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.