Jeremiah 14:14 kjv
Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Jeremiah 14:14 nkjv
And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Jeremiah 14:14 niv
Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
Jeremiah 14:14 esv
And the LORD said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.
Jeremiah 14:14 nlt
Then the LORD said, "These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.
Jeremiah 14 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 14:14 | Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, prophets, and divinations, and the things of nothing and the deceit of their own minds. | Directly relevant theme of false prophecy. |
| Jeremiah 23:16 | “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with vain hopes. They speak a vision out of their own heads, not from the mouth of the LORD. | Echoes the idea of empty hopes from false prophecy. |
| Ezekiel 13:3 | Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! | Condemnation of prophets acting independently. |
| Ezekiel 13:6 | They have seen false visions and divine lies. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ though the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect their word to hold. | Similar accusations of false pronouncements. |
| Micah 3:5 | Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry, “Peace!” when they have something to feast on, but declare war on those who do not put anything in their mouths: | Condemns prophets promising peace falsely. |
| Matthew 7:15 | “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. | Warning against deceptive prophets in the NT. |
| 2 Timothy 4:3 | For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions… | Prophecy of a future where false teaching prevails. |
| Deuteronomy 18:20 | But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. | God's penalty for unauthorized prophecy. |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | my prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests are the rulers by their own devices, and my people love to have it so; but what will you do when the end of it comes? | Parallel statement about false prophecy's popularity. |
| Jeremiah 6:14 | They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. | Further emphasis on false assurances of peace. |
| Jeremiah 8:11 | They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. | Repetition reinforces the severity of the deception. |
| Acts 20:30 | and from among yourselves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. | New Testament parallel of false teachers arising. |
| 1 John 4:1 | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Exhortation to discernment regarding prophecy. |
| Revelation 19:20 | And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. | Ultimate judgment on the false prophet. |
| Jeremiah 14:15 | Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land,’ by sword and famine those prophets shall be put to death! | Direct consequence for their false prophecies. |
| Zechariah 13:3 | And if anyone tries to prophesy falsely again, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD,’ and his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies. | Severe societal consequence for false prophecy. |
| Isaiah 9:15 | The aged and respected man is the head, and the prophets who teach lies are the tail. | Illustrates their lowly, deceptive role. |
| 2 Peter 2:1 | But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. | Explicitly links false prophets to destructive heresy. |
| Revelation 16:13 | And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits that looked like frogs. | Symbolism of deceptive spiritual influence. |
| Jude 1:4 | For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into licenciousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. | False teachers distorting God's grace. |
| Proverbs 26:28 | A a deceitful tongue he hates. | General condemnation of deceitful speech. |
Jeremiah 14 verses
Jeremiah 14 14 Meaning
This verse condemns prophets who prophesy falsely and from their own minds, rather than from God's council. Their pronouncements are deceptive, leading the people astray and contributing to their judgment. The severity of their message, "destruction and calamity," indicates a false hope or comfort being offered by these prophets.
Jeremiah 14 14 Context
Jeremiah chapter 14 is set against the backdrop of a severe drought plaguing Judah. The people, including their leaders, are looking for answers and relief. However, the true prophets like Jeremiah are delivering messages of judgment because of the nation's sin. In contrast, many other "prophets" are offering false comfort and promising a speedy end to the suffering, speaking their own imaginings rather than God's truth. Verse 14 directly addresses this pervasive problem of false prophecy, highlighting the danger of pronouncements originating from human will and imagination rather than divine inspiration. The immediate context is a call for discernment amid a crisis, where people are prone to believe messages that offer easy answers and hope.
Jeremiah 14 14 Word Analysis
וְהָיָה (vəhāya): "and it shall be," or "and it happened." Indicates a consequence or continuation.
כִּי (kî): "because," "for," introducing a reason or explanation.
נִבָּאִים (nibbā'îm): "prophets" (plural of nabî', often meaning "spokesperson" or "one who proclaims"). This refers to those who claim to speak for God.
שֶׁקֶר (šeqer): "a lie," "falsehood." Denotes untruthfulness and deception.
בִּשְׁמִי (bišmî): "in my name." This phrase is crucial, as it signifies a false claim to divine authority.
לֹא (lō'): "not." A negation.
שְׁלַחְתִּים (šəlāḥtîm): "I have sent them" (perfect tense, 1st person singular verb from šālaḥ - to send, commission). Indicates a lack of divine commissioning.
וְלֹא (wəlō'): "and not."
צִוִּיתִם (ṣiwwîtîm): "I have commanded them" (perfect tense, 1st person singular verb from ṣāwâ - to command, instruct). Shows a lack of divine instruction or mandate.
וְלֹא (wəlō'): "and not."
דִּבַּרְתִּי (dibbartî): "I have spoken to them" (perfect tense, 1st person singular verb from dābar - to speak). Means God has not communicated His message through them.
נִבָּאִים (nibbā'îm): "they are prophesying." Present continuous action.
לָכֶם (lāḵem): "to you." The recipients of the false prophecies.
חָזוֹן (ḥāzôn): "a vision." Typically a divine revelation.
שָׁוְא (šāw'): "emptiness," "vanity," "falsehood." Refers to something without substance or truth.
וּקְסֹם (ûqəsom): "and divination." The practice of seeking knowledge of the future by supernatural means, often considered forbidden. The conjunction 'û' is "and". The root q-s-m often relates to occult practices.
וְהֶבֶל (wəhebel): "and vanity," "emptiness," "breath." Similar to šāw', denotes nothingness or futility.
וּמַטְעַמּוֹת (ûmāṭʿammôṯ): "and the things of nothing/deceit." From the root nāṭa‘ (to deceive, trick). Suggests subtle misleading or enticement. The plural suggests various forms of deception.
לִבְּכֶם (libbəḵem): "of your heart" (plural possessive). Refers to their innermost thoughts, intentions, and desires. This emphasizes the self-originating nature of their prophecies.
Prophets prophesying lies in my name: The core accusation. Speaking in God's name without divine authorization.
I have not sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them: A triple negation of divine involvement, establishing the source as human, not divine.
False visions, divination, and the deceit of their own minds: This lists the categories of their erroneous messages, all originating internally or through forbidden means.
Deceit of your heart/minds: Highlights the internal motivation and fabrication behind their pronouncements.
Jeremiah 14 14 Bonus Section
The practice of "divination" (qesem) was strictly forbidden by God for Israel (Deuteronomy 18:10-14), marking the false prophets in this verse as not only deceitful but also as engaging in pagan or forbidden spiritual activities. The phrase "deceit of their own minds" points to psychological manipulation and the allure of prophecies that flatter human desires or offer easy solutions, a phenomenon seen throughout scripture and contemporary religious contexts. The judgment described for these false prophets (mentioned in the subsequent verse, 14:15) is severe, showing God's commitment to protecting His people from spiritual counterfeits. This verse serves as a foundational text for understanding the nature of false prophecy and the responsibility of both the prophet and the hearer.
Jeremiah 14 14 Commentary
Jeremiah 14:14 is a stark warning against religious deception. God declares that prophets claiming to speak for Him are in fact delivering lies, born from their own imagination or illicit practices. They have not been commissioned, commanded, or even spoken to by God. These false prophets offer pronouncements that are empty, deceptive, and ultimately harmful to the people. Their prophecies are characterized by "false visions, divination, and the deceit of their own minds." This reveals a dangerous self-reliance and deviation from genuine divine communication, leading the listeners into error. The verse underscores the critical importance of discerning the source and content of prophetic utterances, ensuring they align with God's revealed word and divine will. The people of Judah, suffering during a drought, were vulnerable to these false assurances, which undermined true repentance and trust in God's ultimate purposes.