Jeremiah 23:32

32 I am against prophets who talk about dreams that did not come from me," announces the Lord. "They tell foolish lies. Their lies lead my people down the wrong path. "But I did not send those prophets. I did not appoint them. They do not help my people in the least," announces the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:32 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:32

Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams, saith
the Lord
And not true ones, such as the Lord spoke in to his prophets, and which they communicated from him to his people; see ( Numbers 12:6 ) ; and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by
their lightness;
by the false doctrines and prophecies which they delivered, and by their loose and disorderly lives which they led; so that they debauched the principles of the people by the former, and their practices by the latter. Kimchi interprets the word translated "lightness" of lightness of their knowledge; as if it was through the shallowness of their judgments, and want of capacity in teaching, that the people were made to err by their false doctrines. The Targum interprets it of their temerity or rashness; and Schultens F19, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, explains it of their pride and false glorying; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them;
wherefore they lied, and acted a vainglorious part, when they pretended they were sent by him, and had their orders from him what they should say; see ( Jeremiah 23:21 ) ; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord;
so far from it, that they did them a great deal of hurt by their lies and flatteries; seducing them from the ways and worship of God, and leading them on in such as would issue in their destruction, and did.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Animadv. in Job. p. 144.

Jeremiah 23:32 In-Context

30 "So I am against those prophets," announces the Lord. "I am against those who steal messages from one another. They claim that the messages come from me.
31 "Yes," announces the Lord. "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues but still say, 'Here is what the LORD says.'
32 I am against prophets who talk about dreams that did not come from me," announces the Lord. "They tell foolish lies. Their lies lead my people down the wrong path. "But I did not send those prophets. I did not appoint them. They do not help my people in the least," announces the Lord.
33 "Jeremiah, those people might ask you a question. Or a prophet or priest might do it. They might ask, 'What message have you received from the Lord?' "Then tell them, 'You ask, "What message?" Here it is. "I will desert you," announces the Lord.'
34 "A prophet or priest might make a claim. Or someone else might do it. He might claim, 'I have received a message from the Lord.' Then I will punish him and his family.
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