Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 23:18
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]?
18. who hath stood, etc.] not meaning that Jeremiah himself had not been admitted to the council of Jehovah, but, as the context sufficiently shews, that this had been denied to the false prophets. Cp. Jer 23:16. Duhm, making the whole passage (see above) to be a 2nd cent. b.c. insertion, holds the writer to be a sober-minded person of that date rebuking those who describe in their writings apocalyptic visions, as beheld by them, “giving themselves out to be as Enoch” of old. But even if that date could be upheld, no writer would then have used words condemning the accepted and the false prophets alike.
council ] a conclave or gathering of His familiar friends. To this, Jeremiah says, true prophets have access. See on Amo 3:7 (Driver) in C.B.
my word ] less well, his word, as suggested in mg.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The prophet now applies this test to the circumstances of the times. A whirlwind has already gone forth Jer 23:19. Had these false prophets stood in Gods secret Council (so in Jer 23:22), they like Jeremiah would have labored to avert the danger by turning men from their evil way.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord] Who of them has ever received a word of prophecy from me? My word is not in them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Who besides us hath known
the counsel of the Lord? arrogating to themselves a fellowship and acquaintance with the mind and will of God. Or, (which I should rather judge the sense,) Which of those prophets, that prophesy such terrible things against this city, is a privy-counsellor to God? The words seem rather to be the words of the false prophets, either arrogating to themselves a peculiar acquaintance with God and fellowship with him, from whence they knew his mind, or mocking at Jeremiah, and other true prophets, as arrogating to themselves such a knowledge of the mind and counsels of God as indeed they had not, than (as some think) the words of Jeremiah denying them to have stood in Gods counsels, or to have known his mind and will. This in all ages hath been the practice of corrupt prophets and ministers, to charge those servants of God who have faithfully published the will of God against sinners as making too bold with Gods secret counsels, though they publish nothing but Gods revealed will.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. A reason is given why thefalse prophets should not be heeded: They have not stood in thecounsels of Jehovah (an image from ministers present in astanding posture at councils of Eastern kings) (compareJer 23:22; Job 15:8).The spiritual man alone has the privilege (Gen 18:17;Psa 25:14; Amo 3:7;Joh 15:15; 1Co 2:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord,…. These are either the words of the Prophet Jeremiah; signifying that none of the false prophets were of God’s privy council, or were acquainted with his secrets, that they could tell the people they should have peace, and no evil come upon them; this they said, not from divine revelation, but from the imagination of their own hearts; for though the Lord does nothing but he reveals it to his servants, the prophets; yet not to men of such bad principles and wicked lives as they were: or rather these are the words of the false prophets; either taking this to themselves, that they were of God’s privy council, and knew his secrets, and ask who were besides themselves; or else insulting the prophets of the Lord, as though they took too much upon them to threaten the people with captivity and destruction, as if they were in the secret of the most High, and his privy counsellors; but that they thought themselves in such a situation seems to be the sense, from Jer 23:22;
and hath perceived and heard his word? or, “hath seen and heard his word?” a seen a vision from him, and “heard” the word from his mouth, declaring the above things? or “seen” what was in his heart, what he purposed and designed to do; and “heard” what he said he would do?
who hath marked his word, and heard [it]? listened and attended to it, and obeyed it? not the false prophets, but the true ones; as the Targum of the whole is,
“for they stood not (or rose not up) that the secret from before the Lord might be revealed to them; and they saw not, nor heard his words; nor did they hearken to his word, nor receive;”
or obey; understanding this of the false prophets.
a “et vidit”, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “qui videat”, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The verse which follows is usually thus explained, Jeremiah condemns the false teachers for their carelessness, because they attended not to the word of God, and regarded as nothing what the Law contained. But interpreters seem to me to have been certainly much mistaken in this view; for Jeremiah here shews throughout, he passage how insolently and arrogantly the false teachers conducted themselves in audaciously opposing the true and faithful servants of God, Who has stood in the counsel of Jehovah? They no doubt spoke thus tauntingly of the true prophets, “What! These announce to you pestilence, war, famine, as though they were angels sent by God from heaven; have they stood in the counsel of God?” Thus I connect this verse with the former, for I am fully persuaded that he refers here to the arrogance which the false teachers manifested towards the true teachers. (98)
Examples of this in our time give a plain exposition to this passage. For when the Papists feel themselves driven to an extremity, when they prevail nothing by clamor and falsehood, they run to this sort of evasion, “He! if we must determine everything in religion by the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel, what certainty can be found? The Scripture is like a nose of wax, for it can be turned to anything, and no meaning can with certainty be elicited; thus all things will remain perplexed and doubtful, if authority belongs to the Scripture alone.” We then see that the enemies of truth at this day, when they cannot otherwise cover their filthiness, labor to throw all things into confusion, and to discredit God’s word, and to introduce such darkness, that white cannot be distinguished from black, that light becomes mixed with darkness.
Similar to this was the perverse wickedness of the false teachers. For Jeremiah and his associates, when they came forth, declared that God’s vengeance could no longer be deferred, for the people continued to provoke it; and they announced themselves as the heralds of God and witnesses to his hidden purpose; but these unprincipled men, that they might lull to sleep, yea, and stupify the consciences of men, said, “Eh! who has stood in the counsel of Jehovah? who has heard? who has attended? who has seen? all these things are uncertain; and though these severely threaten you with pestilence, war, and famine, yet there is no reason why ye ought to fear. Be then easy, and quietly and cheerfully enjoy yourselves, for they do not understand the purpose of God.” And this meaning we shall presently see confirmed by what is said in verse 22, ואםעמדו בסודי, veam omdu besudi, “And if they had stood in my counsel.” There is then no doubt but that he turns against them what they perversely boasted. But it now follows, —
(98) What seems to militate against this view is the fact, that these false prophets themselves pretended to a divine revelation; they announced their message as coming from God. Hence these questions seem to deny their pretensions. He seems to say, “Who of you have been in the council of Jehovah?” The tautology may be avoided without having recourse to the emendations which Blayney proposes, —
But who (of you) has stood in the secret council of Jehovah? And saw and understood his business? Who has listened to his word and heard it?
We know that דבר means not only a word, but also a thing, affair, business, matter, any thing represented or imagined. The verb to “see,” which implies a vision, proves that it means the latter here. Then in the last line it means a message, because it was what was listened to and heard. But the verb שמע, in the first clause, comports with seeing, and understanding is what it sometimes signifies; and in the last clause it comports with listening, which is that of hearing. The Prophet refers to a vision and to a message, or to an affair as set before one admitted into the council chamber of his sovereign, (for this is the representation,) and to a message given to him who is commissioned to transact the business. It is not an unusual thing in Scripture to use a word in two different senses in the same passage; but the surrounding context is always sufficient to make the subject clear. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) The counsel.Better, perhaps, the council, the assembly of chosen friends with whom a man shares his secret plans. So in Jer. 6:11; Jer. 15:17; Psa. 89:7, assembly. Could any of the false prophets say that they had thus been called as into the privy council of Jehovah? (Comp. Amo. 3:7; 1Ki. 22:19-23.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. His word Should be, my word; the Masoretes having changed the person because of the apparent grammatical difficulty.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 23:18. For who hath stood in, &c.] But who hath been present, &c. These are the words of Jeremiah to the false prophets, “Who of you, O false prophets, can boast of having really entered into the secrets of the Almighty? I will shew you very much the contrary. His fury shall burst forth upon you in a terrible manner; your own destruction shall shew the falsehood of your prophesy, Jer 23:19 then shall you comprehend the secrets, and enter into the designs of the Lord. In the latter days ye shall understand my counsel perfectly,” Jer 23:20.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 23:18 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]?
Ver. 18. For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord? ] Quis praeter nos? so Piscator. Who hath, if we have not? say those false prophets, as if they were so many angels newly dropped from heaven.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. Implying that none hath.
counsel = secret council. Compare Psa 25:14.
His. Hebrew text, with Revised Version, reads “My”; but margin of Hebrew text, the Babylonian Codex, with eight early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “His’! with Authorized Version.
heard: or, announced. Compare Jer 23:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
who: Jer 23:22, 1Ki 22:24, Job 15:8-10, 2Ch 18:23, Isa 40:13, Isa 40:14, 1Co 2:16
counsel: or, secret, Psa 25:14, Amo 3:7, Joh 15:15
Reciprocal: Deu 29:29 – secret Isa 5:19 – let the Rom 11:34 – General Eph 1:11 – the counsel
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 23:18. This verse might properly be called a challenging question that the Lord asked concerning the false prophets. Stood in the counsel of the Lord would mean to have taken their stand according to the instructions which the Lord would give. These false leaders had not done so and the verse calls upon them just to name one among them who had done so, and of course they could not point to a prophet of that unfaithful group who could say he had relied upon (he ix>rd for his instructions.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 23:18. For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord? These are either the words of God expressing that none of these pretended prophets knew any thing of his designs, as he had not revealed them unto them, and they could not otherwise know them; or else they are to be understood as the words of these false prophets, who, among other things, told the people, that Gods counsels were not to be absolutely known; and that therefore neither Jeremiah, nor the rest of the prophets, who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, were informed more than others of what God intended to do.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:18 For {p} who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard [it]?
(p) Thus they derided Jeremiah as though the word of God was not revealed to him, so also spoke Zedekiah to Micaiah, 1Ki 22:24 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
They had not taken counsel from Yahweh or received His prophetic messages. They had not listened to Him or obeyed Him (cf. Mat 11:27; Joh 1:18; Joh 8:38; Joh 8:40). The picture of the heavenly throne-room of God is common in the Old Testament (e.g., 1Ki 22:19-22; Job 1:1 to Job 2:7; Psalms 82; Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1).
"It is a word of judgment and not peace that should be proclaimed by one who really knows the mind of Yahweh. But one needs to stand in Yahweh’s council, see what goes on there, hear and pay attention to Yahweh’s word and obey it, to give such a word." [Note: Thompson, p. 498.]