Jeremiah 27:9

9 "'So don't for a minute listen to all your prophets and spiritualists and fortunetellers, who claim to know the future and who tell you not to give in to the king of Babylon.

Jeremiah 27:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 27:9

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets
False prophets, as the Targum. These words are not directed to the Jews, but are a continuation of what the messengers of the nations should say to their masters from the God of Israel, by the mouth of his prophet; for they had their prophets as well as the Jews; as the prophets of Baal, and others: nor to your diviners;
or soothsayers; such an one as was Balaam: nor to your dreamers;
or "dreams"; such as they had themselves, and laid great stress upon; or to those who pretended to interpret them to them: nor to your enchanters;
or stargazers; astrologers, who pretended by the position of the stars to foretell what would come to pass: nor to your sorcerers;
or wizards, or necromancers; who, by unlawful methods, pretended to acquire knowledge of future things: which speak unto you, saying, ye shall not serve the king of Babylon;
meaning, either that they ought not to become tributary to him; or they should not be brought into subjection by him: and so were stirred up to oppose him, and not submit to him.

Jeremiah 27:9 In-Context

7 All nations will be under him, then his son, and then his grandson. Then his country's time will be up and the tables will be turned: Babylon will be the underdog servant.
8 But until then, any nation or kingdom that won't submit to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon must take the yoke of the king of Babylon and harness up. I'll punish that nation with war and starvation and disease until I've got them where I want them.
9 "'So don't for a minute listen to all your prophets and spiritualists and fortunetellers, who claim to know the future and who tell you not to give in to the king of Babylon.
10 They're handing you a line of lies, barefaced lies, that will end up putting you in exile far from home. I myself will drive you out of your lands, and that'll be the end of you.
11 But the nation that accepts the yoke of the king of Babylon and does what he says, I'll let that nation stay right where it is, minding its own business.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.