Jeremiah 23 GNV

1. Woe be vnto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheepe of my pasture, saith the Lord.

2. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel vnto the pastors that feede my people, Yee haue scattered my flock and thrust them out, and haue not visited them: beholde, I will visite you for the wickednesse of your works, saith the Lord.

3. And I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countreyes, whither I had driuen them, and will bring them againe to their foldes, and they shall growe and encrease.

4. And I will set vp shepheardes ouer them, which shall feede them: and they shall dread no more nor be afraide, neither shall any of them be lacking, saith the Lord.

5. Behold, The dayes come, saith the Lord, that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous branche, and a King shall reigne, and prosper, and shall execute iudgement, and iustice in the earth.

6. In his dayes Iudah shalbe saued, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is the Name wherby they shall call him, The Lord our righteousnesse.

7. Therefore behold, the dayes come, sayth the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liueth, which brought vp the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt,

8. But the Lord liueth, which brought vp and led the seede of the house of Israel out of the North countrey and from all countryes where I had scattered them, and they shall dwell in their owne lande.

9. Mine heart breaketh within mee, because of the prophets, all my bones shake: I am like a drunken man (and like a man whome wine hath ouercome) for the presence of the Lord and for his holie wordes.

10. For the lande is full of adulterers, and because of othes the lande mourneth, the pleasant places of the wildernesse are dried vp, and their course is euill, and their force is not right.

11. For both the prophet and the Priest doe wickedly: and their wickednesse haue I found in mine House, saith the Lord.

12. Wherefore their way shalbe vnto them as slipperie wayes in the darknesse: they shalbe driuen foorth and fall therein: for I will bring a plague vpon them, euen the yeere of their visitation, saith the Lord.

13. And I haue seene foolishnesse in the prophets of Samaria, that prophecied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to erre.

14. I haue seene also in the prophets of Ierusalem filthines: they commit adulterie and walke in lies: they strengthen also the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednesse: they are all vnto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorah.

15. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes concerning the prophets, Beholde, I will feede them with wormewood, and make them drinke the water of gall: for from the prophets of Ierusalem is wickednesse gone forth into all the lande.

16. Thus sayth ye Lord of hosts, Heare not the wordes of the prophets that prophecie vnto you, and teach you vanitie: they speake the vision of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

17. They say still vnto them that despise mee, The Lord hath sayde, Ye shall haue peace: and they say vnto euery one that walketh after the stubbernesse of his owne heart, No euill shall come vpon you.

18. For who hath stand in the counsel of the Lord that he hath perceiued and heard his word? Who hath marked his worde and heard it?

19. Beholde, the tempest of the Lord goeth forth in his wrath, and a violent whirlewinde shall fall downe vpon the head of the wicked.

20. The anger of the Lord shall not returne vntill he haue executed, and till he haue perfourmed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter dayes ye shall vnderstande it plainely.

21. I haue not sent these prophets, sayth the Lord, yet they ranne; I haue not spoken to them, and yet they prophecied.

22. But if they had stande in my counsell, and had declared my words to my people, then they should haue turned them from their euill way, and from the wickednesse of their inuentions.

23. Am I a God at hande, saith the Lord, and not a God farre off?

24. Can any hide him selfe in secrete places, that I shall not see him, sayth the Lord? Do not I fill heauen and earth, saieth the Lord?

25. I haue heard what the prophets said, that prophecie lies in my Name, saying, I haue dreamed, I haue dreamed.

26. Howe long? Doe the prophets delite to prophecie lies, euen prophecying the deceit of their owne heart?

27. Thinke they to cause my people to forget my Name by their dreames, which they tell euery man to his neyghbour, as their forefathers haue forgotten my Name for Baal?

28. The prophet that hath a dreame, let him tell a dreame, and hee that hath my worde, let him speake my worde faithfully: what is the chaffe to the wheate, sayth the Lord?

29. Is not my word euen like a fire, sayeth the Lord? and like an hammer, that breaketh the stone?

30. Therefore beholde, I will come against the prophets, saieth the Lord, that steale my word euerie one from his neighbour.

31. Beholde, I will come against the prophets, saith the Lord, which haue sweete tongues, and say, He saith.

32. Beholde, I will come against them that prophecie false dreames, saith the Lord, and doe tell them, and cause my people to erre by their lies, and by their flatteries, and I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they bring no profite vnto this people, saith the Lord.

33. And when this people, or the prophet, or a Priest shall aske thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say vnto them, What burden? I will euen forsake you, saith the Lord.

34. And the prophet, or the Priest, or the people that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will euen visite euerie such one, and his house.

35. Thus shall yee say euery one to his neighbour, and euerie one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and what hath the Lord spoken?

36. And the burden of the Lord shall yee mention no more: for euery mans worde shall bee his burden: for ye haue peruerted the words of the liuing God, the Lord of hostes our God.

37. Thus shalt thou say to the Prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and what hath the Lord spoken?

38. And if you say, The burden of the Lord, Then thus saith the Lord, Because yee say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I haue sent vnto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord,

39. Therefore beholde, I, euen I will vtterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the citie that I gaue you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence,

40. And will bring an euerlasting reproche vpon you, and a perpetual shame which shall neuer be forgotten.