Jeremiah 23:11
23:11 Moreover, 1 the Lord says, 2
“Both the prophets and priests are godless.
I have even found them doing evil in my temple!
Jeremiah 23:34
23:34 I will punish any prophet, priest, or other person who says “The Lord’s message is burdensome.” 3 I will punish both that person and his whole family.’” 4
1 tn The particle כִּי (ki) which begins this verse is parallel to the one at the beginning of the preceding verse. However, the connection is too distant to render it “for.” “Moreover” is intended to draw the parallel. The words “the Lord says” (Heb “Oracle of the Lord”) have been drawn up to the front to introduce the shift in speaker from Jeremiah, who describes his agitated state, to God, who describes the sins of the prophets and priests and his consequent judgment on them.
2 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
3 tn Heb “burden of the Lord.”
4 tn Heb “And the prophet or the priest or the people [common person] who says, ‘The burden of the Lord,” I will visit upon [= punish] that man and his house.” This is an example of the Hebrew construction call nominative absolute or casus pendens (cf. GKC 458 §143.d).