The Meaning of Jeremiah 23:11 Explained

Jeremiah 23:11

KJV: For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

YLT: For both prophet and priest have been profane, Yea, in My house I found their wickedness, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: For both prophet and priest are profane: even in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah.

ASV: for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For both prophet  and priest  are profane;  yea, in my house  have I found  their wickedness,  saith  the LORD. 

What does Jeremiah 23:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord announced that both prophets and priests were polluted with unfaithfulness. They even practiced their wickedness in the temple, where of all places they should have been faithful to the Lord (cf. 2 Kings 21:3-7; 2 Kings 23:4-7; Ezekiel 8).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 23:1-12 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth.
Jeremiah 23:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 23

1  He prophesies a restoration of the scattered flock
5  Christ shall rule and save them
9  Against false prophets;
33  and mockers of the true prophets

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 23:11 mean?

For both prophet and priest are profane Yes in My house I have found their wickedness Says Yahweh
כִּֽי־ גַם־ נָבִ֥יא גַם־ כֹּהֵ֖ן חָנֵ֑פוּ גַּם־ בְּבֵיתִ֛י מָצָ֥אתִי רָעָתָ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה

גַם־  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
נָבִ֥יא  prophet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
כֹּהֵ֖ן  priest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
חָנֵ֑פוּ  are  profane 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָנֵף  
Sense: to be profaned, be defiled, be polluted, be corrupt.
גַּם־  Yes 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בְּבֵיתִ֛י  in  My  house 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מָצָ֥אתִי  I  have  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
רָעָתָ֖ם  their  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
נְאֻם־  Says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.