Jeremiah 23:17 kjv
They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
Jeremiah 23:17 nkjv
They continually say to those who despise Me, 'The LORD has said, "You shall have peace" '; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, 'No evil shall come upon you.' "
Jeremiah 23:17 niv
They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.'
Jeremiah 23:17 esv
They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'It shall be well with you'; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.'"
Jeremiah 23:17 nlt
They keep saying to those who despise my word,
'Don't worry! The LORD says you will have peace!'
And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires,
they say, 'No harm will come your way!'
Jeremiah 23 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 14:14 | "...they prophesy to you a false and deceptive vision;..." | False prophecy |
| Jeremiah 27:9-10 | "As for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners,..." | False prophets |
| Ezekiel 13:3 | "Thus says the Lord God: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets...'" | Woe to false prophets |
| Ezekiel 13:6-7 | "They have seen falsehood and lying divination..." | Falsehood and lying divination |
| Matthew 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing..." | False prophets warned |
| 2 Peter 2:1-3 | "...there will be false teachers among you... bringing ruinous heresies..." | False teachers |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits..." | Test the spirits |
| Galatians 1:6-9 | "I am astonished that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you..." | Different gospel |
| Revelation 13:13-14 | "He performed signs by which he deceived those who dwelt on earth..." | Deceptive signs |
| Romans 16:17 | "I urge you, brothers, to keep an eye on those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them." | Causing divisions |
| Acts 20:29-30 | "I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves." | Fierce wolves |
| 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 | "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." | False apostles |
| Isaiah 30:10 | "who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; tell us smooth things, prophesy illusions,’" | Desire for false prophecy |
| Micah 3:5 | "Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray..." | Leading people astray |
| Amos 7:12-13 | "And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah... But prophesy no more at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.’" | Opposition to prophets |
| Deuteronomy 18:20-22 | "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak... that prophet shall die." | Penalty for false prophecy |
| Zechariah 13:3 | "And if anyone else should prophesy, his father and his mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord,’" | Condemnation of lies |
| Hosea 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me..." | Lack of knowledge |
| Jeremiah 23:21 | "I did not send these prophets, yet they ran. I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied." | Unsent prophets |
| Jeremiah 6:14 | "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace." | False peace |
Jeremiah 23 verses
Jeremiah 23 17 Meaning
The Lord declares that He has seen those who spread false prophecy, promising peace and prosperity without just cause or divine authority.
Jeremiah 23 17 Context
Jeremiah 23 occurs within Jeremiah's ministry as a prophet to Judah during a turbulent period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile. This chapter specifically addresses the issue of false prophets who were misleading the people with comforting but deceptive messages, contrary to the severe warnings of judgment that God had sent through Jeremiah and others. The people preferred these "smooth" messages that promised peace and prosperity, ignoring the consequences of their sin and idolatry. Jeremiah's prophecy stands in stark contrast to these false assurances, emphasizing the true nature of God's judgment and the coming restoration that would only come through repentance.
Jeremiah 23 17 Word Analysis
- "I have seen" (Ra'ah - רָאָה): Hebrew for "to see," "to behold," or "to perceive." God's omniscience; He observes the actions of the false prophets. It implies not just visual observation but deep awareness and judgment.
- "the prophets" (Nevi'im - נְבִיאִים): Plural of "prophet" (Nabi - נָבִיא), one who speaks for God. Here, it refers to those claiming prophetic authority but not divinely appointed.
- "that prophesy" (Meqablu nebhu'ah - מְקַבְּלִים נְבוּאָה): Lit. "receiving prophecy." Refers to their claiming to receive messages from God.
- "lies" (Sheqer - שֶׁקֶר): Hebrew for falsehood, deception, untruth. Directly denotes the baseless nature of their messages.
- "in my name" (Beshemi - בִּשְׁמִי): A critical phrase indicating the misuse of God's authority and reputation to validate their false pronouncements. This makes their sin even graver.
- "for I did not send them" (Ki lo shalahtî 'otam - כִּי לֹא שָׁלַחְתִּי אוֹתָם): God's direct refutation of their claimed mandate. They lacked divine authorization for their words.
- "neither did I command them" (Velo tsivvîti 'othêm - וְלֹא צִוִּיתִי אוֹתָם): Reinforces their lack of divine instruction. Their prophecies were self-generated or inspired by other sources.
- "neither did I speak to them" (Velo dibarti 'itthem - וְלֹא דִבַּרְתִּי אִתָּם): Underscores their lack of divine communication. No prophetic dialogue occurred.
- "They prophesy" (Meqablu nebhu'ah - מְקַבְּלִים נְבוּאָה): Repeating the claim of receiving prophecy.
- "false vision" (Makhazeh sheqer - מַחֲזֵה שֶׁקֶר): Refers to a deceptive or misleading divine revelation.
- "and divination" (uNegufezim - וּנְגוּפוֹת): Hebrew term related to fortune-telling or divination, suggesting occult or pagan influences behind their "prophecies."
- "and of the deceivableness of their heart" (u-ma'azzrê libbam - וּמַעֲזְרֵי לִבָּם): The inner deceit originating from their own hearts, influenced by sin and self-interest. Their own will corrupts any perceived divine impulse.
- "and the deceiving of their heart": Indicates their own spiritual delusion, leading them to believe their lies or to willingly propagate them.
Jeremiah 23 17 Bonus Section
The phrase "in my name" carries significant weight, as invoking God's name in a misleading way constitutes a violation of the Third Commandment (Exodus 20:7). The "deceivableness of their heart" highlights the internal corruption that often fuels external deception. True prophets, like Jeremiah, often resisted popular opinion and proclaimed unpopular truths out of obedience to God, not personal desire. The context of Jeremiah's ministry shows that such false assurances often embolden people in their sin, delaying repentance and making the eventual judgment all the more severe.
Jeremiah 23 17 Commentary
This verse serves as a powerful indictment of religious leaders and individuals who, claiming to speak for God, deliver messages that do not align with His revealed will. The emphasis on "I did not send them" and "I did not speak to them" is crucial: true prophecy originates from God's initiative and commission. These false prophets were motivated by their own desires and the people's preference for comforting lies over challenging truths. They built their authority on falsehoods, leading the people away from true repentance and covenant faithfulness. The danger lies not only in their deception but also in the willing acceptance of these lies by those who seek easy answers. This principle applies to any teaching or prophecy that bypasses God's explicit word or promotes a gospel contrary to the biblical foundation. The ultimate judgment falls upon those who corrupt divine truth for personal gain or popular appeal.