Jeremiah 23:33
“When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the LORD.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The common term for a prophetic message, "burden of the Lord," had been twisted by the people, false prophets, and priests into a scornful phrase, essentially meaning "What new trouble are you bringing us?" God's cutting response flips this around: they have become the burden, and He declares He will cast them off.
The people, their false prophets, and corrupt priests have twisted the prophetic term for a weighty message from God into a mocking insult, implying God's pronouncements are merely troublesome burdens. They ask Jeremiah with scorn, "What's the latest 'burden' you have for us?" Jeremiah is commanded to retort that they themselves have become the burden God will reject and cast off.
Have you ever felt weighed down by a message, like it's just too much to bear? That's exactly how some people felt about God's word in Jeremiah's day.
The prophets often introduced their messages of judgment with the phrase "the burden of the LORD." This word, 'burden,' in its original language, could mean a literal weight, but it also came to signify a prophecy, especially one that foretold disaster.
A Message of Vengeance
Think about it: when you hear 'burden,' you probably think of something heavy, difficult, and unpleasant. That's precisely how many people in Judah heard the prophecies. They weren't looking for God's truth; they were looking for excuses to ignore it.
Derision and Disdain
Instead of trembling at the warnings of God's impending judgment, the people, and even the religious leaders, mocked the prophets. They twisted the term 'burden' into a sarcastic way of saying, 'What new trouble are you bringing us now?' This wasn't just a casual complaint; it was an open act of defiance against God and His messengers. They treated God's solemn pronouncements with contempt, showing they had no desire to heed His warnings or change their ways.
What's worse than hearing bad news? It's when the messenger of that news walks away, leaving you completely alone. That's the terrifying alternative Jeremiah offers.
When the people mockingly ask, 'What is the burden of the LORD?', God's response is stark: 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off.' This isn't just a punishment; it's a profound spiritual abandonment.
The Weight of Your Sin
God turns their mockery back on them. They considered His word a burden, so God declares they are the burden to Him. They've become too heavy, too corrupt, too resistant to His love and correction.
The Absence of God's Presence
The most devastating part of this judgment is being 'cast off.' This means God withdraws His presence, His guidance, His protection, and His prophetic voice. For a nation that claimed to know God, this was the ultimate curse – to be left to their own devices, to face destruction without His help or warning.
Understand the original words
massa' · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, it refers to a message from God, often a heavy or solemn declaration that imposes an obligation upon the hearer. It can also signify a heavy weight or judgment.
kohen · Hebrew Noun
A formal title for a religious leader appointed by God to officiate in the tabernacle or temple, offer sacrifices, and represent the people before God.
The term 'burden of the LORD' was a prophetic formula for messages of judgment. Those who mockingly used it revealed their deep contempt for God's warnings, leading to His pronouncement that He would 'cast them off' in the ultimate judgment of exile.
c. 7th Century BC
Rise of False Prophets
During Jeremiah's ministry, a multitude of false prophets and priests ministered in Judah, often speaking messages of peace and prosperity contrary to God's judgment.
Mid-7th Century BC - 586 BC
Prophecies of Judgment
Jeremiah and other true prophets delivered messages of impending doom, including exile, due to the persistent sin and unfaithfulness of Judah.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conducts his first siege of Jerusalem, deporting some of the Jewish nobility, including Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, after another siege.
This passage describes a similar rejection of God's message by the people, who ask the prophets to stop speaking the truth of God, showing a pattern of resistance to divine communication.
Ezekiel 12:27-28Here, Ezekiel is told that the people believe his visions are far in the future and will not come to pass quickly, mirroring the dismissive attitude found in Jeremiah 23:33 towards God's pronouncements.
1 Kings 22:8King Ahab's reaction to Micaiah the prophet, calling him someone who never prophesies good but only evil, shows the same spirit of hostility and derision towards prophetic messages of judgment.
Romans 1:28This New Testament passage speaks of God giving people over to a depraved mind when they reject Him, which parallels Jeremiah's message of God 'casting off' those who scorn His word.
calvinJeremiah 23:33: "And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD."
- Quod si interrogaverint to populus hic, vel Propheta, vel Sacerdos, dicendo. Quod onus Jehovae? Tunc dices illis, Quod onus? Derelinquam vos, inquit Jehova.
It appears sufficiently evident from this passage, -- that the contumacy of the Jews was so great, that they sought from every…
cambridgeJeremiah 23:33: "And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD."
33 . say unto them, What burden! ] mg. (less well) tell them what the burden is , but mg. also suggests that we read, with LXX and Vulg., Ye are the burden . The change requires only a different division of the consonants in MT. and has general support. 33–40 . See introd. summary to sect…
The common term for a prophetic message, "burden of the Lord," had been twisted by the people, false prophets, and priests into a scornful phrase, essentially meaning "What new trouble are you bringing us?" God's cutting response flips this around: they have become the burden, and He declares He will cast them off.
The people, their false prophets, and corrupt priests have twisted the prophetic term for a weighty message from God into a mocking insult, implying God's pronouncements are merely troublesome burdens. They ask Jeremiah with scorn, "What's the latest 'burden' you have for us?" Jeremiah is commanded to retort that they themselves have become the burden God will reject and cast off.
The people, their false prophets, and corrupt priests have twisted the prophetic term for a weighty message from God into a mocking insult, implying God's pronouncements are merely troublesome burdens. They ask Jeremiah with scorn, "What's the latest 'burden' you have for us?" Jeremiah is commanded to retort that they themselves have become the burden God will reject and cast off.
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A Play on Words
God uses a clever, yet terrifying, play on the word 'burden.' Just as they wished to be rid of His messages, God declares He will 'disburden' Himself of them. They have made themselves too grievous to bear, and so God will cast them away. It's a severe consequence for treating His sacred word with such insolence.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event marks the fulfillment of many dire prophecies.
"“When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the LORD.’" — The common term for a prophetic message, "burden of the Lord," had been twisted by the people, false prophets, and priests into a scornful phrase, essentially meaning "What new trouble are you bringi…
