Jeremiah 27:16
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The most striking part of this warning isn't just that the false prophets were wrong, but that Jeremiah specifically tells the priests and all the people to ignore them. This highlights how pervasive and appealing the false hope was, so much so that even the spiritual leaders were caught up in it, rather than discerning God's truth.
Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah, having just addressed King Zedekiah, now turns his attention to the religious leaders and the general populace. He delivers a stark warning against listening to false prophets who are spreading a dangerous lie: that the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Babylon will soon be returned. Jeremiah insists this is a deception designed to give people false hope and prevent them from facing the reality of God's judgment.
Ever heard good news that just felt too good to be true? Sometimes, the most dangerous words are the ones that sound comforting but lead us astray.
In Jeremiah 27, the people of Jerusalem were facing a terrifying reality: exile and the plundering of their most sacred treasures by the Babylonians. It's natural to want to believe that things will get better quickly, and this is exactly what the false prophets were offering. They told the people that the Temple vessels, stolen by Nebuchadnezzar, would soon be returned. This message, while appealing, was a complete fabrication. Jeremiah's job was to cut through this comforting lie and reveal the difficult truth of God's judgment.
The Temple vessels weren't just religious artifacts; they represented God's presence and authority. What does it mean when these are taken away, and who ultimately decides their return?
The 'vessels of the LORD's house' were sacred objects, symbols of God's dwelling place and his covenant with Israel. Nebuchadnezzar had carried many of them off to Babylon as a sign of his conquest and, in his eyes, the superiority of his gods. The false prophets seized on this, promising a quick return of these precious items to soothe the people's fears and bolster their pride. However, Jeremiah clarifies that the restoration of these vessels was not dependent on Babylonian decree or human wishful thinking. It was entirely in God's hands. They would not be returned until God, in His sovereign timing and according to His purposes, decreed it (as seen in Jeremiah 27:22 and later fulfilled by Cyrus in Ezra 1:7).
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YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal and covenantal name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence, eternity, and faithfulness to His people.
nabi' · Hebrew Noun
A spokesperson for God who communicates divine messages, warnings, or revelations to the people, typically authenticated by the fulfillment of their words.
keli · Hebrew Noun
Objects or instruments used within the temple service, consecrated for holy use in the worship of the LORD.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
An intentional deception, a falsehood that contradicts God's truth, often associated with spiritual rebellion or misleading guidance.
The false prophets' message of the vessels returning 'shortly' was a dangerous lie designed to give false hope during the intense siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah's message, grounded in the reality of God's judgment and a decreed seventy-year exile, contrasts sharply with their deceptive promises.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and takes nobles, including Daniel, as captives to Babylon. Many precious items from the Temple are also taken.
c. 598/597 BC
Second Deportation and Temple Plunder
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and more of Jerusalem's elite, along with significant treasures and vessels from the Temple, to Babylon.
c. 590s BC
Jeremiah's Temple Sermon and Imprisonment
Jeremiah delivers a powerful sermon in the Temple courtyard denouncing the people's sin and predicting its destruction, leading to his arrest and condemnation by priests and prophets.
c. 589 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem
The Babylonian army lays siege to Jerusalem, beginning a long and devastating period for the city and its inhabitants. This intensified the spiritual crisis and the clash between true and false prophets.
c. 587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Jerusalem falls. Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy the Temple and the city, deporting the remaining population to Babylon, leaving only the poorest behind.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus's Decree and Temple Vessels Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. Many of the sacred vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar are returned.
This passage describes the initial carrying away of some of the temple vessels to Babylon, providing historical context for the false prophets' deceptive message about their immediate return.
Ezra 1:7-11This passage shows the actual return of the temple vessels under Cyrus's decree, highlighting the fulfillment of God's timing, which was far later than the 'shortly' promised by the false prophets.
Daniel 1:1-2This verse speaks of Nebuchadnezzar taking more vessels from the temple to Babylon, demonstrating that the removal of sacred items was an ongoing process, thus making the false prophets' promise of a swift return unbelievable.
Jeremiah 28:2-4This passage features Hananiah, one of the false prophets, directly contradicting Jeremiah's message and making a similar false prophecy about the vessels returning soon, directly illustrating the conflict Jeremiah is addressing.
1 Kings 7:48-50This passage details the magnificent creation of the temple vessels by Solomon, emphasizing their sacredness and importance, which explains why the people would be so eager to believe they were returning soon.
clarkeJeremiah 27:16: "Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you."
The vessels of the Lord's house - Which had been carried away by Nebuchadnezzar under the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah, 2 Chronicles 36:7-10 . Shall now shortly be brought again - This is a lie. They…
calvinJeremiah 27:16: "Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you."
- Also I spake to the priests, and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house sha…
The most striking part of this warning isn't just that the false prophets were wrong, but that Jeremiah specifically tells the priests and all the people to ignore them. This highlights how pervasive and appealing the false hope was, so much so that even the spiritual leaders were caught up in it, rather than discerning God's truth.
Jeremiah, having just addressed King Zedekiah, now turns his attention to the religious leaders and the general populace. He delivers a stark warning against listening to false prophets who are spreading a dangerous lie: that the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Babylon will soon be returned. Jeremiah insists this is a deception designed to give people false hope and prevent them from facing the reality of God's judgment.
Jeremiah, having just addressed King Zedekiah, now turns his attention to the religious leaders and the general populace. He delivers a stark warning against listening to false prophets who are spreading a dangerous lie: that the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Babylon will soon be returned. Jeremiah insists this is a deception designed to give people false hope and prevent them from facing the reality of God's judgment.
"Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought back from…" — The most striking part of this warning isn't just that the false prophets were wrong, but that Jeremiah specifically tells the priests and all the people to ignore them. This highlights how pervasi…
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Last reviewed October 2026
