Jeremiah 29:15

KJV

¶ Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

KJV (with Strong's)

Because ye have said {H559}, The LORD {H3068} hath raised us up {H6965} prophets {H5030} in Babylon {H894};

Complete Jewish Bible

"You say that ADONAI has raised up prophets for you in Bavel.

Berean Standard Bible

Because you may say, “The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,”

American Standard Version

Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 29:15 captures the exiles' defiant assertion that the LORD Himself had appointed prophets among them in Babylon, directly contradicting Jeremiah's authentic message of prolonged captivity and the condemnation of false prophets. This verse reveals a deep-seated spiritual rebellion and a preference for comforting lies over the challenging truth of God's sovereign plan, setting the stage for divine judgment against those who mislead and those who choose to believe deceit.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Jeremiah's pivotal letter to the exiles in Babylon, a crucial section of the book (Jeremiah 29). Prior to this verse, Jeremiah delivers a counter-cultural message, urging the deportees to settle down, build homes, plant gardens, and seek the welfare of Babylon, for their captivity would last seventy years ([Jeremiah 29:1-7](/jeremiah/29-1 "Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles")). This directive was a stark contrast to the prevalent false prophecies circulating among the exiles, which promised an imminent return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah had already warned them explicitly not to be deceived by these false prophets and diviners ([Jeremiah 29:8-9](/jeremiah/29-8 "Jeremiah's Warning Against False Prophets")). Verse 15 serves as the exiles' direct retort or the underlying belief that fueled their rejection of Jeremiah's word, highlighting their conviction that God was indeed speaking through these optimistic, yet misleading, voices in Babylon. It sets up the subsequent pronouncements of judgment against these specific false prophets (e.g., Ahab and Zedekiah in [Jeremiah 29:21-23](/jeremiah/29-21 "Judgment on False Prophets Ahab and Zedekiah")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop is the Babylonian Exile, specifically following the second deportation of Judah's elite in 597 BC, which included King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens. Life in Babylon was a profound cultural and spiritual shock for the exiles, who had been taught that Jerusalem and the Temple were inviolable. In this disorienting environment, there was a strong desire for messages of hope and a swift return, making the exiles particularly susceptible to false prophets who catered to these desires. Prophecy was a recognized and highly influential institution in ancient Israel, but it was often corrupted by individuals who spoke from their own imagination or for personal gain, rather than from divine inspiration. The tension between true and false prophets, like Jeremiah and Hananiah ([Jeremiah 28](/jeremiah/28 "Jeremiah's Confrontation with Hananiah")), was a recurring theme, with the true prophet often delivering an unpopular message of judgment or prolonged suffering.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 29:15 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the **danger of false prophecy** and the pervasive problem of spiritual deception. The exiles' assertion reveals their deep-seated desire for a message that aligned with their immediate hopes rather than God's challenging truth, illustrating how easily people can be swayed by comforting lies. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **divine sovereignty in judgment and exile**. Jeremiah's message, which was rejected, affirmed that the exile was a divinely ordained discipline, not an accidental misfortune, and that God's plan for restoration would unfold in His timing ([Jeremiah 29:10-14](/jeremiah/29-10 "God's Plans for Hope and a Future")). By claiming God had raised up false prophets, the exiles were essentially denying God's true disciplinary work. Thirdly, the verse touches on the theme of **discernment and obedience to God's true word**, emphasizing the critical need for God's people to distinguish between authentic divine revelation and human fabrication, even when the latter is cloaked in religious language.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **said (Hebrew, _ʼâmar'_):** From H559, a primitive root meaning "to say (used with great latitude)." In this context, it signifies a strong assertion or declaration by the exiles. It's not merely a casual remark but a firm belief or claim, indicating their conviction that their prophets were genuinely divinely appointed. This word highlights the human agency and the exiles' active rejection of Jeremiah's message.
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** From H3068, this is the covenant name of God, the self-existent or eternal one, Jehovah. The exiles' use of "the LORD" is crucial, as it attributes divine authority to their false prophets. They are not merely saying "prophets have arisen," but "the LORD has raised them up," falsely invoking God's sacred name to legitimize messages that directly contradicted His revealed will through Jeremiah.
* **raised us up (Hebrew, _qûwm'_):** From H6965, a primitive root meaning "to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)." Here, it implies divine initiative and empowerment. The exiles believed that God Himself had actively established and empowered these prophets among them. This false attribution of divine action underscores the severity of their deception and their misinterpretation of God's providential hand in their circumstances.
* **prophets (Hebrew, _nâbîyʼ'_):** From H5030, meaning "a prophet or (generally) inspired man." This term refers to individuals who claim to speak on behalf of God. The issue in Jeremiah 29:15 is not the title itself, but the source of their message. These individuals were indeed "prophets" in the sense that they delivered messages, but their messages did not originate from the LORD, making them false prophets despite their claims and the people's belief.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Because ye have said,"**: This opening clause immediately establishes the exiles' direct assertion. It highlights their agency and the specific claim they are making, which stands in direct opposition to God's true word delivered by Jeremiah. It reveals their mindset and their preferred narrative about their situation.
* **"The LORD hath raised us up prophets"**: This is the core of the exiles' mistaken belief. They attribute divine endorsement and initiative to the false prophets among them. By claiming "the LORD hath raised us up," they are legitimizing messages of false hope and imminent return, thereby rejecting Jeremiah's unpopular but true message of prolonged exile and God's sovereign plan. This phrase underscores the spiritual blindness and self-deception at play.
* **"in Babylon;"**: This final phrase specifies the location where these false prophets were operating and where the exiles were clinging to their deceptive messages. It emphasizes that even in the place of their judgment and discipline, the people were still seeking comfort in lies rather than submitting to God's will. The geographical context reinforces the spiritual struggle occurring far from Jerusalem.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 29:15 employs several potent literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as the exiles claim that the LORD has "raised up" prophets, when in reality, the LORD is about to condemn and judge these very individuals for speaking lies in His name ([Jeremiah 29:21-23](/jeremiah/29-21 "Jeremiah 29:21-23 - Judgment on False Prophets")). There is also a strong **Contrast** between the exiles' perception and divine reality: they believe God is sending comforting messages, while God is actually sending a challenging message through Jeremiah. The verse utilizes **Direct Address** ("ye have said"), creating a confrontational tone that immediately highlights the people's culpability and their direct challenge to God's true messenger. This sets the stage for Jeremiah's subsequent pronouncements of judgment against both the false prophets and those who heed them.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 29:15 is a profound theological statement on the nature of divine revelation, human discernment, and the consequences of spiritual deception. It highlights the perennial struggle between God's unvarnished truth and humanity's desire for comforting falsehoods. The exiles, desperate for a quick return and unwilling to accept the harsh reality of their sin and God's discipline, embraced prophets who affirmed their desires rather than challenging their hearts. This verse underscores that true prophecy, and indeed all divine communication, serves God's purposes, which may include discipline and long-term plans that require patience and faith, rather than immediate gratification. It warns against the danger of projecting our desires onto God and then claiming divine sanction for them, a practice that leads to spiritual blindness and ultimately, divine judgment.

* [Deuteronomy 18:20-22](/deuteronomy/18-20 "Deuteronomy 18:20-22 - Testing a Prophet")
* [Ezekiel 13:3](/ezekiel/13-3 "Ezekiel 13:3 - Woe to Foolish Prophets")
* [2 Peter 2:1-3](/2_peter/2-1 "2 Peter 2:1-3 - False Teachers Among You")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 29:15 offers timeless lessons for believers navigating a world saturated with diverse voices claiming spiritual authority. It challenges us to cultivate a profound discernment, recognizing that not every message, even if presented with religious fervor or promising comfort, genuinely originates from God. Our natural inclination, like the exiles, is often to gravitate towards what feels good or what aligns with our immediate desires, rather than what is true, challenging, or requires patient endurance. This verse calls us to a radical commitment to God's revealed Word, the Bible, as the ultimate standard by which all spiritual claims must be tested. It reminds us that true faith often demands patience, submission to God's timing, and an embrace of His plans, even when they involve hardship or prolonged waiting, rather than succumbing to the allure of deceptive shortcuts or false promises.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "comforting lies" or quick solutions might I be tempted to embrace in my current challenges, rather than patiently trusting God's longer-term plan?**
* **How do I actively discern between true and false spiritual messages in today's complex world? What is my ultimate standard for truth?**
* **In what areas of my life am I resisting God's challenging truth because it contradicts my desires or expectations?**

### FAQ
**Who were these "prophets in Babylon" that the exiles believed were sent by the LORD?**

Answer: These were false prophets who had arisen among the exiles in Babylon, contradicting Jeremiah's message of a prolonged seventy-year captivity. They were likely proclaiming a message of swift return to Jerusalem, appealing to the exiles' desire for immediate relief and restoration. While the verse doesn't name them, Jeremiah 29:21-23 specifically mentions two such false prophets, Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, whom the LORD would deliver into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar for their deceitful and immoral practices. These individuals were not divinely appointed but spoke "a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD" ([Jeremiah 23:16](/jeremiah/23-16 "Jeremiah 23:16 - Prophets Speaking from Their Own Heart")).

**Why did the exiles believe these false prophets instead of Jeremiah?**

Answer: The exiles believed the false prophets primarily because their message was more palatable and comforting than Jeremiah's. Jeremiah's message of prolonged exile and settling down in Babylon was difficult to accept, as it shattered their hopes for an immediate return to Jerusalem and challenged their understanding of God's covenant promises. The false prophets, on the other hand, offered a message of immediate peace and restoration, which aligned with the people's desires and provided a false sense of hope. This illustrates a common human tendency to prefer messages that affirm our wishes over those that confront us with uncomfortable truths or call for patient endurance.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 29:15, with its stark portrayal of false prophets and the people's misguided trust, sets the stage for the ultimate and true Prophet, Jesus Christ. Throughout the Old Testament, the office of the prophet pointed forward to the one who would perfectly speak God's word. Unlike the false prophets in Babylon who spoke from their own hearts and offered comforting lies, Jesus is the very Word of God made flesh ([John 1:1](/john/1-1 "John 1:1 - The Word Was God") and [John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). He did not speak what people wanted to hear, but the truth, even when it was challenging or costly, such as His calls to deny oneself and take up the cross ([Matthew 16:24](/matthew/16-24 "Matthew 16:24 - Take Up Your Cross")). The exiles longed for a return to Jerusalem, but Christ offers a far greater return: reconciliation with God and entrance into His eternal kingdom. He is the one whom God truly "raised up" ([Acts 2:24](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Him Up")), not merely as a prophet, but as Lord and Savior, the ultimate fulfillment of the prophetic office ([Hebrews 1:1-2](/hebrews/1-1 "Hebrews 1:1-2 - God Has Spoken by His Son")). In Him, all God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - All God's Promises are Yes in Christ")), providing the only true and lasting hope that transcends any earthly exile or tribulation.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 1:1

¶ Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I [was] among the captives by the river of Chebar, [that] the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel 1:3

The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

Jeremiah 29:8

¶ For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

Jeremiah 29:9

For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 28:1

¶ And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, [and] in the fifth month, [that] Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which [was] of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

Jeremiah 28:17

So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.