Jeremiah 27 10

Jeremiah 27:10 kjv

For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

Jeremiah 27:10 nkjv

For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish.

Jeremiah 27:10 niv

They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish.

Jeremiah 27:10 esv

For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish.

Jeremiah 27:10 nlt

They are all liars, and their lies will lead to your being driven out of your land. I will drive you out and send you far away to die.

Jeremiah 27 verses

Jeremiah 27 10 meaning

Jeremiah 27:10 declares the Lord's authoritative judgment on the false prophets of Judah, emphatically stating that He did not commission them. Their continuous pronouncements of "peace" and "deliverance" were lies, designed to mislead the people away from the truth spoken by Jeremiah, specifically concerning submission to Babylon. The verse then reveals the ultimate, tragic purpose served by these lies: by leading the people into defiance and false hope, the false prophets inadvertently facilitated God's predetermined judgment of exiling Judah from their land and causing them to perish in the Babylonian captivity, a consequence for their continued disobedience.

Jeremiah 27 10 Context

Jeremiah 27 occurs during the early reign of King Zedekiah, the final king of Judah, shortly before the eventual destruction of Jerusalem and the full Babylonian exile. Jeremiah is instructed by the Lord to make and wear yokes (physical symbols of submission) and send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, as well as to King Zedekiah. The message is uniform: Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, is God's servant, and all these nations, including Judah, are commanded by the Lord to submit to his authority. Any nation that resists will face severe judgment by sword, famine, and plague (Jer 27:6-8). The immediate preceding verse (Jer 27:9) warns the people not to listen to their own prophets, diviners, dreamers, fortune-tellers, or sorcerers who assure them they will not serve the king of Babylon. Verse 10 directly amplifies this warning, specifying why those prophetic voices should be rejected – because they were not sent by God and their messages were lies leading to ruin.

Jeremiah 27 10 Word analysis

• "for I have not sent them," (כִּי לֹא־שְׁלַחְתִּים – ki lo-shelach-tim)
  • ki (כִּי): "for" or "because," introduces the reason for the command in the previous verse (not to listen to them).
  • lo (לֹא): A strong negative, "not." It directly negates divine commissioning.
  • shelachtim (שְׁלַחְתִּים): Form of the verb "שָׁלַח" (shalach), meaning "to send." The "תִּים" ending is the first-person singular "I" (subject) and third-person masculine plural "them" (object), indicating "I have sent them." The combined lo-shelachtim is "I have not sent them." This highlights the crucial criterion for true prophecy: divine authorization and appointment.
• "declares the Lord," (נְאֻם־יְהוָה – neum Yahweh)
  • neum (נְאֻם): A solemn, authoritative declaration, often used for prophetic oracles. It means "utterance" or "declaration."
  • Yahweh (יְהוָה): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal involvement, authority, and truthfulness, especially in contrast to the falsehood being spoken. It validates the statement as genuinely divine.
• "but they are prophesying" (וְהֵם מִנַּבְּאִים – vehem minnabbe'im)
  • vehem (וְהֵם): "and they," serving as "but they" in contrast.
  • minnabbe'im (מִנַּבְּאִים): From the verb "נָבָא" (naba), meaning "to prophesy." This is a participle, indicating ongoing action: "they are continually prophesying." This shows the pervasive nature of their false messages.
• "lies to you," (שֶׁקֶר לָכֶם – sheqer lachem)
  • sheqer (שֶׁקֶר): A key term meaning "falsehood," "deception," "lie," "vanity," or "worthlessness." It implies an intentional or deluded departure from truth. This word defines the content of the false prophecy, directly contrasting it with the truth of God's word.
  • lachem (לָכֶם): "to you," addressing the people of Judah directly as the recipients of this harmful deception.
• "so that I may drive you out" (לְמַעַן הַדִּיחִי אֶתְכֶם – lema'an haddichi etchem)
  • lema'an (לְמַעַן): "in order that," "so that," or "with the result that." This crucial conjunction expresses the purpose or ultimate consequence of the false prophecies, linking them to God's plan. It indicates divine agency.
  • haddichi (הַדִּיחִי): From the verb "נָדַח" (nadach), often causative, meaning "to thrust out," "expel," or "drive away." In this context, it refers to the exile, specifically the forced removal from the land of Judah. The suffix "ִי" indicates first person "I" as the subject. God declares Himself the ultimate agent of their expulsion.
  • etchem (אֶתְכֶם): "you" (masculine plural object), again addressing the people.
• "and you may perish." (וַאֲבַדְתֶּם – va'avadtchem)
  • va'avadtchem (וַאֲבַדְתֶּם): From the verb "אָבַד" (avad), meaning "to perish," "be lost," or "be destroyed." This indicates a catastrophic end, not just physically but in terms of national identity, sovereignty, and religious order as known. The "תֶּם" indicates second person masculine plural "you" (subject), forming "you perish" or "you will be destroyed."

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "for I have not sent them," declares the Lord, "but they are prophesying lies to you": This phrase starkly highlights the conflict of authority. The true source of prophetic power (the Lord) explicitly disowns the false prophets. Their messages are therefore self-generated or deceptively inspired, devoid of divine truth and intent, directly contradicting Jeremiah's God-given word about submission to Babylon. This contrasts the truth of divine revelation with the deceit of human invention.
• "so that I may drive you out and you may perish.": This critical consequence clause reveals a profound theological irony. The lies of the false prophets, which promise peace and non-exile, become the very means by which God carries out His decreed judgment of exile and destruction. By clinging to comforting lies over harsh truth, the people seal their own doom. It indicates God's sovereign hand in judgment, using the agency of false prophecy and the people's willingness to believe it as a catalyst for the promised outcome of disobedience. It's not that God commands the lies, but He allows the lies to contribute to the hardening of hearts that leads to the already declared judgment.

Jeremiah 27 10 Bonus section

The concept of God using human sin or deception, not by commissioning it but by incorporating its consequences into His ultimate plan, is a complex theological point illustrated here. The false prophets are culpable for lying, and the people are culpable for listening. Yet, God's decree of judgment will stand, even utilizing their choices. This dynamic emphasizes human responsibility within divine sovereignty. The people were given clear alternatives – Jeremiah's message of submission for survival, or the false prophets' message of defiance leading to ruin. Their choice to embrace "peace" when God declared war ultimately sealed their fate, echoing earlier covenant warnings (Lev 26, Deut 28) regarding obedience leading to blessing, and disobedience to cursing and exile.

Jeremiah 27 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 27:10 acts as a severe indictment from God against false prophets and a stark warning to the people who heed them. God explicitly distances Himself from these self-proclaimed messengers, clarifying that their prophecies of peace and resistance to Babylon are absolute falsehoods (sheqer), not divinely inspired. The verse underscores a tragic paradox: the very lies offering false hope of avoiding exile will ultimately facilitate God's judgment, causing the people to be driven out and perish. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over all events, even the deceptive acts of humans, aligning them to serve His greater purpose of chastisement for chronic rebellion. It powerfully illustrates the destructive nature of believing convenient lies over inconvenient truth, especially when that truth comes directly from the Lord through His legitimate messengers.