Jeremiah 29:8

8 I, the Lord, the God of Israel, warn you not to let yourselves be deceived by the prophets who live among you or by any others who claim they can predict the future. Do not pay any attention to their dreams.

Jeremiah 29:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 29:8

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel
(See Gill on Jeremiah 29:4); let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of
you, deceive you;
their false prophets, as the Targum; and there were many such in the captivity; see ( Ezekiel 13:2-4 ) ; and such who pretended to divine and foretell future things, and so impose upon the people, who were too apt to believe them; these insinuated, that in a little time they should have their liberty, and return to their own land again, contrary to the prophecies that came from the Lord himself: neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed;
for that of a speedy return to their own land was no other than a dream, which they both dreamed themselves; their thoughts running on it in the daytime, they dreamed of it at night; and fancied it was from the Lord; a divine dream; and so built much upon it; and also which they encouraged the false prophets and diviners to dream, and tell their dreams, by their listening to them, and being pleased with them, giving credit to them as if they came from God.

Jeremiah 29:8 In-Context

6 Marry and have children. Then let your children get married, so that they also may have children. You must increase in numbers and not decrease.
7 Work for the good of the cities where I have made you go as prisoners. Pray to me on their behalf, because if they are prosperous, you will be prosperous too.
8 I, the Lord, the God of Israel, warn you not to let yourselves be deceived by the prophets who live among you or by any others who claim they can predict the future. Do not pay any attention to their dreams.
9 They are telling you lies in my name. I did not send them. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.'
10 "The Lord says, "When Babylonia's seventy years are over, I will show my concern for you and keep my promise to bring you back home.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [Probable text] their; [Hebrew] your.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.