Jeremiah 27:9

9 You, therefore, must not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, "You shall not serve 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 the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.
8 But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, then I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, says the Lord, until I have completed its destruction by his hand.
9 You, therefore, must not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, "You shall not serve the king of Babylon."
10 For they are prophesying a lie to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land; I will drive you out, and you will perish.
11 But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, says the Lord, to till it and live there.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Gk Syr Vg: Heb [dreams]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.