Jeremiah 27:9-10
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The verse isn't just a list of fake prophets; it shows how deeply people will go to find any voice that confirms their desired outcome, even turning to "dreamers" and "fortune-tellers" for supernatural reassurance that the powerful king of Babylon won't win. This highlights the human tendency to seek comfort in convenient prophecies rather than facing harsh realities.
So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is addressing a coalition of nations and their kings, including Judah, who are considering rebellion against Babylon. He's instructing them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar's authority, warning that resistance will bring destruction. The verse highlights the false prophets and diviners within these nations who are peddling lies, promising their leaders that they will not fall under Babylonian rule.
Why does Jeremiah list so many different kinds of false messengers? What does this tell us about the spiritual landscape of his day?
Jeremiah doesn't just confront one type of false prophet; he lists a whole spectrum of deceitful voices.
This extensive list paints a picture of a society saturated with spiritual deception. These weren't just fringe figures; they were a chorus of voices offering popular, comforting lies that led people away from God's truth. They all agreed on one dangerous message: you can escape Babylon's rule. This unity in falsehood made their message even more appealing and harder to resist.
What was the core message these false prophets were delivering, and why was it so tempting to believe them?
The fundamental message of all these deceptive voices was a denial of impending judgment: 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon.'
This was incredibly appealing because:
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This 'it won't happen' fallacy is a powerful tool of spiritual deception. It plays on our desires for comfort and security, making us resistant to God's warnings and His challenging truths. The danger isn't just in believing a lie, but in how that lie paralyzes us, preventing repentance and obedience.
Understand the original words
nabi · Hebrew Noun
One who claims to speak on behalf of the divine; in a biblical sense, a true prophet is God's spokesperson, while false prophets speak out of their own heart or deceive the people.
qesem · Hebrew Noun
Practitioners of occult or forbidden methods—such as divination, sorcery, or seeking hidden knowledge—which are strictly condemned in Scripture as an attempt to bypass God's authority.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
A deception or false statement presented as truth; spiritually, it is contrary to the character of God, who is truth, and often leads to destruction.
Jeremiah's message here was a stark contrast to the deceptive promises of false prophets, who thrived on people's desire for independence. In a time of increasing Babylonian power and repeated Judean rebellions, Jeremiah's counsel to submit to Babylon was deeply unpopular and flew in the face of the nation's hope for immediate deliverance.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, begins deporting Judean elites and skilled workers to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel. This marks the beginning of Babylonian dominance over Judah.
c. 601-597 BC
Rebellion and Second Deportation
King Jehoiakim of Judah rebels against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar returns, and after a brief siege, deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel.
c. 597 BC— this verse
Zedekiah's Installation and Continued Unrest
Nebuchadnezzar installs Zedekiah as king of Judah, but unrest continues. Jeremiah, in chapter 27, is commanded to make symbolic yokes for the surrounding nations and Judah.
c. 588 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Zedekiah rebels again. Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem, a devastating event that lasts for years.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Babylonian forces breach Jerusalem's walls. The Temple is destroyed, and the remaining population is deported to Babylon, marking the end of Judah as an independent kingdom.
This passage echoes Jeremiah 27:9 by warning the people not to listen to prophets who speak delusions and visions from their own minds, not from the Lord's mouth.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12This Old Testament law explicitly prohibits the practices mentioned in Jeremiah 27:9, such as divination, sorcery, and consulting mediums, showing God's consistent disdain for these false sources of guidance.
1 Kings 22:5-23This account provides a striking parallel to Jeremiah 27:9, detailing how King Ahab was influenced by 400 false prophets who prophesied success, while Micaiah, the true prophet, foretold disaster, highlighting the danger of heeding deceptive counselors.
Ezekiel 13:6-7Similar to Jeremiah's message, Ezekiel condemns prophets and diviners who give false hope and visions, declaring that their prophecies are 'vain and lying divination,' aligning with the message of Jeremiah 27:9.
Romans 1:21-23This New Testament passage describes a similar spiritual blindness where people suppress the truth and turn to worthless things, including 'futile thinking' and exchanging the truth for a lie, which resonates with the foolishness of trusting false prophets over God's word.
barnesJeremiah 27:9: "Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:"
Dreamers - literally, as in the margin. People dream dreams for themselves, and go to diviners to ask the explanation of them.
calvinJeremiah 27:9: "Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:"
Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
Et vos ne audiatis prophetas vestros, et divinos vestros, et somnia…
The verse isn't just a list of fake prophets; it shows how deeply people will go to find any voice that confirms their desired outcome, even turning to "dreamers" and "fortune-tellers" for supernatural reassurance that the powerful king of Babylon won't win. This highlights the human tendency to seek comfort in convenient prophecies rather than facing harsh realities.
Jeremiah is addressing a coalition of nations and their kings, including Judah, who are considering rebellion against Babylon. He's instructing them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar's authority, warning that resistance will bring destruction. The verse highlights the false prophets and diviners within these nations who are peddling lies, promising their leaders that they will not fall under Babylonian rule.
Jeremiah is addressing a coalition of nations and their kings, including Judah, who are considering rebellion against Babylon. He's instructing them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar's authority, warning that resistance will bring destruction. The verse highlights the false prophets and diviners within these nations who are peddling lies, promising their leaders that they will not fall under Babylonian rule.
"So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result t…" — The verse isn't just a list of fake prophets; it shows how deeply people will go to find any voice that confirms their desired outcome, even turning to "dreamers" and "fortune-tellers" for supernat…
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Last reviewed October 2026
