The Branch of Righteousness

23 “Woe ^(A)to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. ^(B)Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. ³ “But ^(C)I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord of hosts:

²⁵ “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ ²⁶ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, ²⁷ who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, ^(E)as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

³⁰ “Therefore behold, ^(G)I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. ³¹ Behold, I am ^(H)against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ ³² Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their ^(I)lies and by ^(J)their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not ^(K)profit this people at all,” says the Lord.

³³ “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is ^(L)the ^[a]oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, ^[b]‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. ³⁴ “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The ^[c]oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. ³⁵ Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶ And the ^[d]oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have ^(M)perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. ³⁷ Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸ But since you say, ‘The ^[e]oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” ³⁹ therefore behold, I, even I, ^(N)will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. ⁴⁰ And I will bring ^(O)an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual ^(P)shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”