For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is the idea that the people themselves are making these false prophets dream and prophesy. It's not just that there are deceivers around; it's that the exiles are creating a market for comforting lies by signaling they're eager to hear them, thus "causing" the dreamers to dream up pleasing falsehoods.
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The exiles in Babylon are receiving a letter from Jeremiah, sent by God, that directly contradicts the hopeful messages they've been hearing from false prophets. These other prophets, who followed them into exile, are claiming a speedy return and encouraging deceptive dreams, much like those back in Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s letter, however, reveals God’s true plan: a long seventy-year period of exile, and this verse serves as a stark warning against listening to anyone who offers easy, untrue answers.
When you're going through a tough time, who do you turn to for answers? It's easy to get swept up by comforting lies.
Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Israel in exile in Babylon. Even though they are far from home, they haven't escaped the problem of false prophets. These weren't just random people; they were claiming to speak for God, just like Jeremiah, but their messages were different.
False Hope vs. God's Truth
These false prophets were telling the people exactly what they wanted to hear: that their exile would be short and they'd be back home soon. This sounds nice, but it wasn't from God. God's message, through Jeremiah, was that they would be in Babylon for a long time (70 years).
It's a crucial reminder: even when we're suffering or in difficult circumstances, we must test the messages we hear against God's revealed Word. Comforting words that contradict Scripture are not from God.
Ever notice how easy it is to believe what you want to be true, even if it's not? God knew His people were like that.
The verse has a fascinating phrase: 'neither listen to the dreams that you cause to be dreamed.' This isn't about God sending misleading dreams; it's about the people creating a demand for them.
The Demand for Deception
Commentaries point out that the people, unhappy with the harsh reality of exile and the difficult truths Jeremiah spoke, actively sought out or encouraged those who would tell them pleasant lies. They to hear about a quick return. Their own desires fueled the supply of false prophecy.
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This is a powerful insight into human nature. We can become accessory to our own deception when we prefer smooth lies over hard truths, especially when those truths are inconvenient or painful. God holds us responsible not just for listening, but for creating the environment where deception thrives.
Understand the original words
tseba'ot · Hebrew Noun
A title emphasizing God as the Commander of all angelic armies and the universe, highlighting His supreme sovereignty and power over all nations and realms.
nabi · Hebrew Noun
Individuals who claimed to speak for God but lacked divine commission, often leading people astray through false assurances and counterfeit spiritual experiences.
qesem · Hebrew Noun
Individuals who practice forbidden occult arts to predict the future or gain secret knowledge, explicitly condemned in Scripture as an affront to God's sole authority.
nasha' · Hebrew Verb
The act of being misled or seduced by false teachings or idols, causing one to abandon truth and trust in things that do not exist or have no power.
This verse is a direct message to the exiles in Babylon, where false prophets were peddling messages of immediate return. The people's desire for deliverance made them eager to believe comforting lies, a common theme throughout Israel's history.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar carries off a portion of the Judean elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
c. 587-586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar finally destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, bringing an end to the Kingdom of Judah and exiling most of the remaining population.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC— this verse
Exile in Babylon
The majority of the Judean people live in exile in Babylon for approximately 70 years. During this time, false prophets spread messages of immediate return, contradicting Jeremiah's prophecy.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
This passage establishes the standard for discerning true prophecy from false by checking if the proclaimed word comes to pass, a direct contrast to the deceptive dreams Jeremiah warns against.
Isaiah 30:10This verse shows a similar resistance to God's truth, where the people desired 'smooth things' and 'deceits' from prophets, mirroring the desire for comforting lies that fueled the false prophets in Jeremiah's time.
1 Kings 22:13-23This narrative illustrates the danger of consulting multiple prophets, where Micaiah’s truthful, albeit grim, prophecy was drowned out by the flattering words of others, highlighting the risk of heeding flattering deceivers.
Matthew 7:15Jesus warns about false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves, underscoring the constant need for discernment against those who appear spiritual but lead astray.
2 Timothy 4:3This passage speaks to a future fulfillment of Jeremiah's warning, where people will 'not endure sound teaching' but will 'heap up for themselves teachers to suit their own liking,' creating a demand for deception.
barnesJeremiah 29:8: "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed."
Your prophets and your diviners - The evils from which the people had suffered so cruelly at home followed them in their exile. Dreams which ye cause to be dreamed - As long as there was a market for dreams, so long there would be plenty of impostors to supply them.
clarkeJeremiah 29:8: "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed."
Neither hearken to your dreams - Rather, dreamers; for it appears there was a class of such persons, who not only had acquired a facility of dreaming themselves, but who undertook to interpret the dreams of others.
What's easy to miss is the idea that the people themselves are making these false prophets dream and prophesy. It's not just that there are deceivers around; it's that the exiles are creating a market for comforting lies by signaling they're eager to hear them, thus "causing" the dreamers to dream up pleasing falsehoods.
The exiles in Babylon are receiving a letter from Jeremiah, sent by God, that directly contradicts the hopeful messages they've been hearing from false prophets. These other prophets, who followed them into exile, are claiming a speedy return and encouraging deceptive dreams, much like those back in Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s letter, however, reveals God’s true plan: a long seventy-year period of exile, and this verse serves as a stark warning against listening to anyone who offers easy, untrue answers.
The exiles in Babylon are receiving a letter from Jeremiah, sent by God, that directly contradicts the hopeful messages they've been hearing from false prophets. These other prophets, who followed them into exile, are claiming a speedy return and encouraging deceptive dreams, much like those back in Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s letter, however, reveals God’s true plan: a long seventy-year period of exile, and this verse serves as a stark warning against listening to anyone who offers easy, untrue answers.
"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream," — What's easy to miss is the idea that the people themselves are making these false prophets dream and prophesy. It's not just that there are deceivers around; it's that the exiles are creating a mar…
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Last reviewed October 2026