Jeremiah 23:16
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These prophets don't just get things wrong; they actively "make you vain," meaning they fill you with empty hopes and deceive you. Their so-called "visions" aren't just mistakes, but deliberate fabrications from their own minds, not divine truth.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is crying out against the corrupt religious leaders who are misleading the people with false promises of peace and security. These prophets are speaking their own desires and illusions, rather than God's truth, essentially telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. This deception directly contradicts the true prophets, who were meant to challenge people's sin and call them to repentance, even if it caused discomfort.
Ever heard a promise that sounded too good to be true? Sometimes, messages of peace and prosperity can mask a dangerous deception.
Jeremiah is calling out prophets who are essentially lying to the people. They offer comfort and assurance, but it's built on nothing real. The verse says they "fill you with vain hopes." This means they create expectations that will never be met, leading people astray with a false sense of security. It's like being told you've won the lottery when you never even bought a ticket. These prophets speak "visions of their own minds," not messages directly from God. Their words are their own invention, designed to please their listeners rather than to speak the truth of the Lord.
Where do messages come from? The origin of a message is everything, especially when it concerns spiritual truth.
The core of Jeremiah's warning lies in the source of the prophecy. God's message comes directly "from the mouth of the LORD." It is pure, authoritative, and true. However, the false prophets' messages originate in their own hearts – their own thoughts, desires, and imaginations. The "heart" in Hebrew thought wasn't just emotion; it was the center of intellect and will. So, when it says "visions of their own heart," it means they are fabricating prophecies based on their own thinking. This is a critical distinction: one is divine revelation, the other is human invention. We are commanded to "listen not" to these human inventions because they lack divine authority.
Understand the original words
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YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, indicating His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and sovereignty over all creation.
tsaba · Hebrew Noun
Title emphasizing God's sovereignty over the heavenly armies (angels) and all creation, highlighting His supreme authority and power to carry out His purposes.
nabi · Hebrew Noun
One called by God to proclaim His message, serve as His mouthpiece, and reveal His divine will to the people; true prophets speak only what the Lord commands.
hebel · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Refers to emptiness, futility, or worthlessness; often used to describe things that lack substance, truth, or divine approval.
chazon · Hebrew Noun
A supernatural communication from God intended to convey His will, truth, or future purpose; must originate from God to be valid.
Jeremiah's warning against false prophets rings out during a time when Jerusalem is under siege by Babylon. These prophets offered hollow assurances of peace and imminent victory, directly contradicting God's message of impending judgment delivered through Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and takes a first group of exiles, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of Judah's decline and foreshadowed greater judgment.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
After a rebellion, Babylon deports more people from Jerusalem, including the prophet Ezekiel. The kingdom is weakened, but the people still cling to false hopes of independence.
c. 589-587 BC— this verse
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem, leading to starvation and eventual destruction of the city and the Temple. This catastrophic event proved the false prophets disastrously wrong.
c. 582 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
Babylon carries out a final deportation from Judah, further scattering the remaining population and solidifying Babylonian control over the region.
This passage provides the foundational test for discerning true prophets from false, highlighting that even if a prophet performs signs, their message must align with God's word, just as Jeremiah warns against prophets speaking 'a vision of their own hearts'.
Ezekiel 13:6-7Ezekiel echoes Jeremiah's warning, exposing prophets who build 'on the rubbish' and see 'false and lying visions,' offering false security and peace, directly paralleling the 'vain hopes' and deceptive visions Jeremiah condemns.
Matthew 7:15-20Jesus instructs us to recognize false prophets by their 'fruits,' a principle that complements Jeremiah's message by emphasizing that the outward message of prophecy, whether true or false, will ultimately reveal its source.
2 Timothy 4:3-4Paul warns about a time when people will 'not endure sound teaching' but will accumulate teachers 'who will suit their own likings,' speaking smooth words and turning away from truth, which reflects the seductive nature of the false prophets Jeremiah confronts.
pooleJeremiah 23:16: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD."
People are under no religious obligation to hear any thing but the revealed will of God, and are not to obey those that call to them for what that doth not call to them; nor to listen to them, the scope of whose teaching is but to make them vain, sinfully vain, or to deceive their soul…
barnesJeremiah 23:16: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD."
How were the people to know the false prophets from the true? The former bring a message that fills with vain hopes, or "speak a vision" out of their own invention.
These prophets don't just get things wrong; they actively "make you vain," meaning they fill you with empty hopes and deceive you. Their so-called "visions" aren't just mistakes, but deliberate fabrications from their own minds, not divine truth.
Jeremiah is crying out against the corrupt religious leaders who are misleading the people with false promises of peace and security. These prophets are speaking their own desires and illusions, rather than God's truth, essentially telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. This deception directly contradicts the true prophets, who were meant to challenge people's sin and call them to repentance, even if it caused discomfort.
Jeremiah is crying out against the corrupt religious leaders who are misleading the people with false promises of peace and security. These prophets are speaking their own desires and illusions, rather than God's truth, essentially telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. This deception directly contradicts the true prophets, who were meant to challenge people's sin and call them to repentance, even if it caused discomfort.
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD." — These prophets don't just get things wrong; they actively "make you vain," meaning they fill you with empty hopes and deceive you. Their so-called "visions" aren't just mistakes, but deliberate fabri…
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Last reviewed October 2026
