Jeremiah 23:33–40

The ’s Burden

³³The Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, when one of my people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the Lord’s message?’ you are to tell him, ‘You are a burden^a to the Lord, and he is going to get rid of you.’ ³⁴If any of my people or a prophet or a priest even uses the words ‘the Lord’s burden’, I will punish them and their families. ³⁵Instead, they should each ask their friends and relatives, ‘What answer has the Lord given? What has the Lord said?’ ³⁶So they must no longer use the words ‘the Lord’s burden’, because if anyone does, I will make my message a real burden to him. The people have perverted the words of their God, the living God, the Lord Almighty. ³⁷Jeremiah, ask the prophets, ‘What answer did the Lord give you? What did the Lord say?’ ³⁸And if they disobey my command and use the words ‘the Lord’s burden’, then tell them that ³⁹I will certainly pick them up^b and throw them far away from me, both them and the city that I gave to them and their ancestors. ⁴⁰I will bring on them everlasting shame and disgrace that will never be forgotten.”