Jeremiah 23:32
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to focus on the "lies" of false prophets, but God's anger also targets their "recklessness" – a confident, boastful arrogance that bubbles over, leading people astray because they were never sent by God in the first place. This isn't just about being wrong; it's about a presumptuous, unbidden voice that ultimately offers no true benefit, only spiritual harm.
This verse comes right after God denounces the false prophets for stealing his words and soothing the people with lies. Here, the Lord declares His direct opposition to those who fabricate dreams and spread them as divine messages, leading Israel astray with empty boasts and deception. God explicitly states He never commissioned these individuals, making their pronouncements utterly useless and even harmful to His people.
Ever hear someone speak with a lot of confidence, but something feels off? Jeremiah calls out a specific attitude that leads people astray.
The verse mentions prophets leading people astray by their 'lies and their lightness.' What is this 'lightness'?
More Than Just Lying
It's not simply about telling untruths. The original language suggests an attitude of being vain, arrogant, or reckless. It can describe a 'bubbling over' with unearned confidence, a smooth but empty speech, or even a proud, self-serving boastfulness.
A Ministry Without Substance
These false prophets weren't just wrong; they were reckless. Their messages, even if they sounded good or made grand promises, lacked any divine backing. This 'lightness' is the opposite of the solid, God-given truth that truly nourishes His people.
How do we know if someone is truly speaking for God? Jeremiah gives us a non-negotiable criterion.
A central theme in this verse is God's direct statement: 'when I did not send them or charge them.'
A Call and a Commission
For anyone to speak with divine authority, they must be sent by God and charged with His message. This isn't about self-appointment or assuming a role. True prophets, apostles, and even modern-day leaders in ministry have a clear calling and a commission directly from God.
The Absence of Profit
The consequence is stark: 'they do not profit this people at all.' Messages that bypass God's sending and charging offer no genuine spiritual nourishment or lasting benefit. They might offer temporary comfort or excitement, but ultimately, they leave people spiritually empty and led astray.
Understand the original words
ta'ah · Hebrew Verb
To cause to wander from the right way, often used in a spiritual sense to describe leading people away from obedience to God and into sin or idolatry.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
An intentional untruth; in scripture, it is frequently contrasted with the truth of God and associated with those who oppose His will or deceive His people.
The false prophets Jeremiah rails against offered 'lying dreams' and 'lightness,' essentially shallow, boastful pronouncements that offered false hope and led people astray in the face of imminent Babylonian invasion and destruction. Their words stood in stark contrast to the weighty, divinely commissioned messages of true prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
c. 626 BC
Jeremiah's Call to Prophesy
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy to Judah and Jerusalem, delivering messages of judgment and a call to repentance during a period of spiritual and political decline.
c. 609 BC
Josiah's Reforms Reversed
Following King Josiah's death, his successors quickly abandon his religious reforms, leading to a resurgence of idolatry and unfaithfulness among the people and their leaders.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, exiling some of its elite citizens, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
c. 600 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Rise of False Prophets
During this turbulent period, numerous self-proclaimed prophets emerge, offering false assurances of peace and security, directly contradicting Jeremiah's warnings of impending doom from Babylon.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's condemnation of false prophets who claim to have divine visions ('dreams') but speak falsehoods, leading people astray with their pronouncements.
1 Kings 22:13Similar to Jeremiah 23, this passage shows a king seeking counsel from prophets who deliver false and flattering messages, highlighting the danger of listening to those who haven't been sent by God.
Matthew 7:15Jesus warns against false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves, a direct parallel to Jeremiah's charge against those who lead people astray with their 'lies and recklessness'.
2 Peter 2:1-3This New Testament passage describes false teachers who will secretly bring destructive heresies and, through greed, exploit people with false words, mirroring the theme of harmful deception found in Jeremiah 23.
barnesJeremiah 23:32: "Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD."
The third characteristic. See Jeremiah 23:25 . Lightness - Vain, empty, talk.
gillJeremiah 23:32: "Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD."
Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord,.... And not true ones, such as the Lord spoke in to his prophets, and which they communicated from him to his people; see Numbers 12:6 ; and do tell…
It's easy to focus on the "lies" of false prophets, but God's anger also targets their "recklessness" – a confident, boastful arrogance that bubbles over, leading people astray because they were never sent by God in the first place. This isn't just about being wrong; it's about a presumptuous, unbidden voice that ultimately offers no true benefit, only spiritual harm.
This verse comes right after God denounces the false prophets for stealing his words and soothing the people with lies. Here, the Lord declares His direct opposition to those who fabricate dreams and spread them as divine messages, leading Israel astray with empty boasts and deception. God explicitly states He never commissioned these individuals, making their pronouncements utterly useless and even harmful to His people.
This verse comes right after God denounces the false prophets for stealing his words and soothing the people with lies. Here, the Lord declares His direct opposition to those who fabricate dreams and spread them as divine messages, leading Israel astray with empty boasts and deception. God explicitly states He never commissioned these individuals, making their pronouncements utterly useless and even harmful to His people.
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597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon captures Jerusalem again, exiling King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This further intensifies the crisis.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar completely destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This event represents the catastrophic fulfillment of God's judgment announced by prophets like Jeremiah.
"Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, d…" — It's easy to focus on the "lies" of false prophets, but God's anger also targets their "recklessness" – a confident, boastful arrogance that bubbles over, leading people astray because they were neve…
