Jeremiah 27:16

Translation
King James Version
Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Also I spake H1696 to the priests H3548 and to all this people H5971, saying H559, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068; Hearken H8085 not to the words H1697 of your prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 unto you, saying H559, Behold, the vessels H3627 of the LORD'S H3068 house H1004 shall now shortly H4120 be brought again H7725 from Babylon H894: for they prophesy H5012 a lie H8267 unto you.
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Complete Jewish Bible
I also spoke to the cohanim and to all this people; I said, "This is what ADONAI says: 'Don't listen to the words of the prophets prophesying to you that the articles from ADONAI's house will soon be returned from Bavel; because they are prophesying lies to you.
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Berean Standard Bible
Then I said to the priests and to all this people, “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Look, very soon now the articles from the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying to you a lie.
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American Standard Version
Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Jehovah’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you.
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World English Bible Messianic
Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says the LORD: Don’t listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Also I spake to the Priests, and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Heare not the wordes of your prophets that prophecie vnto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the house of the Lord shall nowe shortly be brought againe from Babel, for they prophecie a lie vnto you.
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Young's Literal Translation
And unto the priests, and unto all this people, I have spoken, saying, `Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not hearken unto the words of your prophets, who are prophesying to you, saying, Lo, the vessels of the house of Jehovah are brought back from Babylon now in haste, for falsehood they are prophesying to you.
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See also
Jeremiah 28:32 Kings 24:13Daniel 1:2Jeremiah 27:10Jeremiah 27:14Isaiah 9:152 Chronicles 36:7
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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 27:16 delivers a powerful divine warning through the prophet Jeremiah to the priests and all the people of Judah. In a period of intense political and spiritual turmoil, as Judah faced the looming threat of Babylonian subjugation, Jeremiah's message from the LORD directly confronts the false hopes propagated by deceptive prophets. These individuals were promising the imminent return of the sacred vessels plundered from the LORD's house in Jerusalem, a comforting but ultimately misleading assurance that Jeremiah unequivocally denounces as a lie, urging the people to reject such falsehoods and instead embrace God's decreed judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 27 is strategically positioned within a pivotal section of the book (chapters 27-29) that primarily addresses the critical issue of false prophecy and the divinely ordained Babylonian exile. Jeremiah's prophetic ministry spanned several tumultuous decades, during which he bore witness to Judah's precipitous decline and the ascendance of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In this chapter, the LORD commands Jeremiah to craft and wear wooden yokes, a profound visual aid symbolizing the inevitable subjugation of Judah and surrounding nations to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. This striking physical demonstration serves to underscore the unalterable divine decree that submission to Babylon is God's sovereign will. Verse 16 directly confronts the pervasive false hope disseminated by prophets who actively contradicted this difficult message, particularly concerning the promised return of the temple vessels. This specific promise becomes a tangible point of contention, starkly differentiating between true and false prophecy. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 27:1-15) meticulously establish Jeremiah's core message of submission to Babylon as God's chosen instrument of judgment, making the warning in verse 16 a direct and urgent application of that overarching theme to a specific, dangerous falsehood.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Jeremiah 27:16 is the early reign of King Zedekiah, around 594 BC. This period immediately followed the first major Babylonian deportation of Judah's elite, including King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of the temple treasures, to Babylon in 597 BC, as vividly recounted in 2 Kings 24:10-17. Judah at this time was a precarious vassal state under Babylonian dominion, characterized by considerable political instability and fervent hopes for a swift reversal of fortunes. These hopes were often fueled by ill-advised alliances with neighboring states and, crucially, by the pronouncements of numerous false prophets. The temple vessels were far more than mere valuable items; they were consecrated artifacts, tangible symbols of God's holy presence and His enduring covenant with Israel. Their removal represented a profound theological and national humiliation, a stark indicator of divine displeasure. Consequently, the promise of their immediate return by false prophets offered a powerful, yet utterly deceptive, symbol of restored divine favor and national independence. In ancient Israel, prophets wielded immense social and religious authority, rendering the discernment between a true message from Yahweh and a human-derived falsehood a matter of national destiny and spiritual integrity.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 27:16 profoundly contributes to several foundational themes within the book of Jeremiah and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it emphatically highlights the critical theme of Divine Sovereignty and Judgment. Through Jeremiah, God unequivocally asserts His absolute control over the course of nations and human history, explicitly designating Babylon as His instrument of judgment against Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant disobedience. The false prophets' message directly challenges this divine decree, fostering a dangerous sense of false security and encouraging rebellion against God's ordained path. Secondly, the verse underscores the pervasive and crucial theme of True vs. False Prophecy. Jeremiah consistently contends against those who "prophesy a lie," meticulously distinguishing his difficult, God-given truth from their comforting, human-derived falsehoods. This vital distinction is a central concern throughout the book, extensively explored in passages such as Jeremiah 23. This conflict necessitates Spiritual Discernment among the people, compelling them to choose between conflicting messages and to recognize the authentic voice of the LORD, even when it demands submission and suffering. Finally, the specific mention of the temple vessels ties into the overarching theme of Exile and Restoration, emphasizing that God's plan for restoration would not be immediate or on human terms, but would unfold precisely according to His timing and purpose, as ultimately evidenced in the post-exilic period with the eventual, partial return of some vessels by Cyrus (Ezra 1:7-11).

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Hearken (Hebrew, shâmaʻ', H8085): This primitive root (H8085) means "to hear intelligently," often carrying the strong implication of attention, obedience, or understanding. In the imperative "hearken not," it is a direct and forceful command to cease listening, to refuse to give credence, belief, or obedience to the words spoken by the false prophets. It transcends mere auditory perception; it demands a deliberate act of spiritual rejection and non-adherence to the deceptive message. The LORD calls for a conscious and decisive withdrawal of trust from these purveyors of falsehood.
  • Prophesy (Hebrew, nâbâʼ', H5012): This primitive root (H5012) signifies "to prophesy," meaning to speak or sing by inspiration, whether in prediction of future events or in simple discourse. It inherently denotes the act of speaking on behalf of a divine power. The repeated use of this verb in the verse—"your prophets that prophesy unto you... for they prophesy a lie"—serves to highlight the profound perversion of a sacred office. These individuals claim divine inspiration and authority, yet their message is diametrically opposed to God's true and revealed word.
  • Lie (Hebrew, sheqer', H8267): Derived from a root meaning "to be false," this word (H8267) denotes an untruth, falsehood, deception, or fraud. Its use here is a strong and unambiguous condemnation, indicating that the prophets' message is not simply mistaken, misguided, or a matter of poor judgment. Instead, it is fundamentally deceitful and directly contrary to the reality ordained and declared by God. This "lie" is not a minor error but a significant, dangerous distortion of divine truth, designed to lead the people astray and away from God's will.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD;": This opening clause powerfully establishes the divine authority underpinning Jeremiah's message. The phrase "Thus saith the LORD" (H3068, Yᵉhôvâh, "the self-Existent or Eternal") is the quintessential prophetic formula, unequivocally declaring that the words conveyed are not Jeremiah's own human opinions but a direct, authoritative revelation from Yahweh Himself. The audience is meticulously specified: "the priests" (H3548, kôhên, the religious leaders entrusted with upholding God's law and mediating His presence) and "all this people" (H5971, ʻam, the general populace, the entire community). This comprehensive address underscores the widespread nature of the deception and the universal scope of the divine warning, directed at both spiritual leadership and the entire nation.
  • "Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying,": This is the central, imperative command of the verse. "Hearken not" (H8085, shâmaʻ) functions as an emphatic prohibition, demanding that the people actively and consciously reject the counsel and "words" (H1697, dâbâr, meaning a word, matter, or thing spoken) of "your prophets" (H5030, nâbîyʼ, a prophet or inspired man). The possessive "your" subtly suggests that these are prophets who are popular, perhaps aligned with the people's desires or political aspirations, rather than necessarily being God's true and chosen messengers. They "prophesy" (H5012, nâbâʼ), claiming divine inspiration, but their message is immediately flagged as problematic and dangerous.
  • "Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon:": This clause unveils the precise content of the false prophecy. The "vessels" (H3627, kᵉlîy, meaning any apparatus, implement, or utensil) of "the LORD'S house" (H1004, bayith, referring specifically to the sacred Temple in Jerusalem) were consecrated items that had been plundered and taken by Nebuchadnezzar during the initial siege of Jerusalem. The false prophets promised their return "now shortly" (H4120, mᵉhêrâh, meaning promptly, quickly, or swiftly) from "Babylon" (H894, Bâbel, referring to the city and empire). This promise was meticulously crafted to provide immediate comfort and a false sense of hope, suggesting an imminent end to the exile and a swift reversal of Judah's fortunes, directly contradicting God's revealed plan for a prolonged period of judgment and discipline.
  • "for they prophesy a lie unto you.": This concluding declaration serves as an unequivocal condemnation of the message propagated by the false prophets. The explicit reason for the divine command to "hearken not" is crystal clear: their prophecy is "a lie" (H8267, sheqer). This is not merely an error in judgment or a misguided opinion, but a deliberate or recklessly irresponsible untruth—a message that is fundamentally false and directly contrary to God's revealed will. It starkly highlights the profound spiritual danger inherent in listening to voices that promise peace and prosperity when God has unequivocally decreed judgment and discipline.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 27:16 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent and authoritative message. Direct Address is prominently featured, as the LORD, speaking through Jeremiah, addresses "the priests and to all this people" directly, creating an immediate and personal confrontation with their choices and the prevailing deception. The iconic phrase "Thus saith the LORD" functions as a powerful Divine Oracle, imbuing Jeremiah's words with irrefutable divine authority and sharply contrasting them with the unauthorized and deceptive pronouncements of the false prophets. There is a clear and stark Antithesis or Contrast established between the true, albeit difficult, message of the LORD (which mandates submission and delayed restoration) and the false, comforting message of the prophets (which promises the imminent return of vessels and quick deliverance). The "vessels of the LORD'S house" serve as potent Symbolism, representing not just physical objects but the very hope, spiritual integrity, and covenant relationship of the nation with God; thus, the false promise of their quick return becomes a symbol of misplaced and dangerous hope. Finally, the Repetition of the verb "prophesy" (H5012, nâbâʼ) in relation to the false prophets underscores the profound perversion of what should be a sacred act, emphasizing that their prophetic activity is rooted in deception rather than genuine divine truth.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 27:16 stands as a timeless and profound warning against the seductive allure of comforting falsehoods when faced with difficult truths, a theme deeply integrated into the very fabric of biblical theology. It unequivocally underscores God's absolute and unchallengeable sovereignty over all of history, even in the execution of His judgments, and highlights the profound responsibility of His people to meticulously discern and adhere to His authentic voice. The divine imperative to "hearken not" to messages that contradict God's revealed will is a clarion call to spiritual maturity, unwavering trust in His overarching plan, and patient endurance, even when that plan involves suffering or prolonged waiting. This passage forcefully reminds us that true faith often necessitates embracing the sometimes harsh reality of God's discipline and patiently enduring His appointed times, rather than impulsively seeking solace in promises that merely cater to human desires for immediate relief or effortless restoration. The integrity and truthfulness of God's word, faithfully delivered through His true prophets, are paramount, serving as the ultimate, unchanging standard against which all other claims of divine revelation must be rigorously measured and judged.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 27:16 offers profound and urgent contemporary relevance for believers navigating a world increasingly saturated with competing narratives, persuasive rhetoric, and a cacophony of voices. In an era defined by instant information, pervasive social media, and the constant demand for immediate gratification, the spiritual capacity to discern truth from falsehood is not merely beneficial but absolutely critical for faithful living. We are perpetually barraged by messages promising quick fixes, effortless prosperity, or simplistic solutions to complex problems, often directly contradicting the patient, suffering-inclusive, and demanding path that God's Word frequently outlines for His people. This verse serves as a powerful summons to cultivate a deep and robust spiritual discernment, grounding our hope, understanding, and actions not in popular opinion, comforting predictions, or human-centric desires, but in the unchanging, often challenging, and always sovereign truth of Scripture. It profoundly reminds us that God's intricate plans may indeed encompass periods of discipline, prolonged waiting, or significant hardship, and that true, mature faith is most authentically demonstrated by our willingness to submit to His divine timing and His appointed methods, even when they are not what we initially desire or expect. Our ultimate allegiance, therefore, must be unreservedly to the LORD's revealed will, not to the enticing whispers of those who "prophesy a lie" and offer a false sense of security.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "comforting lies" might we be tempted to believe today, either personally or collectively, that subtly or overtly contradict God's revealed truth or His sovereign purposes for our lives?
  • How can we practically cultivate a deeper, more robust spiritual discernment to consistently distinguish between true and false messages in the diverse spheres of our daily lives, from media to relationships?
  • In what specific areas of your life might God be calling you to patiently endure a difficult season, to embrace His discipline, rather than seeking an immediate, "shortly brought again" solution or escape?
  • How does our willingness to humbly accept God's difficult truths and submit to His challenging will ultimately demonstrate the depth of our trust in His ultimate goodness, wisdom, and unwavering sovereignty?

FAQ

Why were the temple vessels so important, and why was their return such a focal point for false prophets?

Answer: The temple vessels (H3627, kᵉlîy) were not merely valuable artifacts or decorative items; they were consecrated implements specifically used in the worship and sacred service of God within the Temple (H1004, bayith). They profoundly symbolized God's holy presence among His people and the enduring continuity of His covenant with Israel. Their removal by Babylon was a deeply traumatic act of desecration and a tangible, devastating sign of God's judgment upon the nation and its profound humiliation. For the false prophets, promising the "shortly" (H4120, mᵉhêrâh) return of these vessels was a potent psychological and theological tactic. It offered immediate, tangible hope, implying that God's favor was being swiftly restored and that the painful exile would be brief, thus directly contradicting Jeremiah's difficult message of prolonged subjugation. This promise resonated deeply with the people's fervent desire for national restoration and divine vindication, making it an incredibly powerful and dangerous "lie" (H8267, sheqer) that tragically diverted them from God's true, disciplinary purpose.

How could the people of Judah discern between Jeremiah's true prophecy and the "lie" of the false prophets?

Answer: Discerning between true and false prophecy was a critical and often life-or-death challenge in ancient Israel, and the Old Testament provides several clear criteria. Firstly, a true prophet's message would consistently align with God's established covenant, His revealed character, and previous divine revelations, as explicitly outlined in passages like Deuteronomy 13:1-5. False prophets often promoted messages that contradicted God's law or encouraged idolatry. Secondly, a true prophet's predictions would invariably come to pass, as stipulated in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. In Jeremiah's immediate context, the false prophets promised peace and prosperity when God had unequivocally declared judgment and prolonged exile. Jeremiah's message, though deeply unpopular and personally costly, consistently aligned with the nation's persistent covenant disobedience and the unfolding geopolitical realities, which he faithfully interpreted as the sovereign hand of God. Ultimately, the painful fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecies regarding the prolonged exile and the eventual, but significantly delayed, return of some of the vessels (which occurred under Cyrus, as meticulously recorded in Ezra 1:7-11), served as the undeniable proof of his authenticity, while the false prophets' comforting promises tragically failed.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 27:16, with its stark and essential contrast between divine truth and comforting lies, finds its most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate embodiment of truth, declaring with absolute authority, "I am the way, the truth, and the life". Unlike the false prophets of Jeremiah's day who "prophesy a lie," Christ's words are always perfectly faithful, entirely true, and eternally reliable, even when they deeply challenge human expectations, demand radical self-denial, or call for the endurance of suffering. He did not promise His disciples an immediate return to earthly glory or an avoidance of hardship; rather, He explicitly warned them of tribulation in this world (John 16:33) and called them to the difficult, transformative path of taking up their cross and following Him (Matthew 16:24). The "vessels of the LORD'S house" in Jeremiah's era were physical objects signifying God's presence, but in Christ, the very concept of God's dwelling place is gloriously transformed. Through the New Covenant, believers themselves become the "temple of the Holy Spirit" and are "built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit". The ultimate restoration promised in the New Testament is not merely the return of physical items, but the spiritual, holistic restoration of humanity to a right relationship with God through Christ's perfect, atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-14). Thus, Jeremiah's urgent warning to "hearken not" to lies powerfully foreshadows the New Testament's consistent call to "test the spirits" and to cling exclusively to the authentic voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, who faithfully leads His sheep in truth, even through the deepest valleys of suffering and death (John 10:27).

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Commentary on Jeremiah 27 verses 12–22

What was said to all the nations is here with a particular tenderness applied to the nation of the Jews, for whom Jeremiah was sensibly concerned. The case at present stood thus: Judah and Jerusalem had often contested with the king of Babylon, and still were worsted; many both of their valuable persons and their valuable goods were carried to Babylon already, and some of the vessels of the Lord's house particularly. Now how this struggle would issue was the question. They had those among them at Jerusalem who pretended to be prophets, who bade them hold out and they should, in a little time, be too hard for the king of Babylon and recover all that they had lost. Now Jeremiah is sent to bid them yield and knock under, for that, instead of recovering what they had lost, they should otherwise lose all that remained; and to press them to this is the scope of these verses.

I. Jeremiah humbly addresses the king of Judah, to persuade him to surrender to the king of Babylon. His act would be the people's and would determine them, and therefore he speaks to him as to them all (Jer 27:12): Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and live. Is it their wisdom to submit to the heavy iron yoke of a cruel tyrant, that they may secure the lives of their bodies? And is it not much more our wisdom to submit to the sweet and easy yoke of our rightful Lord and Master Jesus Christ, that we may secure the lives of our souls? Bring down your spirits to repentance and faith, and that is the way to bring up your spirits to heaven and glory. And with much more cogency and compassion may we expostulate with perishing souls than Jeremiah here expostulates with a perishing people: "Why will you die by the sword and the famine - miserable deaths, which you inevitably run yourselves upon, under pretence of avoiding miserable lives?" What God had spoken, in general, of all those that would not submit to the king of Babylon, he would have them to apply to themselves and be afraid of. It were well if sinners would, in like manner, be afraid of the destruction threatened against all those that will not have Christ to reign over them, and reason thus with themselves, "Why should we die the second death, which is a thousand times worse than that by sword and famine, when we might submit and live?"

II. He addresses himself likewise to the priests and the people (Jer 27:16), to persuade them to serve the king of Babylon, that they might live, and might prevent the desolation of the city (Jer 27:17): "Wherefore should it be laid waste, as certainly it will be if you stand it out?" The priests had been Jeremiah's enemies, and had sought his life to destroy it, yet he approves himself their friend, and seeks their lives, to preserve and secure them, which is an example to us to render good for evil. When the blood-thirsty hate the upright, yet the just seek his soul, and the welfare of it, Pro 29:10. The matter was far gone here; they were upon the brink of ruin, which they would not have been brought to if they would have taken Jeremiah's counsel; yet he continues his friendly admonitions to them, to save the last stake and manage that wisely, and now at length in this their day to understand the things that belong to their peace, when they had but one day to turn them in.

III. In both these addresses he warns them against giving credit to the false prophets that rocked them asleep in their security, because they saw that they loved to slumber: "Hearken not to the words of the prophets (Jer 27:14), your prophets, Jer 27:16. They are not God's prophets; he never sent them; they do not serve him, nor seek to please him; they are yours, for they say what you would have them say, and aim at nothing but to please you." Two things their prophets flattered them into the belief of: - 1. That the power which the king of Babylon had gained over them should now shortly be broken. They said (Jer 27:14), "You shall not serve the king of Babylon; you need not submit voluntarily, for you shall not be compelled to submit." This they prophesied in the name of the Lord (Jer 27:15), as if God had sent them to the people on this errand, in kindness to them, that they might not disparage themselves by an inglorious surrender. But it was a lie. They said that God sent them; but that was false; he disowns it: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. They said that they should never be brought into subjection to the king of Babylon; but that was false too, the event proved it so. They said that to hold out to the last would be the way to secure themselves and their city; but that was false, for it would certainly end in their being driven out and perishing. So that it was all a lie, from first to last; and the prophets that deceived the people with these lies did, in the issue, but deceive themselves; the blind leaders and the blind followers fell together into the ditch: That you might perish, you, and the prophets that prophesy unto you, who will be so far from warranting your security that they cannot secure themselves. Note, Those that encourage sinners to go on in their sinful ways will in the end perish with them. 2. They prophesied that the vessels of the temple, which the king of Babylon had already carried away, should now shortly be brought back (Jer 27:16); this they fed the priests with the hopes of, knowing how acceptable it would be to them, who loved the gold of the temple better than the temple that sanctified the gold. These vessels were taken away when Jeconiah was carried captive into Babylon, Jer 27:20. We have the story, and it is a melancholy one, Kg2 24:13, Kg2 24:15; Ch2 36:10. All the goodly vessels (that is, all the vessels of gold that were in the house of the Lord), with all the treasures, were taken as prey, and brought to Babylon. This was grievous to them above any thing; for the temple was their pride and confidence, and the stripping of that was too plain an indication of that which the true prophet told them, that their God had departed from them. Their false prophets therefore had no other way to make them easy than by telling them that the king of Babylon should be forced to restore them in a little while. Now here, (1.) Jeremiah bids them think of preserving the vessels that remained by their prayers, rather than of bringing back those that were gone by their prophecies (Jer 27:18): If they be prophets, as they pretend, and if the word of the Lord be with them - if they have any intercourse with heaven and any interest there, let them improve it for the stopping of the progress of the judgment; let them step into the gap, and stand with their censer between the living and the dead, between that which is carried away and that which remains, that the plague may be stayed; let them make intercession with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left go not after the rest. [1.] Instead of prophesying, let them pray. Note, Prophets must be praying men; by being much in prayer they must make it to appear that they keep up a correspondence with heaven. We cannot think that those do, as prophets, ever hear thence, who do not frequently by prayer send thither. By praying for the safety and prosperity of the sanctuary they must make it to appear that, as becomes prophets, they are of a public spirit; and by the success of their prayers it will appear that God favours them. [2.] Instead of being concerned for the retrieving of what they had lost, they must bestir themselves for the securing of what was left, and take it as a great favour if they can gain that point. When God's judgments are abroad we must not seek great things, but be thankful for a little. (2.) He assures them that even this point should not be gained, but the brazen vessels should go after the golden ones, Jer 27:19, Jer 27:22. Nebuchadnezzar had found so good a booty once that he would be sure to come again and take all he could find, not only in the house of the Lord, but in the king's house. They shall all be carried to Babylon in triumph, and there shall they be. But he concludes with a gracious promise that the time should come when they should all be returned: Until the day that I visit them in mercy, according to appointment, and then I will bring those vessels up again, and restore them to this place, to their place. Surely they were under the protection of a special Providence, else they would have been melted down and put to some other use; but there was to be a second temple, for which they were to be reserved. We read particularly of the return of them, Ezr 1:8. Note, Though the return of the church's prosperity do not come in our time, we must not therefore despair of it, for it will come in God's time. Though those who said, The vessels of the Lord's house shall shortly be brought again, prophesied a lie (Jer 27:16), yet he that said, They shall at length be brought again, prophesied the truth. We are apt to set our clock before God's dial, and then to quarrel because they do not agree; but the Lord is a God of judgment, and it is fit that we should wait for him.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 12–22. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 16, 17.) And I spoke to the priests and to this people, saying: thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying: Behold, the vessels of the Lord will return from Babylon now quickly: for they are prophesying lies to you. This, which we have now set, in the Septuagint is not present: and that which follows, Do not listen to them, but serve the king of Babylon, so that you may live. Why is this city being laid waste? But to the nation and the king, he speaks to the priests and the people, who had already predicted the destruction through the prophets, saying: that I will cast you out and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you. He speaks the same things that he had spoken to the king and the nation, so that they do not hear the words of their own prophets and say that the vessels of the Lord's temple should now be brought back, which had been taken away with Jechoniah and his princes and his mother: and he warns that they should serve the king of Babylon and live, and that the city, which voluntarily submitted, should by no means be handed over to fire. And in this the mercy of the Lord is to hand over to a lighter punishment, so that they do not bear a heavier one. ((Al. wants to hand over))
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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