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Jeremiah 23:16

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jeremiah 23:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.
Jeremiah 23:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Jeremiah 23

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.
16Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.
17They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you.
18For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it?
19Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.
← Jeremiah 23:15Jeremiah 23:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, etc.] Do not hear them; stop your ears at what they say; give no credit to them. The Targum is, “do not receive the words of the false prophets that prophesy unto you:” they make you vain; they filled their heads with vain and empty things, and their hearts with vain hopes, which deceived them; so the Targum, “they deceive you;” they taught them vain things, and made them vain and sinful in their lives and conversations; and therefore were not to be hearkened to: they speak a vision of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the Lord; what they imagined they saw was a device of their own…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“make you vain--They seduce you to vanity, that is, idolatry, which will prove a vain trust to you (Jer 2:5; Kg2 17:15; Jon 2:8), [GESENIUS]. Rather, "they delude you with vain promises of security" (Jer 23:17; compare Psa 62:10) [MAURER]. of their own heart--of their own invention (Jer 23:21; Jer 14:14).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“How were the people to know the false prophets from the true? The former bring a message that fills with vain hopes, or “speak a vision” out of their own invention. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Hearken not - People are under no religious obligation to hear any thing but the revealed will of God, and are not to obey those that call to them for what that doth not call to them. Jeremiah 23:18”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“23:16-32 The Lord appealed to the people to reject these prophets and listen instead to his word. 23:16 The false prophets gave the people futile hopes; they had not been commissioned to speak for the Lord, and their ideas came from their own imaginations.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Hearken: Jer 27:9, Jer 27:10, Jer 27:14-17, Jer 29:8; Pro 19:27; Mat 7:15; Co2 11:13-15; Gal 1:8, Gal 1:9; Jo1 4:1 they make: Jer 2:5; Kg2 17:15; Rom 1:21 a vision: Jer 23:21, Jer 23:26, Jer 14:14; Eze 13:3, Eze 13:6, Eze 13:16, Eze 13:23, Eze 22:28; Mic 2:11 Jeremiah 23:17”
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Related study paths

Read Jeremiah 23 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification