Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore Yahweh of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
- KJV Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
- NKJV “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: ‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”
- NASB Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says concerning the prophets: ‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood And make them drink poisonous water, For from the prophets of Jerusalem Ungodliness has spread into all the land.’ ”
- NLT Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets that wickedness has filled this land.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God will feed these prophets bitter wormwood and poisoned water, for their ungodliness has spread through the land. Their influence brought corruption everywhere.
Overview
Wormwood and gall are images of bitter suffering and judgment that the false prophets will be made to drink. Their ungodliness has polluted the whole land, making them responsible for widespread corruption. The fitting sentence shows that those who poison others with lies will themselves taste the bitterness of God's wrath, a sober warning to all who handle His word carelessly or deceitfully.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Jer 8:14Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
- Jer 9:15Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.
- Lam 3:15He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.
- Ps 69:21They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.
- Lam 3:5He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
- Rev 8:11The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.
- Matt 27:34they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
- Lam 3:19Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 23:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.