Jeremiah 29:9 kjv
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:9 nkjv
For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:9 niv
They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:9 esv
for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:9 nlt
because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 29 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 14:14 | "Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy falsely in my name." | False prophecies originate from God's name |
| Jeremiah 23:21 | "I did not send these prophets, yet they ran a race; I did not speak to them," | Lack of divine commission |
| Jeremiah 23:26 | "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name." | Prophets prophesying lies |
| Jeremiah 29:23 | "They have done outrageous things in Israel... for they have committed adultery with their neighbor’s wives and have spoken lies in my name," | Lying in God's name |
| Ezekiel 13:3 | "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Woe to these prophets who have been following their own spirit and have seen nothing!’" | Prophets following their own spirit |
| Ezekiel 13:6 | "They see false visions and practice divination. They claim, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them;" | False visions, claiming Lord's word |
| Matthew 7:15 | "“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." | Warning against false prophets |
| Matthew 24:24 | "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect." | Deception through signs |
| 2 Peter 2:1-3 | "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you." | False teachers among God's people |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." | Testing the spirits |
| Deuteronomy 18:20-22 | "But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death." | Consequence for false prophecy |
| Acts 16:16-18 | A spirit of divination prophesies about Paul and his companions. | Spirit of divination |
| 2 Timothy 4:3-4 | "For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, in accordance with their own desires, will gather around them a great number of teachers to say whatever their itching ears want to hear." | Desiring what they want to hear |
| Revelation 19:20 | "But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf—the signs by which he had already deceived those who had marked on their foreheads the mark of the beast and those who had worshipped its image." | Deception by signs by false prophet |
| Proverbs 10:19 | "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." | Excessive speech can lead to sin |
| Jeremiah 23:30 | "Therefore, I am against the prophets who steal from one another words from the Lord’s message." | Stealing words from one another |
| Jeremiah 23:32 | "I am against those who prophesy false dreams," | Prophesying false dreams |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | "For rebellion is as sinful as divination, and arrogance as the sin of wickedness." | Rebellion and arrogance |
| Romans 8:16 | "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." | The Spirit's testimony |
| Isaiah 30:9-10 | "For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children who refuse to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!'" | Refusal to hear truth |
| Romans 12:6 | "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then use it in proportion to your faith." | Prophecy in proportion to faith |
Jeremiah 29 verses
Jeremiah 29 9 Meaning
This verse contains a stark warning against deceptive prophecies, distinguishing them from authentic messages from God. It emphasizes that such false words do not originate from God's heart, nor are they inspired by Him, thus possessing no divine authority or power to influence events as genuine prophecy would.
Jeremiah 29 9 Context
This verse appears in the Book of Jeremiah, specifically in a prophecy addressed to the exiles in Babylon. Jeremiah is responding to the proliferation of false prophets who were assuring the people of an imminent return to Jerusalem and the restoration of the Temple. These false messages offered comfort but were contrary to God's actual judgment for their sin. Jeremiah's mission was to deliver a message of judgment but also a future hope, and this included discerning between true and false prophecy. The audience was suffering the consequences of their nation's disobedience and was susceptible to any message that promised an easy way out. The chapter as a whole is about the true nature of God's covenant people and the repercussions of their sin, contrasted with the deceptive messages that led them astray.
Jeremiah 29 9 Word Analysis
- כִּי (ki): "For," "because." It introduces the reason or explanation for the statement that follows, connecting it to the general context of deceptive prophecy.
- נְבִאִים (nevi'im): "prophets." Plural form of "navi," meaning one who speaks forth, a prophet. These individuals were claiming to speak for God.
- נִבָּאִים (nibba'im): "prophesy," "prophesying." Present participle, indicating ongoing action. It means to speak or utter forth, often under divine inspiration.
- שֶׁקֶר (sheqer): "lie," "falsehood." Denotes something that is not true, untrue, deception. The prophets' words were characterized by falsehood.
- וְחֶלְקִי (v'khelki): "and my portion," "and my lot," "and my destiny." The pronounciation can be stressed on the second syllable in biblical Hebrew. In this context, it refers to something that is of the Lord’s substance or essence, something He has personally dealt out or possesses. It strongly implies what truly belongs to or comes from God.
- אִם (im): "if," "whether." Used here in a negative statement of exclusion.
- אֲנִי (ani): "I." The first-person singular pronoun, referring to God.
- לֹא (lo): "not." A negative particle.
- שְׁלַחְתִּים (shlachtehm): "I sent them." Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural, from the root שָׁלַח (shalach) - "to send," "to dispatch." God declares He did not commission these prophets.
- נְאֻם (ne'um): "utterance," "declaration," "oracle." Often used to attribute speech to God, but here it is contrasted by the fact that God did not speak them.
- יְהוָה (Yahweh): "the LORD." The personal covenant name of God.
- אֹתָם (otam): "them." Direct object pronoun referring back to the "prophets."
- וְלֹא (v'lo): "and not." Another negation.
- שָׁלַחְתִּי (shlachti): "I sent." Qal perfect, 1st person common singular, from the root שָׁלַח (shalach). Emphasizes God's direct and personal negation of sending them.
- וּסְמַכְתִּים (usmachtehm): "and sustained them," "and supported them." And conjunctive "vav," coupled with Hifil perfect 3rd person common plural from the root סָמַךְ (samach) - "to support," "to uphold," "to lean upon." This word implies that God's genuine prophetic messages are given with His backing and support, imparting authority and divine power. The false prophets lacked this divine support.
- עַל (al): "upon," "on," "concerning."
- מִצְווֹתַי (mitzvotai): "my commandments." Plural of מצוה (mitzvah). Here, "my commands" could also refer to what God instructs or commands to be spoken. It can imply God's divine directives or pronouncements that the true prophet delivers.
- הֵמָּה (hemmah): "they." Third-person plural pronoun, referring to the prophets.
- קַלּוּ (qallu): "they turned aside," "they stumbled," "they caused to stumble." Hifil imperfect 3rd person common plural from the root קוּל (qul) – "to be quick," "to hasten," but in Hifil often implies causing haste or moving swiftly, and in context here, can mean to turn aside or hasten toward ruin.
- הַפְרִידוּ (hapheridu): "they made firm," "they upheld," "they were strengthened." Or perhaps "they parted from" in some readings/contexts. Here the KJV "they confirmed" or "they sustained" would be the idea. If interpreted as "they were separated/apart," it highlights their separation from God's directives. The more common understanding related to support implies they upheld false doctrines or themselves without divine foundation.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For the prophets prophesy lies in my name": This establishes the core problem: a claim to speak for God ("in my name") while uttering untruths ("lies"). The repeated action of "prophesying lies" points to persistent, systemic deception.
- "I have not sent them, and I have not commanded them": This is a double negation reinforcing God's absolute disconnection from their message. It's not a simple error, but a complete lack of divine authorization or origination.
- "Nor have I supported them": This highlights that their prophecies lack divine empowerment. Genuine prophecy is sustained and backed by God's authority; these false words have no such backing, leading them to rely on their own fabricated messages and intentions. The phrase "nor sustained them" suggests the absence of divine strength and affirmation, which would be present in true prophetic utterance.
- "They turned aside/stumbled because of their sin": This points to the consequence of their false prophesying and their rejection of God's true word. The words they utter become the very instrument of their downfall.
Jeremiah 29 9 Bonus Section
The phrase "my portion" (וְחֶלְקִי) is significant. While traditionally translated as "my portion," some scholars suggest it can also mean "my essence" or "my inheritance." If it refers to God's essence, then false prophecies are not just untrue but are fundamentally contrary to God's very being. They are not simply mistranslations of His will but perversions of His divine character. This highlights the severe nature of speaking lies in God's name – it's not merely an intellectual error but an affront to God Himself.
Jeremiah 29 9 Commentary
This verse is a strong denunciation of false prophets who deceive people by claiming divine authority for their own invented messages. God asserts that He never commissioned or communicated through these individuals. Their words are lies, lacking the substance, power, and authority that comes from divine utterance. Unlike true prophets, who are sent and supported by God and speak His commands, these false prophets operate independently of divine will and thus contribute to the ruin of those who heed them. It is a vital distinction between authentic divine communication and human fabrication masquerading as divine truth.