John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 23:13-14

"And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah." — Jeremiah 23:13-14 (ASV)

These two verses are to be read together, for there is no doubt that the Prophet here compares the false prophets, who had corrupted God’s worship in the kingdom of Israel, with those in Jerusalem who wished to appear more holy and more perfect. And he compares them in this way to set forth those who sought to be considered God’s faithful ministers as being much the worst; for he says that he had found senselessness in the prophets of Samaria, but depravity in the prophets of Jerusalem. They are, therefore, mistaken in my judgment who also take תפלה, tephle, as meaning depravity; for they do not consider that he here enhances by comparison the wickedness of those who thought themselves the best, as they say, without exception.

As for the prophets of Samaria, they had been condemned long ago; nor was there anyone in Jerusalem who dared openly to defend them, for they had departed from the worship of God and had led the people away from the only true Temple and altar. They were then held at that time in the kingdom of Judah as apostates, treacherous, and unprincipled.

But the kingdom of Judah still wished to be considered pure and blameless, and the prophets who were there boasted that they were uncorrupted and free from every spot. The Prophet therefore says that senselessness had been found in the prophets of Samaria—that is, in those who had corrupted the ten tribes and debased the pure worship of God there. But he says that there was more wickedness in the prophets of Jerusalem and of the kingdom of Judah. This was because they were not only foolish but also intentionally subverted all religion and allowed freedom in all kinds of wickedness, so that they carried, as it were, a banner in approval of every kind of iniquity.

We therefore see that Jeremiah's object was to show that the prophets of the kingdom of Judah surpassed in impiety those very prophets whom they proudly condemned; for they were not only senseless and foolish, but had intentionally, as it were, conspired against God and had become open enemies not only to religion but to all laws.

Regarding the words that he found senselessness in the prophets of Samaria, he speaks in the person of God, who is the only fit judge. And he adds the cause of their senselessness: because they prophesied by Baal, and made the people of Israel to go astray. If Jeremiah had spoken only of these, he would undoubtedly have used stronger terms in describing their sin. But as he was contrasting them with those who were worse, he was satisfied with the word 'senselessness.' It is as if he had said, “If anyone were to consider them by themselves, they were indeed very wicked and deserved the most severe punishment; but if they are compared with the prophets of Judah, then they must be considered only senseless and dull.”

Thus, the connecting word is to be understood in this way: “I have, indeed, seen senselessness in the prophets of Samaria;” and then differently in the following clause, “but in the prophets of Judah I have seen depravity.” It is to be read adversatively in this verse and concessively in the former. Then, in the prophets of Jerusalem have I seen depravity.

It follows, They commit adultery, and walk in deception. Commentators think that there is a change of number here; but what if these words are applied to the people? It is as if Jeremiah had said, “When anyone is an adulterer, when anyone walks in deception—that is, when anyone is fraudulent—they strengthen the hands of the wicked.” And, undoubtedly, this meaning seems to be the most correct here.

Then Jeremiah shows how they surpassed other prophets in impiety, namely because they pretended not to notice when they saw, on the one hand, adulteries prevailing, and on the other, frauds, plunders, and perjuries. And not only that, but they undertook to defend the wicked, strengthened the hands of the ungodly, and added audacity to their madness.

For as fear weakens the hands, so does shame. Since, then, these prophets removed shame as well as fear from the wicked and ungodly, so they strengthened their hands; that is, they gave them more confidence, so that they rushed headlong into every evil more freely and with greater liberty.

So that they might not return, he says, everyone from his wickedness. This is added for explanation, for, as I have said, either the fear of God or shame from men might have checked their audacity. But when they were encouraged and supported, they broke out into all excesses and hardened themselves in their obstinacy: So that they might not return, everyone from his wickedness.

Finally, he adds, They shall be to me all of them as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah. We see that the last clause is confined to the citizens of Jerusalem. Then God says that these prophets would be like the people of Sodom, and the citizens of Jerusalem like the people of Gomorrah. This is not to be understood only concerning crimes but also concerning punishment. It is as if he had said that there was no more hope of pardon for them than for the people of Sodom, for they had provoked God's wrath to the utmost, so that he could not now spare them.