Jeremiah 27:16

16 And finally I spoke to the priests and the people at large: "This is God's Message: Don't listen to the preaching of the prophets who keep telling you, 'Trust us: The furnishings, plundered from God's Temple, are going to be returned from Babylon any day now.' That's a lie.

Jeremiah 27:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 27:16

Also I spake to the priests, and to all this people, saying,
&c.] From the court he went to the temple, and spoke to the priests that were ministering there, and to all the people that were assembled for divine worship; either at the ordinary time of it, or at some one of the solemn feasts: this was a proper time and place to meet with the people and the priests; which latter especially had a concern in what he had to say concerning the vessels of the temple: thus saith the Lord, hearken not to the words of your prophets that
prophesy unto you:
your false prophets, as the Targum: saying;
as follows: behold, the vessels of the Lord's house shall now shortly be brought
again from Babylon;
which were carried thither, both in the times of Jehoiakim, and of Jeconiah, ( 2 Chronicles 36:7 2 Chronicles 36:10 ) ; these the false prophets gave out would in a short time be returned; that the king of Babylon, either willingly and of his own accord, or being pressed or forced to it, would send them back; so little reason had they to fear an invasion from him, or captivity by him: for they prophesy a lie unto you;
that which is false, and will never be accomplished, at least in any short time.

Jeremiah 27:16 In-Context

14 Don't listen to the prophets who are telling you not to submit to the king of Babylon. They're telling you lies, preaching lies.
15 God's Word on this is, 'I didn't send those prophets, but they keep preaching lies, claiming I sent them. If you listen to them, I'll end up driving you out of here and that will be the end of you, both you and the lying prophets.'"
16 And finally I spoke to the priests and the people at large: "This is God's Message: Don't listen to the preaching of the prophets who keep telling you, 'Trust us: The furnishings, plundered from God's Temple, are going to be returned from Babylon any day now.' That's a lie.
17 Don't listen to them. Submit to the king of Babylon and live a long life. Why do something that will destroy this city and leave it a heap of rubble?
18 If they are real prophets and have a Message from God, let them come to God-of-the-Angel-Armies in prayer so that the furnishings that are still left in God's Temple, the king's palace, and Jerusalem aren't also lost to Babylon.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.