Breakdown of Jeremiah 23:9-11

"Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and because of his holy words. For the land is full o…" — Jeremiah's profound distress isn't just for the people's sin, but specifically for the prophets who should have known better. He's so overcome because God's "holy words" are being disregarded by th…

Jeremiah 23:9-11 Meaning Explained

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Jeremiah 23:9-11

Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right. “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jeremiah's profound distress isn't just for the people's sin, but specifically for the prophets who should have known better. He's so overcome because God's "holy words" are being disregarded by those commissioned to speak them, leaving him shaken and disoriented by the sheer audacity of it.

What Jeremiah 23:9-11 means

Jeremiah is shifting focus from corrupt rulers to the spiritual leaders who are leading the people astray. He describes his profound distress and physical turmoil, not from personal hardship, but from the shocking unfaithfulness of the prophets who claim to speak for God. This turmoil is stirred by the very holiness of God and His pronouncements, highlighting the immense gravity of misleading God's people with false messages.

A Prophet's Profound Distress

Jeremiah's reaction isn't just sadness; it's a full-body, mind-shattering experience. What could cause such a visceral response in a prophet?

Jeremiah uses powerful imagery to describe his inner turmoil. He says his 'heart is broken' and his 'bones shake.' This isn't just a mental anguish; it's a physical manifestation of his distress.

A Shattered Inner State

He compares himself to a 'drunken man' or someone 'overcome by wine.' This suggests a state of being utterly disoriented, stunned, and without control. His usual faculties are overwhelmed.

The Overwhelming Cause

This intense reaction isn't for trivial reasons. It's 'because of the LORD and because of his holy words.' The prophet is reacting to the gravity of God's presence and the profound significance of His communication, especially in light of how others are treating it.

Brokenness for God's Prophets

Why would God's message, intended to bring truth, cause Jeremiah such agony? The text points to a specific group: the prophets.

The verse begins with a crucial clue: 'Concerning the prophets...' (or 'Because of the prophets,' as some translations suggest).

The Offense of the False Prophets

Jeremiah's distress is primarily triggered by the actions and influence of other prophets. These weren't prophets faithfully conveying God's message. Instead, they were likely false prophets, speaking their own words or flattering messages that led the people astray.

Grief Over Misused Divine Trust

The commentators highlight that Jeremiah is heartbroken because of these prophets. They were entrusted with God's words but were misusing that sacred trust. Their failure to speak God's truth, and their propagation of falsehoods, deeply grieved Jeremiah and stirred his profound reaction.

Holy Words, Unholy Messengers

Understand the original words

Original language

holyקֹדֶשׁ

qodesh · Hebrew Adjective

The act of setting apart something or someone for God's exclusive use. It describes the character of God (who is morally perfect) and the requirement for His people and words to be distinct from common or sinful things.

adulterersנָאַף

na'ap · Hebrew Noun

Spiritual or physical unfaithfulness to God, often used metaphorically to describe idolatry or abandonment of the covenant. It signifies a breach of the exclusive, marriage-like commitment between God and His people.

curseאָלָה

alah · Hebrew Noun

A divine judgment or penalty imposed due to disobedience or breach of covenant. It results in suffering, separation, and physical or spiritual deterioration.

prophetנָבִיא

nabiy' · Hebrew Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely during the late 7th to early 6th century BC, a period of great turmoil in Judah.
Author: Jeremiah, a prophet of Judah, traditionally understood as the sole author.
Location: Written from Judah, likely Jerusalem, during the prophet's ministry.
Genre: Prophetic literature, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address, particularly lament and prophetic oracle.

Historical background

Jeremiah's profound distress in this verse stems from the spiritual corruption of the prophets, who, instead of guiding Judah toward God's truth during times of immense national peril, were leading the people astray with false assurances.

c. 627 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry
Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah, including the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, witnessing the growing threat of Babylon and the eventual fall of Jerusalem.
622 BC
Josiah's Reforms
King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law and initiates widespread religious reforms, attempting to centralize worship and eradicate idolatry. This period saw a brief resurgence of faithfulness to Yahweh.
609 BC
Death of Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo while trying to intercept the Egyptian army. His death marks a turning point, leading to a period of instability and increasing foreign influence.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and carries away prominent citizens and potential leaders, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event signifies the rising power of Babylon.

Key themes

01Prophets' grave sin
02God's holy words
03Prophet's distress
04Divine judgment imminent

Cross-references

Ezekiel 13:10

Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel fiercely condemns prophets who deceive God's people with false assurances of peace and security, highlighting the devastating consequences of their misleading messages.

Galatians 1:8

This passage echoes Jeremiah's distress by emphasizing the gravity of deviating from God's true message, even if presented by those claiming divine authority, indicating that a 'different gospel' is anathema.

1 John 4:1

John's caution to 'test the spirits' resonates with Jeremiah's shock; it underscores the need to discern true prophecy from false, a crucial task when the very foundations of spiritual guidance are corrupted.

Romans 1:18

Paul's declaration that God's wrath is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness mirrors the divine anger Jeremiah perceives, a consequence of both the people's sin and the prophets' failure to address it with God's holy words.

Scholarly commentary

Jeremiah 23:9: "Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness."

Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.

Propter prophetas (alii, ad prophetas, et potest legi ita ad verbum…

calvin

Jeremiah 23:9: "Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness."

The prophet having denounced the wrath of God against the wicked rulers of Judah under the notion of pastors, cometh here to discharge the like trust with reference to those orders of persons amongst the Jews, whose office it was, or at least who took upon them, to reveal the m…
poole

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What Jeremiah 23:9-11 means

Original language

holyקֹדֶשׁ

qodesh · Hebrew Adjective

adulterersנָאַף

na'ap · Hebrew Noun

curseאָלָה

alah · Hebrew Noun

A divine judgment or penalty imposed due to disobedience or breach of covenant. It results in suffering, separation, and physical or spiritual deterioration.

prophetנָבִיא

nabiy' · Hebrew Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely during the late 7th to early 6th century BC, a period of great turmoil in Judah.
Author: Jeremiah, a prophet of Judah, traditionally understood as the sole author.
Location: Written from Judah, likely Jerusalem, during the prophet's ministry.
Genre: Prophetic literature, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address, particularly lament and prophetic oracle.

Historical background

c. 627 BC - 586 BC— this verse

Jeremiah's Ministry

Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah, including the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, witnessing the growing threat of Babylon and the eventual fall of Jerusalem.

622 BC

Josiah's Reforms

King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law and initiates widespread religious reforms, attempting to centralize worship and eradicate idolatry. This period saw a brief resurgence of faithfulness to Yahweh.

609 BC

Death of Josiah

Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo while trying to intercept the Egyptian army. His death marks a turning point, leading to a period of instability and increasing foreign influence.

605 BC

First Babylonian Deportation

Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and carries away prominent citizens and potential leaders, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event signifies the rising power of Babylon.