Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 23:31
Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
31. use ] The tongue is all of which they can avail themselves. There is no first-hand knowledge behind it.
He saith ] This phrase, borrowed from the true prophets, will, they expect, help their sayings to pass as genuine.
By the side of the Party of the Nobles “perhaps opposed to them, perhaps allied with them, in that strange combination which often brings together, for purposes of political or religious animosity, parties themselves most alien to each other, was the great body of the Sacerdotal, and even of the Prophetic order. There were those who directly lent themselves to magical rites who recited the old prophetic phrases, often careless of what they meant.” Stanley’s J. Ch. II. 438.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That use their tongues – literally, that take their tongues. Their second characteristic. They have no message from God, but they take their tongues, their only implement, and say, He saith, using the solemn formula by which Yahweh affirms the truth of His words. Solemn asseverations seemed to give reality to their emptiness.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Some think the Hebrew words were more properly translated smooth their tongues: see the English Annotations. But the next words seem to assure us that the crime for which God here by the prophet reflecteth upon the false prophets, was not so much their flattering people, and speaking to them such smooth things as pleased them, as their entitling of God to their lies, saying,
He, that is, the Lord,
saith. So it may be, though the word might be translated smooth, yet it is her, better translated use.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
31. userather, “take”their tongue: a second class (compare Jer23:30) require, in order to bring forth a revelation, nothingmore than their tongues, wherewith they say, He (Jehovah)saith: they bungle in the very formula instead of the usual “Jehovahsaith,” being only able to say “(He) saith.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the Lord,…. Not another sort of prophets distinct from the former, or those that follow; but the same under another character, and against whom he was, and set his face on another occasion;
that use their tongues; at their pleasure, their lips being their own. So the Targum,
“who prophesy according to the will of their own hearts;”
talk in a haughty and insolent manner, speaking bold and daring things of the divine Being; or in a boasting bragging manner, extolling themselves, and speaking highly in their own commendations; or rather in a flattering way to the people: so some read it, by a transposition of a radical letter r, “that smooth their tongues”, as Kimchi; or speak smooth things with their tongues, to please the people:
and say, he saith; that is, “the Lord”, as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions express it; that so they, night be the more easily believed by the people; but this was highly provoking to God, to father their lies and falsehoods upon him.
r “hic pro” “qui lenificant linguam suam”, Pagninus, Gataker; “sumentes blandam linguan suam”, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He adds, secondly, Behold, I am against the prophets, who mollify their own tongue Almost all interpreters take לקה, lekech, as signifying to render sweet or soft; and they understand that the false prophets are condemned, because they flattered the wicked for the sake of gain; for had they offended or exasperated them, they could not have attached them to themselves. They then think that to mollify their tongue means here that they used their tongue in speaking smooth and flattering things. But others give another explanation, — that they mollified their tongue because they polished their words in imitation of God’s servants, so that their speech was sweeter than honey. But as לקה, lekech, means to receive and to take, and sometimes to raise on high, and sometimes to carry, I see not why it should not be taken in its proper meaning. I certainly see no reason to turn its meaning to a metaphor, when it can be taken in its plain sense of raising their tongue; they elevated themselves, and in high terms boasted that the office of teaching had been committed to them, for we know how haughtily false teachers elevate themselves. Therefore the verse may be taken thus, that God would punish those impostors who raised their tongue, that is, who proudly boasted and boldly arrogated to themselves authority, as though they were messengers from heaven. (114)
It afterwards follows, And they say, נאם, nam, he saith. We know that it was a common thing for all the prophets to add, נאם יהוה, nam Jeve, the saying of Jehovah, or the word of Jehovah, in order to shew that they said nothing but what they had received from above. And if we read this verse as connected together, we shall find true what I have said — that the verb לקה, lekech, does not mean the smoothness or adulation used, but, the lofty vaunting of the false teachers, who wished to be deemed the organs of the Holy Spirit, and assumed to themselves all the authority of God. For their elation was this, that they confidently boasted that God himself had spoken, and said that it was the word; and they did this, that whatever they prattled might appear indisputed, though it was sufficiently evident that they falsely pretended the name of God.
(114) There are those who, with Houbigant, suppose a transposition in the word, the ח being put last instead of being first; and then it would mean to render smooth. But this does not suit the passage. The probable idea is what is given paraphrastically by the Sept., “who send forth the prophecies of the tongue;” they derived their prophecies from their own hearts and their own tongues, and said that they came from God. They took or used their tongues only, and at the same time professed to speak God’s words. Or we may consider the taking or using the tongue as meaning only profession, as though it was said, “who profess and say, ‘He saith.’”
The Syr. is, “who pervert their own tongues,” which means that they used them falsely; and the Targ., “who prophesy according to the will of their own heart.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31) That use their tongues, and say, He saith.Literally, that take their tongues. There is no adequate evidence for the marginal rendering that smooth their tongues. The scornful phrase indicates the absence of a true inspiration. These false prophets plan their schemes, and take their tongue as an instrument for carrying them into effect. The formula which they used, He saith, was not the word for common speaking, but that which indicated that the speaker was delivering an oracle from God. (See Note on Jer. 23:17.) Elsewhere the word is only used of God, but the prophet, in his stern irony, uses it of the false prophets, they say oracularly. This is an oracle.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 23:31 Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Ver. 31. That use their tongues. ] Or, Abuse them rather, to smoothing and soothing up people in their sins: lenificant linguas, id est, blando sermone alliciunt plebem, they flatter and collogue; or tollunt linguam, they lift up their tongues, viz., by extolling themselves, and speaking magnifically of their own doing. As one hath observed of some sectarians among us, that they often call upon their hearers to mark – for it may be they shall hear that which they never heard before – when the thing is either false, or if true, no more than is ordinarily taught by others, and which they have stolen out of the writings of others. a
And say, He saith.
a Dulcorantium, mollificantium. – False prophets soothe and sweeten men.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
say, He saith = uttered it as an oracle. Hebrew. ne’um. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 22:16. Num 14:28; Num 24:3, Num 24:4, Num 24:15, Num 24:16). Frequent in the prophets.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
use: or, smooth, Isa 30:10, Mic 2:11
He: Jer 23:17, 2Ch 18:5, 2Ch 18:10-12, 2Ch 18:19-21
Reciprocal: Deu 18:20 – the prophet 1Ki 22:11 – Thus saith Lam 2:14 – false Eze 13:6 – saying
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 23:31. If the reader will underscore the pronouns their and he, the meaning of the verse will be seen. These false prophets would say what they wanted to then claim that God said it which amounted to a forgery of Gods name.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
23:31 Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, {a} He saith.
(a) That is, the Lord.