Jeremiah 23 9

Jeremiah 23:9 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 23:9 nkjv

My 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 has overcome, Because of the LORD, And because of His holy words.

Jeremiah 23:9 niv

Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a strong man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words.

Jeremiah 23:9 esv

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

Jeremiah 23:9 nlt

My heart is broken because of the false prophets,
and my bones tremble.
I stagger like a drunkard,
like someone overcome by wine,
because of the holy words
the LORD has spoken against them.

Jeremiah 23 verses

Jeremiah 23 9 meaning

Jeremiah 23:9 conveys the prophet Jeremiah's profound physical and emotional anguish regarding the state of the prophets and the impending judgment from the Lord. His "heart is broken" and his "bones tremble," illustrating an overwhelming, visceral reaction, not due to personal sin or external attack, but specifically "because of the Lord and His holy words." He compares his state to a drunken man, utterly overcome and unstable, signifying being utterly controlled and shaken by the divine truth and its consequences, particularly concerning the widespread corruption among the prophetic class. It is a depiction of suffering vicariously for God's impending wrath and the moral failure of leaders.

Jeremiah 23 9 Context

Jeremiah 23 falls within a section (Jeremiah 21-29) primarily dedicated to prophecies concerning Judah's political and spiritual leadership, particularly focusing on the condemnation of false prophets and corrupt rulers. Prior to verse 9, the Lord has just pronounced a "Woe" upon the shepherds who scatter His flock (v. 1-8), promising to raise a righteous Branch, a future Davidic king. Verse 9 then serves as a sharp transition, introducing Jeremiah's deeply personal and anguished response to the spiritual corruption and the Lord's impending judgment, especially "concerning the prophets." This chapter starkly contrasts Jeremiah, the true prophet burdened by God's difficult message, with the multitude of false prophets who speak comforting but deceptive words, misleading the people into deeper sin and away from repentance. Jeremiah's agony underscores the gravity of the false prophecies and the true implications of God's holy word.

Jeremiah 23 9 Word analysis

• Concerning the prophets. (עַל־הַנְּבִאִ֛ים - ʿal-hannəḇîʾîm):
  • Original Context: Nəḇîʾîm refers to divinely inspired messengers, but in this chapter, it largely denotes those falsely claiming that title, profaning God's name and message.
  • Significance: This introductory phrase immediately signals the theme, placing Jeremiah's personal suffering within the context of the false prophetic activity which is rampant and detrimental to Israel's spiritual well-being.
• My heart (לִבִּ֗י - libbî):
  • Meaning: In Hebrew thought, the lev (heart) is not merely the organ, but the seat of intellect, will, emotion, conscience, and moral character.
  • Significance: It denotes Jeremiah's total inner being is affected, not just an emotional sentiment, indicating deep psychological and spiritual distress.
• is broken (נִשְׁבַּ֛ר - nishbar):
  • Meaning: A passive form, indicating it "has been shattered" or "smashed," often implying irreversible damage. Used for a broken cistern or pottery.
  • Significance: Far stronger than mere sadness or disappointment, it implies a profound, overwhelming internal rupture due to the gravity of the spiritual crisis and God's impending judgment. It suggests an empathy with God's own broken heart over His people's sin.
• within me; (בְקִרְבִּי - ḇəqirbî):
  • Meaning: Literally "in my inward parts," reinforcing the depth and internality of the anguish.
  • Significance: This emphasizes that the source of the brokenness is deeply personal and pervasive, impacting his very core.
• all my bones (כָּל־עַצְמוֹתַ֣י - kōl-ʿaṣmōṯay):
  • Meaning: Bones often symbolize the strength, framework, and essence of a person's being.
  • Significance: This indicates a complete physical and existential breakdown. It's not just emotional or mental, but his entire physical structure is convulsing, representing a total collapse of strength and stability.
• tremble. (רָגְפ֥וּ - rāḡp̄ū):
  • Meaning: To quiver, quake, or convulse, usually from fear or excitement.
  • Significance: Describes the uncontrollable shaking and instability. This visceral reaction is akin to extreme physical fear, highlighting the overwhelming terror of the divine revelation and its consequences.
• I am like a drunken man, (הָיִ֙יתִי כְאִ֤ישׁ שִׁכּוֹר֙ - hāyîṯî ḵəʾîš šikkôr):
  • Meaning: Comparing himself to someone overwhelmed by alcohol, losing control and balance.
  • Significance: This is a metaphor for being overwhelmed and unsteady, but not from literal wine. It signifies a profound loss of self-control due to an intense spiritual encounter and the heavy burden of God's truth. His mind and body are affected, unable to stand firm.
• like a man overcome by wine, (וּכְגֶ֣בֶר עֲבָר֗וֹ יַיִן֙ - ûḵəḡeḇer ʿăḇārô yayin):
  • Meaning: "Wine that has passed over him," completely consumed him, controlling him. A strong, intensifying parallel to the previous phrase.
  • Significance: Emphasizes being completely taken over, not merely influenced, but fully subdued and incapacitated by a potent force. The double simile stresses the extreme nature of his experience.
• because of the Lord (מִפְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ - mippənê Yahweh):
  • Meaning: Literally "from the face of Yahweh" or "in the presence of Yahweh." Implies facing or confronting God Himself.
  • Significance: Directly attributes his intense suffering to God's presence, holiness, and the burden of His message. It highlights that his anguish is divinely caused, a true prophet's burden when confronted with God's righteous wrath and the impending judgment.
• and His holy words. (וּמִפְּנֵי֙ דְּבָרֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֔וֹ - ûmippənê dəḇārê qāḏšô):
  • Meaning: "Because of the words of His holiness/sanctity."
  • Significance: It clarifies that his "drunkenness" is not from literal wine but from the potent, pure, and fearful truth of God's uncompromised word. The holiness of the words (which must be delivered) contrasts starkly with the profane words of the false prophets, intensifying the weight upon Jeremiah.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble: This phrase paints a picture of comprehensive internal and external shattering. Jeremiah is not merely sad, but profoundly afflicted to his core. The suffering is not superficial but shakes his very physical and spiritual foundation, indicative of an intense empathic burden for God's broken heart and impending judgment.
• I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine: This double simile underscores a state of total loss of control, equilibrium, and stability. Unlike actual drunkenness leading to folly, Jeremiah's "drunkenness" is a profound, holy intoxication resulting from grappling with God's terrible truth and holiness, causing him to stagger under the weight of divine judgment and the pervasive sin of his people and their false leaders.
• because of the Lord and His holy words: This pivotal phrase clarifies the source and nature of Jeremiah's agony. It's not a personal failing or physical illness, but a direct, overpowering encounter with the holy God and the uncompromising, powerful, and utterly truthful words He has entrusted to Jeremiah. The holiness of the words necessitates a powerful reaction in the true prophet, a reaction alien to the false prophets who treat God's word casually.

Jeremiah 23 9 Bonus section

Jeremiah's personal lamentations, often referred to as "Confessions of Jeremiah," are unique in prophetic literature for their depth of personal revelation and vulnerability. Verse 9 is one of the clearest examples, demonstrating that his prophetic office was not just about speaking divine pronouncements, but profoundly experiencing the weight of them. This deep identification with God's suffering and anger sets Jeremiah apart as an example of what it truly means to stand in the counsel of the Lord. The imagery of "drunkenness" in the Bible can represent both negative (profligacy, Isaiah 28:7) and sometimes overwhelming spiritual states, such as divine judgment (Isaiah 51:17) or, in this case, a profound, almost paralyzing encounter with God's absolute truth and coming wrath. This passage serves as a powerful polemic against the false prophets by contrasting Jeremiah's intense, genuine, and physically demanding burden of truth with their facile, self-serving, and untroubled pronouncements of peace. His suffering validates his true prophetic calling.

Jeremiah 23 9 Commentary

Jeremiah 23:9 provides a raw, intensely personal glimpse into the burden of a true prophet in the face of spiritual decay. Jeremiah's agony is not a result of his own sin but stems directly from his proximity to God's holy word and the crushing reality of His impending judgment on a corrupt nation led by false prophets. His "broken heart" and "trembling bones" represent a complete physical and emotional collapse, a state of holy anguish caused by a divine encounter, making him akin to a man overcome by overwhelming wine – spiritually incapacitated by the potent truth of God. This profound suffering marks him as distinctly different from the nonchalant, self-serving false prophets; he suffers with God over His people's plight, bearing the full weight of God's holy anger and the profound grief of impending national catastrophe. It illustrates that true prophecy is often characterized by pain and identification with God's broken heart.