Jeremiah 23:25-26
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The false prophets here repeated "I have dreamed" not just to claim divine revelation, but to mimic the form of true prophecy and grab attention. This repetition was an affected solemnity, a way to make their fabricated messages sound more credible and extraordinary to a people susceptible to such claims.
I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God declares He has heard the false prophets who are deceiving His people with lies presented as divine messages. These prophets claim their pronouncements came from dreams, a method God used for revelation, but they've twisted it to legitimize their own made-up pronouncements for personal gain, leading people away from true worship.
Imagine hearing a catchy jingle that gets stuck in your head, but it’s selling you a lie. That’s what these false prophets were doing.
Jeremiah calls out the prophets who are spreading lies "in my name." Their favorite tactic? Claiming divine dreams.
Mimicking Divine Authority
These prophets would exclaim, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed!" This wasn't just a casual mention; the repetition emphasizes their attempt to sound super spiritual and authoritative. Dreams were a legitimate way God communicated in ancient times, but these prophets twisted it.
The Deception of Dreams
They used dreams as a shortcut to gain trust and bypass the real test of true prophecy: whether it aligned with God's established Word and character. By claiming dreams, they tried to make their false messages sound divinely sanctioned, leading people astray.
Do you ever feel like God isn't paying attention to the noise and deception in the world? He hears everything.
The verse opens with a powerful declaration: "I have heard..." This isn't a passive observation; it's an active, knowing stance from God.
Divine Scrutiny
God makes it clear that He is fully aware of the lies being peddled by these prophets. They might think they're getting away with it, deceiving the people and perhaps even themselves, but God's ears are wide open. He hears the false claims, the twisted messages, and the counterfeit revelations.
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Justice and Truth
This divine awareness isn't just for His own knowledge; it sets the stage for judgment. God doesn't overlook sin or deception. His hearing these lies means He will ultimately act upon them, bringing His truth to bear against their falsehoods.
Understand the original words
šēqer · Hebrew Noun
Deliberate falsehoods presented as divine revelation. It is an act of spiritual deception that misleads people and usurps God's authority by claiming His endorsement for human inventions.
ḥălôm · Hebrew Noun
A method of receiving information or guidance while sleeping. While God used dreams in Scripture to reveal His will, false prophets in this context falsely claim to have received dreams to validate their own unauthorized messages.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Untruth, falsehood, or deception; often used in the OT to denote words or actions that are contrary to God’s character and truth. It carries the sense of vanity or worthlessness.
nabiy' · Hebrew Noun
A person called by God to proclaim His message, acting as His spokesperson to His people. In a negative context, it refers to those who claim this authority falsely.
mirmah · Hebrew Noun
Deceit, trickery, or delusion; often refers to a false way or a dishonest dealing that leads people away from the truth.
Jeremiah's words echo in a Judah facing imminent destruction. The false prophets, clinging to dreams and offering false assurances of peace, are a dangerous distraction from the dire reality and God's true, albeit harsh, message delivered through Jeremiah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites and the scattering of the ten tribes. This event creates a sense of vulnerability and a deep longing for divine reassurance and national restoration among the remaining population.
c. 609-597 BC
First and Second Deportations to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon begins its campaigns against Judah, culminating in the first and second deportations of Judean leaders and skilled workers to Babylon. These events heighten fear and uncertainty about Judah's future.
c. 597 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry Continues
Jeremiah is actively prophesying during a period of intense political turmoil, delivering messages of impending doom and calling for repentance. He confronts the false prophets who offer messages of false hope and peace amidst the rising threat of Babylon.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the majority of the population. This catastrophic event marks the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah as an independent state.
This passage directly addresses the danger of 'dreamers of dreams' who lead people astray, mirroring Jeremiah's complaint about false prophets claiming divine messages through dreams.
1 Samuel 28:6When Saul sought guidance from the medium at Endor, the text notes that God 'did not answer him by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets,' highlighting how the genuine channels of divine communication were unavailable to him, contrasting with the false prophets' easy claims.
Ezekiel 13:6-7Ezekiel echoes Jeremiah's condemnation of prophets who claim 'visions of peace when there is no peace' and who 'presume to utter a lying divination,' showing this was a persistent problem of deceptive prophecy.
Matthew 7:15-20Jesus warns about false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves, teaching that they should be recognized by their fruits, similar to how Jeremiah exposes the destructive 'fruit' of the false prophets' messages.
cambridgeJeremiah 23:25: "I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed."
25 . I have dreamed, I have dreamed ] These were the words with which they caught the ear of the crowd, and so gained a sure hearing for their pretended revelations. But another kind of test was needed (see Introd. pp. xxxii. f.), and this the false prophets failed to supply. 25–29 . See introd. summary to section.
pulpitJeremiah 23:25: "I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed."
Verse 25. - I have dreamed. Jeremiah mentions it as one of the marks of a false prophet that he appealed to his dreams (comp. Jeremiah 29:8); true prophecy contented itself with less ambiguous media of communication with the unseen world. It may be objected that Abraham (Genesis 15:12), at any rate, and Abimelech (Genesis 20:3) received Divine revelations in dreams; but…
The false prophets here repeated "I have dreamed" not just to claim divine revelation, but to mimic the form of true prophecy and grab attention. This repetition was an affected solemnity, a way to make their fabricated messages sound more credible and extraordinary to a people susceptible to such claims.
God declares He has heard the false prophets who are deceiving His people with lies presented as divine messages. These prophets claim their pronouncements came from dreams, a method God used for revelation, but they've twisted it to legitimize their own made-up pronouncements for personal gain, leading people away from true worship.
God declares He has heard the false prophets who are deceiving His people with lies presented as divine messages. These prophets claim their pronouncements came from dreams, a method God used for revelation, but they've twisted it to legitimize their own made-up pronouncements for personal gain, leading people away from true worship.
"I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart," — The false prophets here repeated "I have dreamed" not just to claim divine revelation, but to mimic the form of true prophecy and grab attention. This repetition was an affected solemnity, a way to…
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Last reviewed October 2026
