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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33-40

The profaneness of the people, with that of the priests and prophets, is here reproved in a particular instance, which may seem of small moment in comparison of their greater crimes; but profaneness in common discourse, and the debauching of the language of a nation, being a notorious evidence of the prevalency of wickedness in it, we are not to think it strange that this matter was so largely and warmly insisted upon here. Observe, I. The sin here charged upon them is bantering God's prophets... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:35

Thus shall ye say everyone to his neighbour, and everyone to his brother ,.... When conferring about religious things, and the word of God in particular; when any inquiry is made of another, whether any message from the Lord by his prophets? or what is it? that it should not be put in such deriding and calumniating words, "what is the burden of the Lord?" but in more decent and becoming language, thus, what hath the Lord answered? and what hath the Lord spoken ? they might lawfully and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:36

And the burden of the Lord shall be mentioned no more ,.... Or the word of the Lord under that name, speaking of it in a ludicrous and scoffing manner: for every man's word shall be his burden ; every flout, scoff, and jeer of his, at the word of God, shall fall heavily upon him, with weight upon his conscience, and press him with guilt to the lowest hell; or, however, a heavy punishment for his sin shall light upon him: or, as the words may be rendered, "for his word is a burden to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 23:36

Every man's word shall be his burden - Ye say that all God's messages are burdens, and to you they shall be such: whereas, had you used them as you ought, they would have been blessings to you. For ye have perverted the words of the living God - And thus have sinned against your own souls. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 23:35

Verse 35 Here the Prophet explains himself more clearly; he shews why God would not have his word to be called a burden. Why so? because they in a manner closed the way, so that they derived no benefit from God’s word, while they regarded it with disdain and hatred; for the word burden was an obstacle, so that they gave no access to God, nor opened their ears to hear his word. God then bids them to come with empty and sincere hearts; for it is a real preparation for a teachable spirit, when we... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 23:36

Verse 36 Jeremiah goes on with the same subject, that every one ought calmly and meekly to hear God speaking, he said, as we saw yesterday, that the prophets were to be asked as to what God had spoken and what he had answered; he thereby intimated that there must be docility, in order that God’s word may obtain credit, authority, and favor among us. He again repeats, that the word burden could not be endured by God; for, as we explained yesterday, this word was used commonly by the Jews as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:9-40

These verses form a complete prophecy, the title of which Jeremiah himself supplies in the words, "Concerning the (false) prophets" (see below); comp. Jeremiah 46:2 ; Jeremiah 48:1 ; Jeremiah 49:1 , Jeremiah 49:7 , Jeremiah 49:23 , Jeremiah 49:28 . It is true the rendering of the Authorized Version ( Jeremiah 49:9 ), Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets , is not purely arbitrary; it is favored by the exegetical tradition represented by the Hebrew accents.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33-40

The abuse of a consecrated phrase. The prophets were accustomed to apply the term massa to their prophetic declarations in the sense of "oracle," or "utterance"—a sense derived from the use of the cognate verb for "to lift up the voice," i.e. to pronounce clearly and distinctly. But the word massa was also in common use for "load, burden," and hence the "false prophets" applied the term derisively to Jeremiah's discourses. "Rightly does he call his word a massa ; it is not merely a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33-40

The burden I. IT IS A MISTAKE TO REGARD THE REVELATION OF TRUTH AS A BURDEN . It comes to lighten our burdens. At first it may seem to increase them by making us conscious of them. It opens our eyes to our own condition. The very light may serve to reveal the existence of the deep mystery all around us, which was not felt while the soul slumbered in darkness. Yet the light does not make the darkness that fringes its radiance. Revelation does not create the burdens... read more

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