecy from human conjecture, emphasizing that authenticity in spiritual communication is solely rooted in direct, genuine divine encounter. The seriousness of this offense is magnified because it tarnished God’s name and perpetuated a false hope among a people desperately needing genuine guidance.