But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it?
Parallel translations
- WEB For who has stood in the council of Yahweh, that he should perceive and hear his word? Who has listend to my word, and heard it?
- KJV For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
- NKJV For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?
- NASB “But who has stood in the council of the Lord, That he should see and hear His word? Who has paid attention to His word and listened?
- NLT “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence to hear what he is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
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 asks who among them has stood in His council to truly hear His word. The false prophets have no real access to God's purposes.
Overview
Standing in the LORD's council was the mark of a genuine prophet, one admitted to know God's true intentions. By asking who has done so, God exposes the false prophets as having no authentic revelation. This highlights the difference between presumptuous speech and true commissioning by God, affirming that only those sent by Him can faithfully declare His word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Jer 23:22But if they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and turned them back from their evil ways and deeds.”
- Isa 40:13–14Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
- 1 Cor 2:16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
- Amos 3:7Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
- 2 Chr 18:23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
- Ps 25:14The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.
- John 15:15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- 1 Kgs 22:24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
- Job 15:8–10Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
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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 23:18 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
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