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Jeremiah 29:8

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jeremiah 29:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
Jeremiah 29:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Jeremiah 29

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
6Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply ye there, and be not diminished.
7And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah.
10For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
← Jeremiah 29:7Jeremiah 29:9 →
← Full Chapter 29 Jeremiah Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, etc.] (See Gill on “<242904>Jeremiah 29:4”); let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of you, deceive you; their false prophets, as the Targum; and there were many such in the captivity; (see <261302>Ezekiel 13:2-4); and such who pretended to divine and foretell future things, and so impose upon the people, who were too apt to believe them; these insinuated, that in a little time they should have their liberty, and return to their own land again, contrary to the prophecies that came from the Lord himself: neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed; for that of a speedy return to their own land was no…”
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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
“your dreams which ye caused to be dreamed--The Latin adage says, "The people wish to be deceived, so let them be deceived." Not mere credulity misleads men, but their own perverse "love of darkness rather than light." It was not priests who originated priestcraft, but the people's own morbid appetite to be deceived; for example, Aaron and the golden calf (Exo 32:1-4). So the Jews caused or made the prophets to tell them encouraging dreams (Jer 23:25-26; Ecc 5:7; Zac 10:2; Joh 3:19-21).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“29:8-9 The next divine command warned against false prophets and fortune-tellers.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Let: Jer 14:14, Jer 23:21, Jer 27:14, Jer 27:15, Jer 28:15; Zac 13:4; Mat 24:4, Mat 24:5, Mat 24:24; Mar 13:5, Mar 13:6, Mar 13:22, Mar 13:23; Luk 21:8; Rom 16:18; Co2 11:13-15; Eph 4:14, Eph 5:6; Th2 2:3, Th2 2:9-11; Ti2 3:13; Jo2 1:7-9; Rev 13:14, Rev 19:20 your dreams: Jer 5:31; Mic 2:11; Luk 6:26; Pe2 2:2, Pe2 2:3 Jeremiah 29:9”
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Related study paths

Read Jeremiah 29 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification