Jeremiah 23 15

Jeremiah 23:15

ESV: Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: "Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land."

KJV: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

NIV: Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says concerning the prophets: "I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land."

NKJV: "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: 'Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.' "

NLT: Therefore, this is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says concerning the prophets: "I will feed them with bitterness
and give them poison to drink.
For it is because of Jerusalem's prophets
that wickedness has filled this land."

Meaning

Jeremiah 23:15 declares the LORD of hosts' severe judgment against the false prophets of Judah. Because their ungodliness and deceit originated from Jerusalem and had spread corruption throughout the entire land, God promised to inflict upon them a bitter and deadly fate, metaphorically expressed as being "fed with wormwood" and "made to drink poisonous water." This verse highlights God's swift and painful retribution against those who abuse their spiritual office and mislead His people.

Cross References

Context

Jeremiah 23 falls within a section of Jeremiah's prophecies against the corrupt leadership of Judah, specifically focusing on the "shepherds" (leaders) and "prophets." Preceding this verse, Jeremiah 23:1-8 pronounces judgment on these faithless shepherds who scattered God's flock, but also offers a promise of a future righteous King. Verses 9-14 intensely condemn the prophets for their moral corruption, hypocrisy, and their role in encouraging wickedness and idolatry. They prophesied lies in God's name, claiming peace when judgment was due. Jeremiah 23:15, therefore, is a direct consequence of this profound spiritual degradation originating from the very heart of the religious establishment in Jerusalem, meant to be holy. Historically, this period was characterized by political instability, spiritual apostasy, and syncretism in Judah, with prophets often flattering the kings and people with messages of comfort rather than truth, despite the impending Babylonian exile.

Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן - lakhēn): Connects this pronouncement directly to the preceding condemnations, indicating it is the inevitable consequence of their actions outlined earlier in the chapter (especially Jer 23:9-14).
• thus says the LORD of hosts (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - koh amar YHVH Ts’vaot): This is a powerful, authoritative prophetic formula. "LORD of hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) emphasizes God's supreme power, sovereignty over all cosmic and earthly forces, and His righteous command over armies, making His judgment inescapable and final.
• concerning the prophets (עַל־הַנְּבִיאִים - ‘al-hannĕvi’îm): Clearly specifies the target of this divine wrath, directly implicating those who claimed to speak for God but had deviated from His truth.
• Behold (הִנְנִי - hinnĕnî): A demonstrative particle that draws attention to an immediate, certain, and decisive divine action.
• I will feed them (מַאֲכִילָם - ma’ăkhîlām): Implies God's direct, personal, and active agency in their judgment. He is not passively observing but actively dispensing their fate.
• with wormwood (לַעֲנָה - la‘anăh): Refers to a highly bitter and somewhat poisonous plant (Artemisia absinthium). Metaphorically, it represents extreme bitterness, sorrow, affliction, and a judgment of severe suffering or death for rebellion against God.
• and make them drink (וְהִשְׁקִיתִים - wəhišqîtîm): Parallels "feed them," further emphasizing the deliberate and inescapable nature of the judgment, likening it to a mandated draught.
• poisonous water (מֵי־רֹאשׁ - mê-rō’š): Literally "waters of gall" or "head-poison." "Rosh" can denote a bitter and venomous plant, possibly hemlock, or even snake venom. It intensifies the imagery of bitterness with deadly, fatal consequences.
• for (כִּי - kî): Introduces the justification and the primary reason for the pronounced judgment.
• from the prophets of Jerusalem (כִּי מֵאֵת נְבִיאֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם - kî mê’ēt nĕvî’ê Yerushalaim): Pinpoints the source of the widespread corruption. Jerusalem, meant to be the holy city and a beacon of God's truth, had become the epicenter of spiritual apostasy and deception.
• ungodliness (חֲנֻפָּה - ḥănupāh): Can mean "profanity," "hypocrisy," "wickedness," "corruption," or "moral defilement." It speaks to the utter spiritual bankruptcy and desecration that originated from the supposed spiritual leaders.
• has gone out (יָצְאָה - yātsĕ’â): Denotes an active outward movement, implying that the corruption originating from the prophets in Jerusalem did not remain localized but spread like a contagion.
• into all the land (לְכָל־הָאָרֶץ - lĕkhol-hā’ārets): Highlights the pervasive and comprehensive scope of the false prophets' negative influence, affecting the entire nation of Judah.

• "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets": Establishes divine authority and identifies the specific target. The "LORD of hosts" signifies immense power backing this irreversible decree.
• "Behold, I will feed them with wormwood and make them drink poisonous water": This potent double metaphor portrays a divinely ordained, inescapable, and painfully bitter fate for the false prophets, mirroring the bitter fruit of their deceptive teachings.
• "for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land": This phrase serves as the unequivocal justification for the judgment. It explicitly links the source of national spiritual corruption—the Jerusalem prophets—with its pervasive spread across Judah, making them culpable for the land's defilement.

Commentary

Jeremiah 23:15 stands as a chilling declaration of divine justice against religious leaders who betray their sacred calling. The "LORD of hosts" is not merely speaking but actively preparing a bitter end for those false prophets in Jerusalem whose deceptive teachings and ungodly lifestyles led the entire nation astray. Their punishment—to "eat wormwood" and "drink poisonous water"—is a direct, ironic parallel to the spiritual poison they fed to God's people. This serves as a perpetual warning that spiritual authority carries immense responsibility, and its misuse for self-gain or leading others into sin incurs God's most severe and personal retribution. It underscores that God will not tolerate the defilement of His truth or the corruption of His people by those entrusted with guiding them.

Bonus section

The concept of spiritual leaders being held to a higher standard is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament priesthood and prophets to the New Testament apostles and elders. This verse highlights that judgment often begins with those in positions of leadership, particularly religious leaders (1 Pet 4:17). The geographical pinpoint of "prophets of Jerusalem" adds to the weight, as Jerusalem was the heart of religious life and worship, making its leaders' apostasy even more reprehensible and devastating in its reach. Their defilement from within the holy city ensured the rapid spread of corruption across the land. The language also has liturgical overtones, implying that just as the people partook of sacrifices and covenant meals, the false prophets would "partake" of God's judgment, receiving what they have sowed.

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