Jeremiah 23:26

26 How long is this thing in the heart of (the) prophets, prophesying leasing (prophesying lies), and prophesying the deceit of their (own) heart?

Jeremiah 23:26 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:26

How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that
prophesy lies?
&c.] To invent such lies, and deceive the people, and turn them away from God; agreeably to the preceding and following verses: this shows that this was not through ignorance and inadvertence; it was a meditated and studied thing by them; they contrived it in their hearts, and they were resolute and bent upon it, and took much delight and pleasure in it; their hearts were in it, and it was in them to do as they did; and in this way they had been long, but should continue no longer. Or the words may be rendered, "how long?"

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 and a stop be put there, being a short abrupt expression, like that in ( Psalms 6:3 ) ; and the sense be, how long shall they go on thus, pretending to dreams, and visions, and revelations from the Lord, and so impose upon the people? shall they always go on after this manner? no, they shall not: and then the next words may be read, "is there any thing in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies?" ^F9 nothing that is good; truth is not there; nothing but lies and deceit; the word of God is not there, as it is with the true prophet of the Lord, "he that hath my word", as in ( Jeremiah 23:28 ) ; there is no fear of God, nor knowledge of him and his will, nor faith in him, nor love to him, or any regard to his honour and glory; yea, [they are] prophets of the deceit of their own hearts;
they prophesy nothing but what their own deceitful hearts suggest to them, whereby they are deceived themselves, and deceive others, ( 2 Timothy 3:13 ) .
F8 (ytm de) "quousque?" Cocceius, Schmidt; "quousque tandem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "usque quando?" De Dieu.
F9 (Myabnh blb vyh) "an est in corde prophetarum?", De Dieu, Gataker, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 23:26 In-Context

24 A man shall not be privy in hid places, and I shall not see him, saith the Lord. Whether I fill not heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Shall a man hide himself in a secret place, and shall I not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and the earth? saith the Lord.)

25 I heard what things the prophets said, prophesying leasing in my name (prophesying lies in my name), and saying, I dreamed dreams.

26 How long is this thing in the heart of (the) prophets, prophesying leasing (prophesying lies), and prophesying the deceit of their (own) heart?

27 Which will make, that my people forget my name for the dreams of them, which each man telleth to his neighbour, as the fathers of them forgat my name for Baal. (Who desire to make my people forget my name by their dreams, which each person telleth to his neighbour, like their forefathers forgot my name for Baal.)

28 A prophet that hath a dream, tell a dream; and he that hath my word, speak verily my word (A prophet who hath a dream, tell a dream; and he who hath my word, truthfully speak my word). What is with [the] chaffs to the wheat? saith the Lord.