Zechariah 10:2 kjv
For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
Zechariah 10:2 nkjv
For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.
Zechariah 10:2 niv
The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Zechariah 10:2 esv
For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.
Zechariah 10:2 nlt
Household gods give worthless advice,
fortune-tellers predict only lies,
and interpreters of dreams pronounce
falsehoods that give no comfort.
So my people are wandering like lost sheep;
they are attacked because they have no shepherd.
Zechariah 10 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zechariah 10:2 | "For the teraphim speak iniquity, and the diviners vision of lies; they tell dreams of vanity: they comfort in vain: therefore they removed in exile." | Direct statement of the verse |
| Jeremiah 14:14 | "Then the LORD said to me, 'The prophets prophesy falsely in my name. I have not sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoken to them. They prophesy to you a false vision, a worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.'" | False prophets' messages |
| Jeremiah 23:26 | "'As for the prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream. But he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What has the straw in common with the wheat?' declares the LORD." | True prophecy vs. false prophecy |
| Ezekiel 13:6 | "'They have seen false visions and practiced lying divination. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect their word to be fulfilled.'" | Lying prophets' claims |
| Micah 3:11 | "Her heads give judgment for a bribe; her priests teach for hire; her prophets practice divination. Yet they lean on the LORD and say, 'Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity shall not come upon us.'" | Priests and prophets seeking gain |
| Acts 16:16 | "As we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of Python, who for a long time had brought great profit to her masters by her fortune-telling." | Fortune-telling for profit |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and . . . insolence as an iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." | Rebellion equated to divination |
| Deuteronomy 18:10-12 | "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD." | Prohibition of divination |
| 2 Kings 23:24 | "And Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD." | Removal of idolatrous practices |
| Isaiah 44:25 | "The LORD foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners. He confounds the wise by turning their wisdom into foolishness." | God's judgment on false prophets |
| Psalm 115:5 | "They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;" | Inanimate idols |
| Psalm 135:15-17 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths." | Lifeless idols |
| Acts 19:35 | "But the city clerk quieted the crowd and said, 'Men of Ephesus, what man is there that does not know that this city is a worshiper of the great goddess Artemis and of the image that fell from heaven?'" | Idol worship |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction, and my people love to have it so! But what will you do when the end of the matter comes?" | People loving false prophecy |
| Leviticus 19:31 | "Do not turn to mediums or to spiritists; do not seek them out and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God." | Warning against mediums |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Beloved, 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." | Discernment of spirits |
| Matthew 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Warning against false prophets |
| Revelation 13:13 | "He performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of the people," | False signs and wonders |
| Revelation 18:23 | "and the light of a lamp shall not be permitted to shine in you at all, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall not be heard in you at all, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery." | Deception through sorcery |
| Ezekiel 34:2-4 | "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, against the shepherds and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves: Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep." | Corrupt shepherds |
| 1 Kings 22:22-23 | "And a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do this.’" | God allowing lying spirits |
Zechariah 10 verses
Zechariah 10 2 Meaning
This verse speaks of false prophets and diviners who lead God's people astray with misleading visions and empty words. It highlights their deceitful practices and the consequences of relying on such sources, contrasting them with genuine divine guidance.
Zechariah 10 2 Context
This verse is found within Zechariah chapter 10, a prophecy addressing the people of Judah and Israel following their return from exile. The immediate context of chapter 10 involves a call to trust in the Lord and reject idolatry and false hopes. Zechariah contrasts the people's past reliance on idols and false counselors with the future restoration that will come from God alone. He denounces the failure of shepherds (leaders, prophets) who have led the people astray and promises God's direct guidance and intervention for His people. This specific verse denounces the hollow pronouncements of religious charlatans who offered false comfort and direction, leading to exile.
Zechariah 10 2 Word Analysis
- כִּי (ki): "for," "because," "indeed." It introduces the reason or cause for something that has been or will be stated.
- הַתְּרָפִים (ha-teraphim): "the teraphim." Teraphim were household gods or idols, often consulted for divination. This word carries a strong connotation of idolatry and seeking guidance from forbidden sources.
- תְּדַבֵּר־ (təḏabbēr-): "speak," "utter." In this context, it signifies a false or deceptive utterance, conveying misleading information.
- אָוֶן (’āḇen): "iniquity," "wickedness," "falsehood," "emptiness," "nothingness." Here it denotes falsehood and worthlessness, highlighting the baseless nature of what the teraphim communicate.
- וְחֹזִים (wə-ḥōzîm): "and seers," "and prophets." This refers to those who claimed to have prophetic visions or insight.
- חֲז֥וֹן (ḥăzôn): "vision." Specifically refers to a prophetic revelation, but in this context, it's a false or deceptive one.
- שֶׁקֶר (šeqer): "lie," "falsehood." Emphasizes the deceitful nature of the visions seen by these false prophets.
- וּמְדַבְּרִים (ū-məḏabbərîm): "and they speak." Continuing the theme of utterances.
- חֲלֹמוֹת (ḥălōmōṯ): "dreams." Refers to dreams, but here specifically those that are not from God, but are deceptive.
- שָׁוְא (šāḇ’): "vanity," "emptiness," "falsity." Indicates that these dreams are worthless and deceptive, offering no true substance or comfort.
- לְנַחֵם (lə-naḥêm): "to comfort." The false comfort provided by these messages.
- שָׁוְא (šāḇ’): "in vain," "falsely." Reinforces the emptiness and deceitfulness of the comfort offered.
- עַל־כֵּן (‘al-kên): "therefore." Connects the preceding pronouncements of the teraphim and diviners to the consequence that follows.
- נָעוּ (nā‘û): "they wandered," "they were scattered," "they removed." Implies displacement, aimless wandering, or being driven into exile.
- כִּרְעִי (kir‘î): "as a shepherd," "like a shepherd." The contextually problematic interpretation is that "they removed as sheep," which is a possible understanding. The more accepted interpretation is "they wandered as sheep" or "they were removed as sheep."
Word Group Analysis:
- "the teraphim speak iniquity" (כִּי הַתְּרָפִים תְּדַבֵּר אָוֶן): This phrase strongly condemns the use of idols and occult practices for guidance. "Teraphim" were objects associated with divination, often implying superstition and a turning away from Yahweh.
- "the diviners vision of lies; they tell dreams of vanity" (וְחֹזִים חֲז֥וֹן שֶׁקֶר וּמְדַבְּרִים חֲלֹמוֹת שָׁוְא): This directly targets false prophets and dream interpreters. Their visions and dreams are characterized by "sheqer" (lies) and "shav" (vanity/emptiness), meaning they were fraudulent and unproductive.
- "they comfort in vain: therefore they removed in exile" (לְנַחֵם שָׁוְא עַל־כֵּן נָעוּ כִּרְעִי): This connects the false comfort offered by these deceivers to the ultimate consequence: displacement or exile. The "comfort in vain" was misleading, and it ultimately led to the people being scattered like sheep, lost and without true guidance.
Zechariah 10 2 Bonus Section
The concept of "teraphim" and seeking guidance through them is rooted in ancient Near Eastern divination practices. The Hebrew word itself is debated, but its association with idolatry and forbidden means of acquiring knowledge is clear throughout Scripture. This verse highlights God's rejection of all spiritual counterfeits. The idea of being "removed in exile" ("na'u") can be understood not only as literal deportation but also as a spiritual wandering away from God, a loss of divine favor and protection due to misplaced trust. This echoes the prophetic denunciations of leaders and spiritual guides who fail their flocks by offering superficial reassurances instead of the challenging truth that leads to repentance and true restoration.
Zechariah 10 2 Commentary
Zechariah 10:2 serves as a potent warning against spiritual deception. It illustrates how relying on hollow pronouncements, whether from idols (teraphim), false prophets (diviners), or deceitful dreams, leads to a profound spiritual and physical displacement. These false counselors offered superficial comfort, promising security and prosperity that were not forthcoming from God. This ultimately resulted in the people being scattered and losing their way, reminiscent of sheep without a shepherd. The verse underscores the crucial importance of discerning true prophetic utterance from falsehood, emphasizing that genuine divine guidance leads to order and faithfulness, while deceptive pronouncements lead to ruin and exile. The scattering implied ("na'u") is not merely physical, but also spiritual—a state of being cut off from God's true presence and direction.