Jeremiah 23:32

32 Lo! I to the prophets, dreaming leasing, saith the Lord; which told them, and deceived my people in their leasing, and in their miracles, when I had not sent them, neither had commanded to them; which profited nothing to this people, saith the Lord. (Lo! I am against the prophets, who dreamed lies, saith the Lord; and then told them out, and deceived my people with their lies, and with their miracles, when I had not sent them, nor had commanded to them; yea, which profited nothing for this people, saith the Lord.)

Jeremiah 23:32 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:32

Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams, saith
the Lord
And not true ones, such as the Lord spoke in to his prophets, and which they communicated from him to his people; see ( Numbers 12:6 ) ; and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by
their lightness;
by the false doctrines and prophecies which they delivered, and by their loose and disorderly lives which they led; so that they debauched the principles of the people by the former, and their practices by the latter. Kimchi interprets the word translated "lightness" of lightness of their knowledge; as if it was through the shallowness of their judgments, and want of capacity in teaching, that the people were made to err by their false doctrines. The Targum interprets it of their temerity or rashness; and Schultens ^F19, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, explains it of their pride and false glorying; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them;
wherefore they lied, and acted a vainglorious part, when they pretended they were sent by him, and had their orders from him what they should say; see ( Jeremiah 23:21 ) ; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord;
so far from it, that they did them a great deal of hurt by their lies and flatteries; seducing them from the ways and worship of God, and leading them on in such as would issue in their destruction, and did.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Animadv. in Job. p. 144.

Jeremiah 23:32 In-Context

30 Therefore lo! I am ready to the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words, each man from his neighbour. (And so lo! I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words, each one from their neighbour, for their own use.)

31 Lo! I to the prophets, saith the Lord, that take their tongues, and say, The Lord saith. (Lo! I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who use their tongues, and say, The Lord saith.)

32 Lo! I to the prophets, dreaming leasing, saith the Lord; which told them, and deceived my people in their leasing, and in their miracles, when I had not sent them, neither had commanded to them; which profited nothing to this people, saith the Lord. (Lo! I am against the prophets, who dreamed lies, saith the Lord; and then told them out, and deceived my people with their lies, and with their miracles, when I had not sent them, nor had commanded to them; yea, which profited nothing for this people, saith the Lord.)

33 Therefore if this people, either (a) prophet, either (a) priest, asketh thee, and saith, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt say to them, Ye be the burden, for I shall cast you away, saith the Lord;

34 and (as for) a prophet, and a priest, and the people, that saith, The burden of the Lord, I shall visit on that man, and on his house. (and as for a prophet, and a priest, and the people, who saith, The burden of the Lord, I shall punish that man, and his house.)