Jeremiah 23:17
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The false prophets are not just speaking lies; they're using a specific, almost casual phrase, "The LORD has said," which implicitly downplays God's pronouncements as if they were no more significant than everyday human talk. This subtle linguistic choice reveals their arrogance, treating divine messages with a flippant disrespect that masks their utter fabrication.
They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is exposing the lies of false prophets who are leading the people astray. These prophets are not speaking God's truth but are instead offering comforting but deceptive messages to those who reject God's word and stubbornly follow their own sinful desires. They promise peace and security, directly contradicting the warnings of disaster that Jeremiah, the true prophet, is delivering.
Imagine hearing that everything is fine, even when you know you've been ignoring God's Word. That's exactly what these false prophets were doing.
Jeremiah calls out prophets who were the opposite of God’s messengers. Instead of confronting sin, they pacified it.
Soothing Lies
This was spiritual poison, making people feel comfortable in their sin instead of calling them to repentance.
These false prophets didn't just say things would be okay; they claimed God Himself said it. How could anyone argue with that?
The most dangerous lies are often wrapped in religious language. These prophets twisted God's name to give their false promises authority.
Claiming Divine Endorsement
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This highlights the critical need to test every message, even those claiming to be from God, against His revealed Word and the character of Christ.
What happens when people refuse to listen to God, and prophets refuse to tell them the truth? Jeremiah gives us a stark warning.
This verse exposes a dangerous partnership: the false prophet and the stubborn hearer.
The Cycle of Self-Deception
This created a spiritual blindness where the people felt secure in their sin, utterly unprepared for the judgment that was inevitably coming. It's a powerful reminder that genuine peace comes from obedience to God, not from ignoring or defying Him.
Understand the original words
na'ats · Hebrew Verb
A fundamental biblical concept denoting the rejection or contemptuous disregard for God's revealed instruction and authority.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
The rebellion against God’s moral order, usually resulting in divine judgment and the opposite of the 'shalom' (peace/well-being) promised by God.
Jeremiah's words here are a stark warning against the false prophets who, during a time of impending and actual national catastrophe, offered empty promises of peace and security to a rebellious people. Their comforting lies directly contradicted the harsh realities of divine judgment that were already unfolding through Babylonian invasions and exiles.
Late 7th century BC
Josiah's Reforms
King Josiah of Judah implemented religious reforms, promoting the worship of Yahweh alone and attempting to eradicate idolatry. This period saw a brief resurgence of religious purity.
609 BC
Death of Josiah
King Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo while attempting to intercept the Egyptian army. His death marked a turning point, weakening the kingdom and leading to political instability.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, after defeating the Egyptians and Assyrians, besieged Jerusalem and deported a group of Jewish nobles and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion by King Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar deported another significant portion of Jerusalem's population, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's final siege resulted in the complete destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. The remaining population was exiled to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
Early to Mid-6th century BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry During Exile
Jeremiah continued to prophesy to the exiles in Babylon, delivering messages of judgment for their sin but also offering a future of hope and restoration.
This passage also condemns prophets who falsely reassure people, stating 'they have misled my people by saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace.'
Micah 3:5Similar to Jeremiah's false prophets, Micah describes prophets who prophesy smooth things and peace for those who pay them, but declare war on those who don't provide for them.
1 Samuel 15:23This passage illustrates the danger of stubborn rebellion against God, comparing it to the sin of idolatry, which is the underlying issue for those following their own hearts instead of God's word.
Proverbs 14:12This proverb warns that there is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death, directly paralleling Jeremiah's warning against those who 'stubbornly follow their own heart.'
Jeremiah 6:14This verse directly echoes Jeremiah 23:17 by showing that false prophets proclaimed 'Peace, peace!' when there was no peace, highlighting the consistent theme of deceptive reassurance against God's judgment.
calvinJeremiah 23:17-18: "They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you."
Dicentes dicendo iis qui me contemnunt, Loquutus est Jehova, Pax erit vobis, et omnibus qui ambulant (cunctis ambulantibus; est quidem singularis numerus, ad verbum, cuique ambulanti) in pravitate cordis sui, dicunt, Non veniet super vos malum.
For who hath stood in the couns…
ellicottJeremiah 23:17: "They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you."
(17) Imagination. —As before ( Jeremiah 3:17 and elsewhere), stubbornness. The tendency of all that the false prophets uttered was to confirm the people in their sins, not to lead them to repentance. It is noticeable that the Hebrew verb for “hath said ” is not the same as the received f…
The false prophets are not just speaking lies; they're using a specific, almost casual phrase, "The LORD has said," which implicitly downplays God's pronouncements as if they were no more significant than everyday human talk. This subtle linguistic choice reveals their arrogance, treating divine messages with a flippant disrespect that masks their utter fabrication.
Jeremiah is exposing the lies of false prophets who are leading the people astray. These prophets are not speaking God's truth but are instead offering comforting but deceptive messages to those who reject God's word and stubbornly follow their own sinful desires. They promise peace and security, directly contradicting the warnings of disaster that Jeremiah, the true prophet, is delivering.
Jeremiah is exposing the lies of false prophets who are leading the people astray. These prophets are not speaking God's truth but are instead offering comforting but deceptive messages to those who reject God's word and stubbornly follow their own sinful desires. They promise peace and security, directly contradicting the warnings of disaster that Jeremiah, the true prophet, is delivering.
"They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”" — The false prophets are not just speaking lies; they're using a specific, almost casual phrase, "The LORD has said," which implicitly downplays God's pronouncements as if they were no more significant…
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Last reviewed October 2026
