Jeremiah 23:38

Verse

But if you claim, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ then this is what the LORD says: Because you have said, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ and I specifically told you not to make this claim,

American Standard Version (1901)

But if ye say, The burden of Jehovah; therefore thus saith Jehovah: Because ye say this word, The burden of Jehovah, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of Jehovah;

Bible in Basic English

But if you say, The word of weight of the Lord; this is what the Lord has said: Because you say, The weight of the Lord, and I have sent to you, saying, You are not to say, The weight of the Lord;

Douay-Rheims 1899

But if you shall say: The burden of the Lord: therefore thus saith the Lord: Because you have said this word: The burden of the Lord: and I have sent to you saying: Say not, The burden of the Lord:

Free Bible Version

If they say, “This is the burden of the Lord,” then this is the Lord's response: Because you said, “This is the burden of the Lord,” and I warned you not to,

Geneva Bible 1599

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,

King James (Authorized) Version

But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;

Translation for Translators

If he replies, ‘What I told you is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “I received a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’

Unlocked Literal Bible

But if you say, 'The burden of Yahweh', this is what Yahweh says: 'Because you have said these words, 'The burden of Yahweh,' when I sent to you, saying, 'You will not say, “The burden of Yahweh,”'

Noah Webster Bible

But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent to you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;

World English Bible

Although you say, ‘The message from Yahweh,’ therefore Yahweh says: ‘Because you say this word, “The message from Yahweh,” and I have sent to you, telling you not to say, “The message from Yahweh,”

Young's Literal Translation

And if the burden of Jehovah ye say, Therefore thus said Jehovah: Because of your saying this word, The burden of Jehovah, And I do send unto you, saying, Ye do not say, The burden of Jehovah.

Context

False Prophecies

³⁷Thus you are to say to the prophet: ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and ‘What has the LORD spoken?’³⁸But if you claim, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ then this is what the LORD says: Because you have said, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ and I specifically told you not to make this claim,³⁹therefore I will surely forget you and will cast you out of My presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers.

Summary

In this verse, God is warning the false prophets who claim to speak on His behalf without His authority. He declares that He is against those who twist His words and deceive His people. God emphasizes the seriousness of misrepresenting Him and the consequences that will follow. This serves as a reminder to always speak the truth and handle God's word with reverence and integrity. The verse underscores the importance of discerning true prophets from false ones and the need to stay faithful to God's teachings.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

But since ye say, the burden of the Lord,.... Seeing, notwithstanding all prohibitions of it, and directions to the contrary, they still persisted to call prophecy by this name, and that in a jocose and bantering way, and asked for it, and what it was, in a scoffing manner: therefore thus saith the Lord, because you say this word, the burden of the Lord; will continue to use it, though so displeasing to me: and I have sent unto you, saying, ye shall not say, the burden of the Lord; and therefore could not plead ignorance of his will, or excuse themselves, by saying they would have avoided it, had they known it was disagreeable to him: this was an aggravation of their impiety, that they should obstinately persist in it, after he had remonstrated against it by his messages to them.