Jeremiah 23:31 Commentary: Prophets Who Use Their Tongues

Jeremiah 23:31 belongs to a longer oracle against the prophets of Judah (vv.9-40), likely from the final years of Zedekiah's reign as the Babylonian threat loomed. The passage reflects a crisis: true prophecy through Jeremiah warned of judgment, but popular prophets contradicted him, promising peace. Verse 17 captures their message: 'They say continually to those who despise me, “Yahweh has said, “You will have peace;”” and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, “No evil will come on you.”'

The false prophets used the same formula as genuine prophets, ne'um ('utterance'), but without divine origin. The Hebrew verb laqach ('take') implies seizing something as one's own. Barnes explains they had no message, so they took their tongues. The cross-references to 2 Chronicles 18 show a parallel: four hundred prophets spoke unanimously of victory, but a lying spirit had entered their mouths (2 Chron 18:21). The people themselves were complicit, demanding pleasant words (Isaiah 30:10). The seriousness of the sin lies in misusing God's name: the Lord declares 'I am against the prophets.' The historical context shows that false prophecy was not just bad theology, it led the nation toward destruction by lulling them into false security.

Three-point outline

1. The Source of False Prophecy: They “take their tongue.” The false prophet draws from no external source. No vision, no commission, no word from God, only his own speech. The Hebrew verb laqach implies seizing or taking hold of something as one's own. They treat their tongue as sufficient raw material for a divine message. Application: When religious speech comes only from human cleverness, eloquence, or opinion, it is not God’s word.
2. The Claim of False Prophecy: They say, “He says.” They mimic the prophetic formula. Instead of “Thus says Yahweh,” they give a vague “He says.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls this a bungled imitation. The false prophets knew the right words but had no right to the message. Application: The most dangerous lies are those that sound most biblical.
3. The Consequence of False Prophecy: “I am against the prophets.” God Himself stands opposed to them. Not merely disapproval, but active opposition. This is the opposite of what they claimed, they promised peace, but they faced God's war. Application: It is a terrifying thing to use God's name to support one's own agenda.

Five-point outline

1. They lack a divine commission (v.21-22). God did not send them. They ran without being sent.
2. They rely on human resources. They take their own tongue, nothing else. No vision, no revelation, only their own words.
3. They steal from others (v.30). They take words from their neighbors, perhaps true prophets or each other, and claim them as their own.
4. They use religious language. They say “He says,” the exact formula of divine utterance. They cloak their words in God's authority.
5. They face God's opposition. The Lord says, “Behold, I am against the prophets.” Their ministry invites divine judgment, not blessing.

Illustration hooks

• Claiming divine guidance for personal decisions. Someone says, “God told me to marry this person” or “God told me to buy this house.” When the relationship fails or the house becomes a burden, the claim is exposed. The tongue was taken, but God never spoke.
• Preaching that always says what people want to hear. The false prophets promised peace. Today, messages that promise health, wealth, and ease without repentance use the same pattern. The tongue is smooth, but it does not carry God's word.
• Using “the Bible says” without context. People lift a verse and apply it without regard for its original meaning. They import their own intentions into the text. That is a form of taking one’s tongue and saying “He says.”

Questions your congregation is asking

• How can I tell if a prophetic word or teaching is truly from God?
• Is it wrong to say “God told me” about a personal impression?
• What should I do if I hear a leader using God’s name to justify wrong actions?

This passage confronts us with a sobering reality: it is possible to speak about God without speaking from God. The false prophets of Jeremiah’s day used the right words but lacked the right source. As we study, we ask how to recognise and resist such deception in our own context.

Discussion questions

1. Read Jeremiah 23:30-32. What do the false prophets do that provokes God’s opposition? List the specific actions.
2. The Hebrew says they “take their tongue.” In what ways might a religious leader today “take” their tongue instead of receiving a message from God?
3. Why is saying “He says” or “Thus says the Lord” so serious when God has not spoken? Consider the third commandment (Exodus 20:7).
4. How does the surrounding context (vv.23-24) underline the severity of their sin? Why does God’s omnipresence matter here?
5. What are some modern equivalents of the false prophets’ promise of peace when judgment was coming? How can we test messages today?
6. The congregation asked for pleasant words (Isaiah 30:10). How does pressure to say what people want to hear contribute to false prophecy?
7. How can we guard ourselves against using religious language to support our own opinions? Suggest one practical discipline.