John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 23:30

"Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that steal my words every one from his neighbor." — Jeremiah 23:30 (ASV)

Therefore, behold, I [am] against the prophets, says the
Lord
The false prophets, with whom the Lord was displeased; he set himself against them, and was determined to bring wrath and ruin on them. So the Targum, ``therefore, behold, I send my fury against the false prophets;''

that steal my word ,
or "words" ^F17 , everyone from his neighbour ;
either from the true prophets; beginning their prophecies as they did, with a "thus says the Lord"; and mingling some words and phrases used by them, the better to ingratiate themselves among the people, and that they might be taken for the prophets of the Lord; as Pelagius, Austin says, used the word "grace", the better to hide his sentiments, and cause them the more easily to be received by the people: or from the false prophets; they privately meeting, and consulting, and agreeing together what they should say to the people, as if they were the words of the Lord: or else from the people themselves; lessening their esteem for the words of the Lord; making them negligent of them and indifferent to them; and causing them to forget what they had heard and received.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F17: (yrbd) "verba mea", Munster, Pagniuus, Montanus, Schmidt.