Jeremiah 14:14

14 Then the LORD said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.

Jeremiah 14:14 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 14:14

Then said the Lord unto me
In reply to the above excuse, in favour of the people: the prophets prophesy lies in my name;
it is a wicked thing to tell lies; it is more so to foretell them, and that in the name of the Lord; pretending they have his authority, and are under the influence and guidance of his Spirit; and it was sinful in the people to give credit to them, and the more so in that they were forewarned of these prophets and their lies, and had the reverse told them by a true prophet of the Lord, and therefore were inexcusable. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto
them;
all which are requisite to a prophet, or to a man's prophesying in the name of the Lord; he ought to have his mission from him, and his commission from him; his orders and credentials from him, and the things themselves which he delivers; neither of which those prophets had; nor were they able to make out those things to the people, of which they should have had satisfaction before they believed them, and therefore were highly to blame in giving heed unto them. They prophecy unto you a false vision;
or, "a vision of falsehood" ^F13; pretending they had a vision from the Lord, when they had none: and divination;
soothsaying or astrology, as some interpret it, as Kimchi observes; foretelling things by the stars: and a thing of nought;
which is good for nothing, and comes to nothing: and the deceit of their hearts;
which flows from their deceitful hearts and vain imaginations, and by no means to be depended upon.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F13 (rqv Nwzx) "visionem mendacii", Schmidt; "visionem falsitatis", Montanus.

Jeremiah 14:14 In-Context

12 When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.”

13 Then I said, “O Sovereign LORD, their prophets are telling them, ‘All is well—no war or famine will come. The LORD will surely send you peace.’”

14 Then the LORD said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.

15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine!

16 As for the people to whom they prophesy—their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and war. There will be no one left to bury them. Husbands, wives, sons, and daughters—all will be gone. For I will pour out their own wickedness on them.