Jeremiah 23:28 · Bible study
Jeremiah 23:28 Commentary: Straw and Wheat, Discerning True Revelation
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah 23:28 contrasts human dreams with God's word as straw to wheat. Learn to discern true prophecy and speak God's message faithfully.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A command to distinguish between human dreams and God's true word, with the latter being of incomparably greater worth and substance.
- Key words: dream (חֲלוֹם), my word (דְּבָרִי), faithfully (אֱמֶת, truth/faithfulness), straw (תֶּבֶן), grain (בָּר).
- Main debate: Whether this verse categorically rejects prophetic dreams or simply condemns false prophets who misuse the form; the context heavily favors the latter.
- Theological theme: Discernment is essential. God's word carries intrinsic authority and purity; human inventions cannot rival it.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of revelation and the responsibility of those who speak for God, with practical guidance for testing teaching.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The prophet with whom is a dream, Let him recount the dream, And he with whom is My word, Let him truly speak My word. What--to the straw with the corn? An affirmation of Jehovah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell the dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream: and he that hath my word, let him speak my word with truth: what hath the chaff to do with the wheat, saith the Lord?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El profeta con quien fuere sueño, cuente sueño; y el con quien fuere mi palabra, cuente mi palabra verdadera. ¿ Qué tiene que ver la paja con el trigo? dice Jehová.
O profeta que tiver sonho, conte o sonho; e aquele que tiver minha palavra, conte minha palavra de forma fiel. O que a palha tem a ver com o trigo?,diz o SENHOR.
Que le prophète qui a eu un songe raconte ce songe,
Ein Prophet, der Träume hat, der erzähle Träume; wer aber mein Wort hat, der Predige mein Wort recht. Wie reimen sich Stroh und Weizen zusammen? spricht der HERR.
De profeet, bij welken een droom is, die vertelle den droom; en bij welken Mijn woord is, die spreke Mijn woord waarachtiglijk; wat heeft het stro met het koren te doen? spreekt de HEERE.
Il profeta che ha avuto un sogno, racconti il sogno, e colui che ha udito la mia parola riferisca la mia parola fedelmente. Che ha da fare la paglia col frumento? dice l’Eterno.
Prorok, który ma sen, niech powiada sen: ale który ma słowo moje, niech mówi słowo moje w prawdzie. Cóż plewie do pszenicy? mówi Pan.
Пророк, который видел сон, пусть и рассказывает его как сон; а у которого Мое слово, тот пусть говорит слово Мое верно. Что общего у мякины с чистым зерном? говорит Господь.
得 夢 的 先知 可以述說 那夢；得 我話 的人 可以誠實 講說 我的話。糠秕 怎能 與 麥子比較呢？這是耶和華 說的。」
If a prophet has a dream, let him give out his dream; and he who has my word, let him give out my word in good faith. What has the dry stem to do with the grain? says the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 23:28
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse draws a sharp line between human dreams and divine revelation. Barnes notes that dreams are to be told as dreams, while God's word is to be spoken as certain truth. Calvin points out that when false prophets compete with true ones, the faithful must not despair but learn to distinguish. Gill explains that the false prophet should tell his dream as his own fancy, not as a message from God; the true prophet, by contrast, has God's word in his heart and must speak it faithfully. JFB adds that the test is whether the message leads to remembrance or forgetfulness of God's name and law. The metaphor of straw and wheat is unanimous: the dreams are worthless chaff, the word of God is pure grain. Clarke warns against mixing human devices with divine doctrine. All affirm that God's word stands incomparably above human imagination.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God's word is to be spoken faithfully as truth, and it is of far greater value than human dreams, which must not be confused with divine revelation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Dreams as a form of revelation | Dreams are an inferior and ambiguous medium compared to direct, revealed word; in this context they are associated with false prophecy. | Some traditions see dreams as a legitimate but secondary means of revelation when tested (cf. Joel 2:28), while others emphasize that here all prophetic dreams are treated as deceptive because of their human origin. |
| The straw/wheat metaphor | All agree that the metaphor teaches the vast value difference between God's word (wheat) and false human messages (straw). | Whether straw represents the dreams themselves or the false prophets as persons; most see it as the content of the false message. |
| Faithful speaking of God's word | The word must be spoken truthfully, without addition or distortion, as a steward's responsibility (1 Cor 4:2). | Debate is minimal; the call to 'speak faithfully' is universally upheld. Differences lie in application to modern preaching and charismatic claims. |
| Applicability today | Christians agree that discernment between human ideas and God's word is necessary. | Some Christians emphasize ongoing revelation (dreams, prophecies) while others uphold a closed canon, but both affirm that God's written word is the ultimate standard (sola Scriptura in Protestant traditions; a role for church teaching in Catholic/Orthodox). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 23:28 sits within a broader condemnation of prophets who mislead God's people (Jeremiah 23:9-40). The passage likely dates to the final years of Judah, during the reign of Zedekiah (597-586 B.C.), when false prophets promised peace and safety while Jeremiah announced certain judgment from Babylon. The context shows that these prophets claimed divine revelations through dreams, a recognized medium for God's communication in the Old Testament (Numbers 12:6). But here the dreams are fabrications, born of their own hearts (Jer 23:16, 26), intended to make the people forget God's name as their fathers forgot him for Baal (v. 27).
Agriculturally, the metaphor would have been vivid for Jeremiah's hearers. After harvest, wheat was threshed and winnowed: the grain fell to the ground while the lighter straw and chaff blew away or were gathered for fuel or animal bedding. Straw held some use but little value compared to grain, which sustained life. The rhetorical question “What is the straw to the wheat?” expects the answer: nothing comparable. In the same way, the word of God is substantial and life-giving; the inventors of dreams are empty and worthless. The verse functions as a call to discernment: let the people compare every message against God's revealed word, and they will see the difference.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 23:28. Translations differ in rendering the agricultural terms: WEB, ASV, and YLT use “straw” (תֶּבֶן), while KJV, Darby, and Douay choose “chaff.” The Hebrew word תֶּבֶן refers to straw as a by-product of threshed grain, often used for fodder or fuel. This variation reflects translation options rather than a textual discrepancy.
Reception History
In the early church, this verse was applied to the testing of prophetic spirits (cf. 1 John 4:1). Medieval interpreters often read it as a call to distinguish Scripture from church tradition, though they maintained the necessity of both. During the Reformation, Calvin gave the verse prominent pastoral attention: he argued that the confusion among prophets in Jeremiah’s day mirrors the conflict between true gospel preaching and human traditions; believers must not despair but patiently examine all claims against God’s written word. In the modern charismatic movement, the verse is used to caution that dreams and impressions must always be evaluated by Scripture. Across traditions, the verse remains a touchstone for the principle that God’s word alone carries final authority and sustaining worth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Dream vs. Word. The verse juxtaposes two sources: “the prophet who has a dream” and “he who has my word.” The false prophet offers a human product; the true prophet carries a divine deposit. The dream is to be told for what it is, not elevated to the level of revelation.
- Speak Faithfully. The one who bears God's word must deliver it with ‘emet (faithfulness, truth). This requires accuracy, courage, and purity of motive. II Corinthians 2:17 contrasts peddling God's word with speaking from sincerity in God's sight.
- Straw vs. Wheat. The rhetorical question drives home the difference: human imaginings are light and insubstantial; God's word is weighty, nourishing, and enduring. The task of God's people is to develop a taste for wheat, not settle for straw.
Five-point outline
- The False Prophet’s Claim. They say, “I had a dream” (Jer 23:25). Dreams here are not necessarily evil, but they are presented as if they carry divine authority.
- The True Prophet’s Commission. “He who has my word”, possession of God's word is both a privilege and a stewardship (I Cor 4:2).
- The Manner of Speaking. “Faithfully” or “in truth” (‘emet). The word must be spoken as it is, not adjusted to please or profit.
- The Test of Worth. Straw and wheat do not mix. The message must be measured against God's character and previous revelation.
- The Outcome of Discernment. The people are protected from error; God's name is not forgotten. The hammer and fire of God's word (v. 29) break through lies and purify the true.
Illustration hooks
- Junk mail vs. a signed letter. Both arrive, but only one carries the authority and investment of the sender. Dreams can feel significant; God's word carries his seal.
- Chaff in a harvest. After threshing, the wind separates the light husk from the heavy grain. Standing by the winnowing fork, you watch the difference become obvious. So it is when God's truth fills the people they begin to notice what has substance.
- Empty promises vs. a reliable contract. A person’s dream may sound comforting, but how does it match what God has already committed himself to in Scripture?
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if a thought, feeling, or dream is really from God?
- When a preacher or teacher says “God told me,” what do I do with that claim?
- Am I mixing cultural ideas or personal preferences into my understanding of Scripture?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 23:28 confronts us with a problem that never goes away: how to tell the difference between human words and God's word. In the prophet’s day, the Temple was full of voices, some true and many false. This verse offers a simple but profound test. The small group can use these questions to dig into the text and apply it to their own lives.
Discussion questions
- What does this verse say about the prophet who has a dream? What is he supposed to do with it?
- What does it mean to “speak [God’s] word faithfully”? What might unfaithful speech look like in a preacher or teacher?
- Why does God compare dreams to straw and his word to wheat? What qualities does each have?
- In light of verses 25-27, what were the false prophets trying to accomplish? How did their dreams lead people away from God?
- How can you use the “straw vs. wheat” test when you hear a teaching or a claim about God?
- Where do you see the tendency to add human opinions or traditions to God's word in your own life or church?
- What does it look like to treat Scripture as wheat rather than straw in your daily decisions?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 14:5 | A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies. |
| Matthew 24:45 | “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? |
| Luke 12:42 | The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times? |
| I Corinthians 3:12 | But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, |
| I Corinthians 3:13 | each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. |
| I Corinthians 4:2 | Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. |
| II Corinthians 2:17 | For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ. |
| I Timothy 1:12 | I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp contrast between a dream and God's word. A dream is simply a dream and should be reported as such, but God's word must be spoken as certain, absolute truth. He compares the two to worthless chaff and pure wheat, asking what they could possibly have in common.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin warns that when false prophets contradict true ones in the Temple itself, faithful people grow so confused they are tempted to abandon religion entirely. God's remedy is a clear command: let those who have a dream tell it, but let those who have God's word speak that word alone, not mix it with lies.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a sharp contrast between human dreams, which are worthless like chaff, and God's word, which is nourishing like wheat. False prophets may claim divine visions, but only the faithful proclamation of God's own word carries true substance and value.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws a sharp line between the false prophet's dream, which he says is merely the fruit of human fancy, and the true prophet's word from God. False teaching is as worthless and insubstantial as chaff, while God's word is solid, nourishing wheat. The true minister must speak that word faithfully, without mixture or concealment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB answers the objection that false prophets make discernment difficult by comparing the situation to wheat mixed with chaff. His point is not to reject all prophecy but to test each claim by comparing it to God's word and law; those that align are true wheat, those that do not are chaff destined to be blown away.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp contrast between the true word of God and the false claims of human imagination. He insists that the difference is as absolute as the separation of wheat from chaff; God's will and the dreams of false prophets have nothing in common.