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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Jeremiah 28:3
Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: -
2 Kings 24:13
And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. -
Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. -
Jeremiah 27:10
For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. -
Jeremiah 27:14
Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. -
Isaiah 9:15
The ancient and honourable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail. -
2 Chronicles 36:7
Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
In Jeremiah 27:16, the prophet Jeremiah delivers a stern warning from the LORD to the priests and the people of Judah. This verse highlights a critical conflict between God's true message, delivered through Jeremiah, and the deceptive assurances of false prophets during a tumultuous period in Israel's history.
Context
Jeremiah 27 takes place during the early reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, shortly after the first wave of Babylonian captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar (around 594 BC). Many prominent citizens, including King Jehoiachin, and valuable items from the Temple had already been taken to Babylon (as detailed in 2 Kings 24:13-16). At this time, other nations in the region were contemplating rebellion against Babylon. Jeremiah's consistent message throughout this chapter, symbolized by yokes he was instructed to wear, was that Judah and its neighbors must submit to Babylon, for it was God's instrument of judgment. False prophets, however, were actively spreading a message of imminent deliverance, promising a quick return of the exiled people and the temple treasures, which directly contradicted God's revealed plan.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "prophesy a lie" uses the Hebrew word sheqer (שֶׁקֶר), which means falsehood, deception, or fraud. This is a strong condemnation, indicating that these prophets were not merely mistaken, but were deliberately or recklessly speaking untruths that were contrary to God's revealed will. This term is frequently used in Jeremiah to describe the utterances of those who speak without divine authorization (e.g., Jeremiah 14:14).
Related Scriptures
The theme of false prophets misleading God's people is pervasive throughout the Old Testament. Jeremiah himself frequently confronts them (e.g., Jeremiah 23:21-22). The importance of testing spirits and messages against God's established word is a timeless principle echoed in the New Testament, such as in 1 John 4:1, which advises believers to "try the spirits whether they are of God."
Practical Application
Jeremiah 27:16 serves as a timeless reminder for believers today. In an age saturated with information and diverse voices, the ability to discern truth from falsehood remains paramount. We are called to "hearken not" to messages that promise easy fixes, contradict the clear teachings of Scripture, or encourage rebellion against established authorities that God might be using, even if indirectly. This verse encourages us to ground our hope and understanding in God's unchanging word, even when His path for us involves periods of difficulty or waiting, rather than seeking comfort in deceptive promises or wishful thinking. True faith often requires patience and submission to God's timing and methods, even when they are not what we initially desire.