Jeremiah 23:13

23:13 The Lord says, 1  “I saw the prophets of Samaria 2 

doing something that was disgusting. 3 

They prophesied in the name of the god Baal

and led my people Israel astray. 4 

Jeremiah 23:32

23:32 I, the Lord, affirm 5  that I am opposed to those prophets who dream up lies and report them. They are misleading my people with their reckless lies. 6  I did not send them. I did not commission them. They are not helping these people at all. 7  I, the Lord, affirm it!” 8 

1 tn The words “The Lord says” are not in the text, but it is clear from the content that he is the speaker. These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

2 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

3 tn According to BDB 1074 s.v. תִּפְלָּה this word means “unseemly, unsavory.” The related adjective is used in Job 6:6 of the tastelessness of something that is unseasoned.

4 tn Heb “by Baal.”

sn Prophesying in the name of the god Baal was a clear violation of Mosaic law and punishable by death (see Deut 13:1-5). For an example of the apostasy encouraged by prophets of Baal in the northern kingdom of Israel see 1 Kgs 18:16-40.

5 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

6 tn Heb “with their lies and their recklessness.” This is an example of hendiadys where two nouns (in this case a concrete and an abstract one) are joined by “and” but one is intended to be the adjectival modifier of the other.

7 sn In the light of what has been said this is a rhetorical understatement; they are not only “not helping,” they are leading them to their doom (cf. vv. 19-22). This figure of speech is known as litotes.

8 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”