Jeremiah 23:25

I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

I have heard {H8085} what the prophets {H5030} said {H559}, that prophesy {H5012} lies {H8267} in my name {H8034}, saying {H559}, I have dreamed {H2492}, I have dreamed {H2492}.

"I have heard what these prophets prophesying lies in my name are saying: 'I've had a dream! I've had a dream!'

“I have heard the sayings of the prophets who prophesy lies in My name: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’

I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

Commentary

Commentary on Jeremiah 23:25 (KJV)

Jeremiah 23:25 captures a powerful declaration from the Lord concerning the rampant spiritual deception prevalent in Judah during Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. God directly confronts those who claim to speak in His name but are, in fact, spreading lies.

Context

The book of Jeremiah is set during a turbulent period in Judah's history, leading up to the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah, known as "the weeping prophet," was called by God to deliver messages of judgment and repentance to a people who had largely turned away from Him. A significant challenge to Jeremiah's ministry came from numerous false prophets who offered comforting, yet deceitful, messages of peace and prosperity, often contradicting God's warnings of impending judgment. These false prophets sought to gain influence by claiming direct divine revelation, frequently citing dreams as their source of authority. This verse is part of a larger indictment against these deceivers found throughout Jeremiah chapter 23, where God exposes their motives and foretells their doom.

Key Themes

  • Divine Authority vs. False Claims: The verse highlights God's absolute authority and His intolerance for those who misuse His name. The phrase "I have heard what the prophets said" underscores God's omniscience; nothing, not even secret deceptions, escapes His notice.
  • Deception and Lies: The core issue is the propagation of "lies in my name." These false prophets were not merely mistaken; they were actively deceiving the people, presenting their own imaginations or demonic influences as divine truth.
  • The Nature of False Revelation: The repeated claim, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed," was a common way for prophets to assert divine communication. However, in this context, it signifies a self-proclaimed, unverified, and ultimately false source of revelation. It suggests a personal experience rather than a genuine word from the Lord.
  • God's Jealousy for His Name: God is deeply offended when His holy name is invoked to legitimize falsehoods, as it misrepresents His character and leads His people astray. This concern is echoed in the third commandment against taking God's name in vain.

Linguistic Insights

The repetition of "I have dreamed, I have dreamed" (Hebrew: חָלַמְתִּי חָלָם, ḥālamtî ḥālām) is emphatic. This repetition might serve to convince their audience of the veracity of their personal experience, or it could simply be a nervous or self-important declaration. Unlike true prophets who often began with "Thus saith the Lord" (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, koh amar Yahweh), these false prophets centered their authority on their own alleged dreams, which God here exposes as lies.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 23:25 offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  • Discernment is Crucial: In an age where many voices claim spiritual authority, it is vital to test the spirits and discern truth from error. We must not blindly accept every claim of divine revelation.
  • Anchor in God's Word: The ultimate standard for truth is the revealed Word of God found in Scripture. True prophecy and teaching will always align with and uphold biblical truth. As stated in Jeremiah 23:28, God's word is like a fire and a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.
  • Beware of Self-Proclaimed Authority: Be cautious of those whose authority rests solely on personal experiences, feelings, or dreams that contradict established biblical principles or lead people away from sound doctrine.
  • God Knows All: This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is omniscient. He sees and hears everything, including hidden motives and deceptive practices. This brings both comfort to the righteous and warning to the deceptive.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 23:32 (5 votes)

    Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 23:28 (4 votes)

    The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What [is] the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 29:8 (4 votes)

    ¶ 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.

  • Joel 2:28 (4 votes)

    ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

  • Numbers 12:6 (3 votes)

    And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream.

  • Jeremiah 8:6 (3 votes)

    I hearkened and heard, [but] they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5 (3 votes)

    Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.