Jeremiah 14:13-14
Then I said: “Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jeremiah isn't just reporting false prophecy; he's arguing with God, trying to shift blame to the deceptive prophets and away from the people's culpability in believing them. This moment reveals the sheer weight of his prophetic task, constantly battling against popular lies that offer false comfort.
Jeremiah, burdened by a drought and the people's sin, feels compelled to speak to God. He confronts the Lord not just about the impending judgment but also about the deceptive messages of other prophets who are falsely assuring the people of peace and safety from famine and war. This verse highlights the painful conflict for Jeremiah: God's judgment is coming, yet many are being led astray by popular, comforting lies.
Have you ever been promised something that sounded too good to be true, only to be deeply disappointed? Jeremiah wrestles with this very pain.
Jeremiah is heartbroken because the people of Judah are being deliberately misled by a crowd of prophets. These false prophets are peddling a message of comfort and security – no war, no hunger, just lasting peace. It's a message that sounds appealing, but it’s a dangerous lie.
A Lullaby of Lies
These prophets aren't speaking God’s truth; they're speaking "the deceit of their own heart" (Jeremiah 14:14). They offer "assured peace," a term that literally means "peace of truth" or "true peace." But it's a twisted version, a peace that ignores the people's sin and God’s coming judgment. They assure the people that disaster won't touch their city, Jerusalem.
The Prophet's Dilemma
Jeremiah, however, sees the grim reality: judgment is inevitable because of the people's disobedience. He's torn between God's righteous judgment and the people's desperate need for truth. His plea to God in this verse is almost an attempt to excuse the people: "Look, Lord, they're believing these other prophets!" But God’s response will show that ignoring truth, even a comforting lie, has severe consequences.
When the world whispers comforting lies, where do you find the solid ground of truth?
The people of Judah were caught in a dangerous crossfire. On one side, their own sins demanded God's judgment. On the other, a chorus of false prophets sang a song of deceptive peace. Jeremiah’s role is to be God’s voice, delivering the hard, but ultimately life-giving, truth.
Truth Over Comfort
Jeremiah’s initial reaction is to highlight the people's deception. He’s essentially saying, 'Lord, they’re being fooled!' But God doesn't let Jeremiah off the hook, nor does He let the people off the hook for believing the lies. The commentary notes that the people 'contributed to their own delusions' and readily believed those who confirmed them in their sin.
The Cost of Deception
Understand the original words
nabi' · Hebrew Noun
One who communicates a message from God to people, often involving foretelling the future or declaring God’s moral will for the present.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Untrue or deceptive speech that misrepresents reality or God’s truth; biblically, it is the opposite of the character of God.
qesem · Hebrew Noun
The act of seeking hidden knowledge or divine insight through means unauthorized by God; forbidden in Scripture as a substitute for true prophecy.
tarmiyth · Hebrew Noun
A quality of character involving fraud, trickery, or dishonesty, often used to describe the intent of those who mislead others.
Jeremiah's lament in this verse arises from a desperate situation where Judah is facing imminent destruction from Babylon. The 'false prophets' he mentions offered superficial comfort, denying the reality of the coming judgment, which directly contrasted with the dire warnings Jeremiah himself was delivering.
c. 622 BC
Discovery of the Book of the Law
During the reign of King Josiah, a scroll identified as the Book of the Law (likely early versions of Deuteronomy) was discovered in the Temple. This event sparked a religious reformation.
c. 609 BC
Josiah's Death in Battle
King Josiah, a reformer, was killed fighting against the Egyptians at Megiddo. His death marked a turning point, leading to instability and a return to more corrupt leadership.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and took a first wave of exiles, including Daniel and other prominent figures, to Babylon. This event signaled the growing Babylonian threat.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deported King Jehoiachin and thousands more of Judah's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This intensified the crisis Jeremiah addressed.
This passage directly condemns prophets who deceive the people with false promises of peace, paralleling the false prophets in Jeremiah 14:13 who denied impending disaster.
Ezekiel 13:10This verse speaks of prophets who build up a flimsy wall with untempered mortar and claim 'peace' when there is no peace, echoing the false assurance given in Jeremiah 14:13.
Jeremiah 5:31This verse explains the power of the false prophets: 'the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their tendency; and my people love to have it so!' This highlights why the people embraced the false promises of peace mentioned in Jeremiah 14:13.
Isaiah 30:10This verse describes the people telling the seers, 'Do not see visions, and do not prophesy to us what is right, but tell us smooth things, prophesy illusions,' which captures the mindset that would welcome the false prophecies of peace found in Jeremiah 14:13.
barnesJeremiah 14:13: "Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place."
The false prophets in Jeremiah's days were so numerous and influential an to counteract and almost nullify the influence of the true prophet. We find in Isaiah the first indications of the internal decay of the prophetic order; and Micah, his contemporary, denounces the false prophets in the strongest terms Mi…
cambridgeJeremiah 14:13: "Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place."
13 . assured peace ] mg. Heb. peace of truth (stability). They may have sought to support their reassuring assertions by reference to such utterances as those of Isaiah 37:33 ff. 13, 14 . For the attitude of the false prophets and their relation to the true see Intr. pp. xxxii. f.; also xxiii. 9 ff.
Jeremiah isn't just reporting false prophecy; he's arguing with God, trying to shift blame to the deceptive prophets and away from the people's culpability in believing them. This moment reveals the sheer weight of his prophetic task, constantly battling against popular lies that offer false comfort.
Jeremiah, burdened by a drought and the people's sin, feels compelled to speak to God. He confronts the Lord not just about the impending judgment but also about the deceptive messages of other prophets who are falsely assuring the people of peace and safety from famine and war. This verse highlights the painful conflict for Jeremiah: God's judgment is coming, yet many are being led astray by popular, comforting lies.
Jeremiah, burdened by a drought and the people's sin, feels compelled to speak to God. He confronts the Lord not just about the impending judgment but also about the deceptive messages of other prophets who are falsely assuring the people of peace and safety from famine and war. This verse highlights the painful conflict for Jeremiah: God's judgment is coming, yet many are being led astray by popular, comforting lies.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 14:13-14 is available in the Sola app.
God’s response, implied in the verses following Jeremiah 14:13, is that His Word—His pronouncements of judgment—will stand. The false prophets promised peace, but God’s assured reality, communicated through Jeremiah, is judgment. This contrast isn’t just about predicting the future; it’s about the foundational principle that God’s character and His justice cannot be swayed by wishful thinking or comforting lies. True peace, the 'peace of truth,' only comes through obedience and repentance, not through ignoring sin.
c. 589-587 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for an extended period, leading to widespread famine and ultimately the city's destruction and the third major deportation.
"Then I said: “Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my nam…" — Jeremiah isn't just reporting false prophecy; he's arguing with God, trying to shift blame to the deceptive prophets and away from the people's culpability in believing them. This moment reveals the…
