Jeremiah 27:9

9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners,[a] your dreamers, your fortune-tellers,[b] or your sorcerers[c] who say to you: Don't 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 nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will enslave him.
8 "As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague"-[this is] the Lord's declaration-"until through him I have destroyed it.
9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers who say to you: Don't serve the king of Babylon!
10 for they prophesy a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish.
11 But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will till it and reside in it." [This is] the Lord's declaration.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Jr 14:14; 29:8; Dt 18:10,14
  • [b]. Lv 19:26; Dt 18:10,14; 2 Ch 33:6
  • [c]. Ex 7:11; Dt 18:10; 2 Ch 33:6
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