en_tn/jer/23/13.md

# Connecting Statement:

Jeremiah continues to deliver Yahweh's message about the false prophets and priests that he began in [Jeremiah 23:9](./09.md).

# led my people Israel astray

The deception of the people by the false prophets is spoken of as leading them down the wrong path. AT: "deceived my people, the Israelites" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# They commit adultery

Possible meanings are 1) they were literally unfaithful to their wives or 2) their worship of other gods is spoken of as spiritual adultery.

# walk in deceit

This idiom means they lived a life of deceit. AT: "live in dishonesty" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# They strengthen the hands of evildoers

Here "hands" refers to the whole person. AT: "They strengthen those who do evil" or "They encourage people who do evil" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])

# no one turns back from his evildoing

This can be state in positive form. AT: "everyone continues in their sin"

# All of them have become like Sodom ... like Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah were cities that were so wicked that God destroyed them with fire from heaven. AT: "They all became as evil as Sodom ... as wicked as Gomorrah" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# Yahweh of hosts says this

Jeremiah often uses these words to introduce an important message from Yahweh. See how you translated this in [Jeremiah 6:6](../06/06.md).

# Look

The word "look" here alerts the reader to pay attention to the important information that follows.

# I am about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisonous water

Wormwood is a plant that is very bitter and unpleasant to eat. This phrase describes the punishment that Yahweh was going to bring about on the evil prophets. In the same way wormwood was bitter and the water was poisonous, so would Yaweh's judgment be on the evil prophets. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# I am about to

"I will soon"

# pollution has gone out from the prophets

Here the evil teaching of the priests and false prophets is spoken of as if it were something filthy that ruined the land. AT: "evil has come from the prophets" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# pollution

dirty and unsafe things that spoil the air, water, or land where they are found