Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 23:25
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
25. I have dreamed, I have dreamed ] These were the words with which they caught the ear of the crowd, and so gained a sure hearing for their pretended revelations. But another kind of test was needed (see Introd. pp. xxxii. f.), and this the false prophets failed to supply.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
25 29. See introd. summary to section.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In Deu 13:1 a dreamer of dreams is used in a bad sense, and with reason. God communicating His will by dreams was a thing too easy to counterfeit for it not to be misused.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Visions and dreams were two usual ways by which under the law God made himself known of old to his prophets, making them sometimes, being awake, to hear a voice; sometimes attended with, and proceeding upon, some visible appearance, sometimes not: at other times causing them being asleep, to dream; and in their sleep revealing to them, as in a dream, what his will was they should declare and publish to his people. These false prophets speaking what came into their own heads, and suited their own lust, or the lusts of a debauched people to whom they spake, would pretend that God had revealed to them what they so published in a dream; not in the mean time considering God took notice of these their little arts by which they cheated the people. But saith God, I am a God that know afar off as well as at hand, and I have heard what they say, prophesying lies as from me, and pretending that I had in dreams revealed them to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. dreamedI have received aprophetic communication by dream (Num 12:6;Deu 13:1; Joe 2:28).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name,…. Or, “I hear what the prophets say” g, c. though they thought God was at a distance from them, in the highest heavens, and neither saw, nor heard, nor took any notice of what was done on earth, they were greatly mistaken he heard and observed with indignation the false doctrines and lying prophecies which they delivered out in his name to the people, whether in public or in private; for he is the Lord God omniscient and omnipresent; and therefore, though they deceived the people, they could not deceive him; who knew all their schemes and all their designs, from what principles they acted, and with what views;
saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed; not a common dream, but a divine dream; this was one way in which the Lord formerly made known his mind and will to his servants, Nu 12:6; wherefore these false prophets, in imitation of the true ones, and in order to gain credit from the people, pretended they had a dream from the Lord, in which such and such things were revealed to them; and this is repeated by them for the greater certainty of it, and to raise the people’s attention as to something very uncommon and extraordinary. So the Targum,
“saying, a word of prophecy has been shown to me in a dream.”
Now, though the people could not contradict them, or know any otherwise than as they might observe that they agreed not with the word of God, or with his will, as made known by the true prophets of the Lord; for if a man says he has dreamed so and so, another cannot say he has not; because no man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of a man that is in him; yet God, that knows all things, knew that these were all lies and impostures, and that they had never had a dream from him, or any revelation of his will in that way.
g “dicunt”, Calvin, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jeremiah returns again to those impostors who soothed the people with their blandishments. Whenever Jeremiah and those who were like him, who faithfully performed their office, treated the people with severity by reproving and threatening them for their sins, these unprincipled men rose up against, them, and under the name of prophets flattered the ungodly despisers of God. It was, as we have before said, a most grievous trial, when in the very Church itself the ministers of Satan thus falsely pretended the name of God. The Jews would have unhesitantly despised and laughed to scorn what the vain prophets of the Gentiles might have boasted; for they knew that these had no knowledge of God; but when the false prophets of whom he now speaks occupied a place in the Church, and in high terms boasted that they were God’s servants, this would have greatly disturbed the weak and shaken their faith, and even wholly upset it, had not God stretched forth his hand. It is therefore no wonder that Jeremiah dwells so much on this subject; for it was an evil that could not be easily cured; had he said only, that they were not to be esteemed, the weak would not have been satisfied. It was hence necessary for him often to repeat this truth, that they were all to know that there was need of discrimination and judgment, and that those who pretended God’s name were not to be indiscriminately allowed to be his prophets.
He then repeats what we have before observed, but in other words, — I have heard, says God, what the prophets say who prophesy in my name (107) An objection is anticipated, for it might have been said, “What can this mean? the prophets disagree! and what is to be done under these dissensions? they who differ dazzle our eyes with an illustrious title, and boldly affirm that they have been sent by God. As, then, there is such a conflict between the prophets, what are we to do?” God meets this objection, and declares that it was not unknown to him what the false prophets boasted of. He adds, that they prophesied in his name It was an offense, which must have greatly distressed weak minds, to hear of this profanation of God’s name. For as it behoves us reverently to receive what proceeds from God, so it is no small danger when God’s name is falsely and mendaciously pretended. As, then, they might have been greatly disturbed by this false pretext of what was good, it is here expressly said, that they had used the name of God, but he adds, falsely
We hence see the truth of what I have said, that those who affirm that they are prophets and ostentatiously pretend God’s name, ought not to be received indiscriminately, but that judgment ought to be exercised; for it has been God’s will in all ages to try the faith of his servants by permitting to Satan and his ministers the liberty of pretending falsely his holy name. And as we see that the Church has ever been exposed to this evil, there is no cause for us to be disturbed at this day, when the same thing happens, for it is nothing new. Let us, therefore, learn to harden ourselves against such trials; and whenever false prophets try our faith, let; us remain firm, holding this principle, — that we ought wisely to consider, whether God himself speaks, or whether men falsely boast themselves to be his servants.
To dream is to be taken here in a good sense; for, as we have seen elsewhere, God was wont to make himself known to his servants by dreams. It is not then every kind of dreams that is to be understood here, but, such dreams as were from above. The false prophets, indeed, stated what was not true by using this language; for it was the same as though they testified that they did not bring their own devices, but faithfully related what they had received from God. As the Pope at this day declares that he is the vicar of Christ and the successor of Peter, while he exercises tyranny over the Church; so also these, by a specious pretext, deceived the simple by saying that they brought nothing human, but were only witnesses as to God’s oracles. It follows, —
(107) The more literal rendering is as follows, —
25. I have heard what the prophets have said, Who have prophesied in my name falsely, saying. — “I have dreamed, I have dreamed.”
—
Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) I have dreamed . . .The words point to the form of the claim commonly made by the false prophets. Dreams took their place among the recognised channels of divine revelation (Gen. 40:8; Gen. 41:16; Joe. 2:28; Dan. 7:1), but their frequent misuse by the false prophets brought them into discredit, and the teaching of Deu. 13:1-5 accordingly brought the dreamer of dreams no less than the prophet to the test whether what he taught was in accordance with the law of Jehovah. The iteration of I have dreamed represents the affected solemnity with which the false prophets proclaimed their visions. Of the disparagement of dreams, consequent on this abuse, we have a striking example in Ecc. 5:3, and later still in Sir. 34:1-7.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
YHWH Rejects The Testimony Of The False Jerusalem Prophets And Reveals Himself As The All-knowing One), Condemning The Temple Prophets As False Dreamers Who Cause The People To Err. They Are In Direct Contrast With Those Who Have The True Word Of YHWH Which Is Like A Fire And A Hammer Which Breaks Rock In Pieces ( Jer 23:25-32 ).
YHWH now stresses that He had not sent these prophets and that their words were not to be seen as coming from Him. And He wants all to know that He is not out of touch with things but is perfectly well aware of what they were teaching. After all He fills Heaven and earth. His verdict is therefore that they are teachers of lies and false dreams and He wants everyone to know that He is against them. And He stresses that this is in contrast with the true prophets who have been sent by Him and do receive their word from YHWH and whose word is therefore like a fire and a sledgehammer bringing about His purpose.
Jer 23:21-22
“I did not send these prophets,
Yet they ran,
I did not speak to them,
Yet they prophesied.”
But if they had stood in my council,
Then they would have caused my people to hear my words,
And would have turned them from their evil way,
And from the evil of their doings.”
YHWH wants the people to know that these prophets are running as though they had an urgent message from Him when in fact He had given them no message. They are giving a false impression. And they are ‘prophesying’ even though He had not spoken to them. For the truth was that had they genuinely entered into His Council and listened and heard His words they would have been causing the people to hear those words, and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil doing. This is finally the test of a true prophet, that he causes men’s lives to be changed in accordance with the word of God and the teaching of the Law.
Jer 23:23-24
“Am I a God at hand,
The word of YHWH,
And not a God afar off?
Can any hide himself in secret places,
So that I will not see him?
The word of YHWH.
Do I not fill heaven and earth?
The word of YHWH.”
Let no one think that God was far off and not aware of what was going on. For He is a God Who is at hand (and that is the sure word of YHWH) and not One afar off (so the answer to the question was expected to be YES). Thus no one can hide in a secret place (behind a refuge of lies – see Isa 28:7; Isa 28:15; Isa 28:17) preventing YHWH from seeing him. This too is the sure word of YHWH. For after all YHWH fills Heaven and earth. Nothing can be hidden from Him. And this too is the sure word of YHWH. Note the threefold repetition of ‘the word of YHWH’ guaranteeing that absolute certainty of what He is saying. The point is that YHWH knew the whole truth about all prophets. Their dreams were not a mystery to Him. And He was therefore able to declare which were true and which were false.
For the idea of God as far off and out of sight compare Psa 10:11; Psa 73:11; Psa 94:7. It is what foolish men think. How different is the truth, that all things are unbared and open to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Heb 4:13). Compare Gen 16:13; Psa 32:6-7; Psa 73:23-26; Psa 139:1-2; Psa 139:7-12; Amo 9:2-4.
Alternately we may see the question as asking whether God was just a local God (a God at hand who could thus be dodged), rather than being a transcendent God, unrestricted in what He could see and inhabiting eternity (‘a God afar off’ likes the High and Lofty One Who inhabits Eternity, compare Isa 57:15) so that He can look down and observe everything that happens (Psa 53:2).
Jer 23:25
”
I have heard what the prophets have said,
Who prophesy lies in my name,
Saying,
I have dreamed, I have dreamed.”
And so let no one be deceived. YHWH is fully aware of what the supposed prophets have said, and knows that they have prophesied lies on the basis of their dreams. Note the sarcastic picture of the prophet who arrives declaring sombrely and mysteriously, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed’, trying to give the impression that he has received some great message, when it is in fact a mixture of drugs and wishful thinking.
Dreams were the means by which most lesser prophets received their ‘illumination’ (see Num 12:6). And they could contain genuine messages from God. But those who had many dreams and made a great fuss about it should be treated with suspicion. It appears that these prophets were constantly having dreams, and then laying great emphasis on them. It is typical of mankind to prefer dreams to the sure word of God. Such dreams give the impression of being more exciting and pander to what people want to hear, and contribute to the desire to discover certainty in an uncertain word.
Jer 23:26-27
“How long? Is this to be in the heart of the prophets,
Who prophesy lies,
Even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
Who think to cause my people to forget my name,
By their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour,
As their fathers forgot my name for Baal?”
YHWH then asks ‘how long?’ That is, how long can this be allowed to go on (or ‘how long will they go on doing this?’). What follows is then asking, can this be allowed to continue? Will they really be allowed to go on having this dependence on dreams which causes them to prophesy their lies? In other words how long can they be allowed to go on dreaming, deceiving themselves in their own hearts, with the intent of making His people forget His Name and follow after Baal? For that is what they are doing. By their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour they are making them forget YHWH’s Name for that of Baal, just as their fathers did.
Jer 23:28
“The prophet who has a dream,
Let him tell a dream,
And he who has my word,
Let him speak my word faithfully.
What is the straw to the wheat?
The word of YHWH.”
He then differentiates the dreamers from the true prophets. Let the prophet who dreams tell his dream. And let the prophet who truly has His word, speak that word faithfully. After all when it comes to choosing who would prefer straw to wheat? This is the sure word of YHWH.
The point is that had the people been honest in their hearts they would have known which was true. They would have discerned wheat from straw. But of course the truth was they did not want to discern. The straw was more comfortable.
And that is why even today God allows truth and error to be proclaimed side by side, because those who have the anointing of God will soon discern truth from falsehood. See the similar argument in 1Jn 2:18-29.
Jer 23:29-30
“Is not my word like fire? the word of YHWH,
And like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?”
For the true word of God does not need dreams to support it. It is like a fire which burns into men’s very souls removing what is false (the stubble). It is like a sledgehammer which smashes what is hardened so that it is open to truth, and humbles men before God.
Jer 23:30-32
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, the word of YHWH,
Who steal my words every one from his neighbour.”
“Behold, I am against the prophets, the word of YHWH,
Who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says’.
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, the word of YHWH,
And do tell them,
And cause my people to err by their lies,
And by their vain boasting.
Yet I did not send them,
Nor did I command them,
Nor do they profit this people at all, the word of YHWH.”
YHWH now three times emphasises that He is against the cult prophets, firstly because their words are second hand borrowing based on common wisdom, secondly because they use their tongues (which is all that their words are based on) freely and then say, ‘YHWH says’ (as though it was the word of YHWH), and thirdly because they have (‘prophesy’) lying dreams, and then tell them to the people, causing them to err as a result of their lies and vain boasting. Thus not only are they making a false claim to be prophets of YHWH when it is all really a sham, but by it they are leading people astray. For the fact is that on the one hand YHWH has neither sent them nor commanded them, and on the other the words that they speak have no profit in them for the people in any way.
Note the careful construction of the verses with the thrice repeated ‘behold I am against the prophets’ as He builds up His case concerning them that they are plagiarists, vain talkers and lying dreamers, and the three fold ‘the word of YHWH’ (neum YHWH) as He underpins the fact, then followed by a fourth.
It will be noted that in this clear indictment of the false prophets their methods are sarcastically reviewed. They either borrow their ideas from the common wisdom (their neighbours), or they simply invent them on their tongues, or they base them on induced dreams. YHWH’s inspiration does not come into it. (The prophets would have claimed otherwise because, like Balaam in Numbers 22-24, they thought that they could enter into the secrets of YHWH by drug induced experiences).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jer 23:25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
Ver. 25. I have dreamed, I have dreamed, ] i.e., I have a prophetic revelation in a dream. Such lying prophets were the ancient and modern enthusiasts and high attainers. Messalanian heretics they were called of old, A.D. 371.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 23:25-32
25I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, 27who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? 28The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain? declares the LORD. 29Is not My word like fire? declares the LORD, and like a hammer which shatters a rock? 30Therefore behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal My words from each other. 31Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ 32Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams, declares the LORD, and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit, declares the LORD.
Jer 23:25-32 YHWH describes the false prophets. They claim revelation but have none! They even get their message from one another (Jer 23:30). Their message (in dreams) is their own message and it will destroy Judah.
For dreams as a method of revelation in the ANE, see John Walton, ANE Thought and the OT, p. 243.
Jer 23:25 I had a dream, I had a dream This was a claim to divine revelation. Dreams were common ways for God to communicate (cf. Gen 20:3; Gen 28:12; Gen 31:11; Gen 31:24; Gen 37:5; Deu 13:1-5). Joseph had dream interpretation as a gift from God (cf. Genesis 40-41), as did Daniel (cf. Daniel 2).
Jer 23:26
NASBis there anything in the hearts of the prophets
NKJVHow long will this be in the heart of the prophets
Other suggestions by scholars is to supply the missing SUBJECT (cf. JPSOA)
1. my word
2. lies (LXX)
3. My name
Jer 23:27 forgot My name This is that special use of the name to refer to God’s covenant relationship and eternal character. Judah was attributing God’s acts to Ba’al!
Jer 23:29 In this verse YHWH describes His word as
1. a fire (cf. Jer 5:14; Jer 20:9)
2. a hammer which shatters a rock
God’s word has results (cf. Isa 49:2)! The false prophets bring no benefit (cf. Jer 23:32; this is the Hiphi lINFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB of the same root [BDB 418, KB 420] which denotes intensity). The imagery in the NT of Jesus with a two edged sword coming out of His mouth is the same type of figurative language (cf. Rev 1:16; Rev 2:12; Rev 2:16; Rev 19:15; Heb 4:12).
Jer 23:30-32 the UBS Handbook says these verses are a summary of YHWH’s message against the false, self-deceived prophets (p. 513, this is such a helpful grammatical and syntactical resource for translators and interpreters).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
I have dreamed. Thus catching the people’s ears. Note Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
heard: Jer 8:6, Jer 13:27, Jer 16:17, Jer 29:23, Psa 139:2, Psa 139:4, Luk 12:3, 1Co 4:5, Heb 4:13, Rev 2:23
dreamed: Jer 23:28, Jer 23:32, Jer 29:8, Gen 37:5, Gen 37:9, Num 12:6, Joe 2:28, Mat 1:20
Reciprocal: Deu 13:1 – a dreamer 1Ki 22:11 – Thus saith 2Ch 18:10 – Thus Neh 6:12 – God had Pro 19:9 – and Isa 9:15 – the prophet Jer 5:31 – prophets Jer 8:10 – from the prophet Jer 14:14 – The prophets Jer 20:6 – thy friends Jer 23:14 – walk Jer 27:9 – hearken Jer 27:14 – they Eze 13:2 – prophesy against Eze 22:28 – seeing Amo 2:4 – and their Mic 2:11 – a man Zep 3:4 – light Zec 10:2 – the diviners Mat 24:5 – in 2Th 2:2 – by spirit 2Pe 2:1 – there were
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 23:25. Since God Is everywhere at the same time he also sees and hears all that is done and said. When these false leaders were deceiving the people with the supposed importance of dreams, the Lord heard and knew all about it. It is true that one form of inspired revelations was that of dreams and these lying prophets took advantage of the common feeling of respect for dreams. But like many other things that God sometimes uses, these dreams were also relied upon by the unfaithful prophets.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 23:25-27. I have heard what the prophets say, &c. I am perfectly acquainted with what these prophets have thought and said, though they think I take no notice of it, and so continue to act the same counterfeit part over again. Saying, I have dreamed I have had a divine vision, or have received information from God in a dream. This, it appears, the false prophets often pretended, when they had received nothing of the kind. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets? How long shall I bear with them while they prophesy the deceit of their own hearts? while they utter, for prophecies, that which they have feigned or devised themselves? Will they never see what an affront they put upon me, what an abuse they put upon my people, and what judgments they are preparing for themselves? To cause my people to forget my name by their dreams, &c. They act as if they designed to draw my people off from worshipping and serving me, and from all regard to my laws and ordinances and to the true prophets. Indeed, their palming upon the people counterfeit revelations, and fathering their own fancies upon divine inspiration, was the ready way to bring all religion into contempt, and make men turn atheists and infidels.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I {t} have dreamed, I have dreamed.
(t) I have a prophecy revealed to me as in Num 12:6 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord was aware that the prophets were falsely claiming to have had dreams in which they received messages from Him (cf. Zec 10:2).
Dreams were one way that Yahweh communicated His revelations to people in ancient times (cf. Gen 28:10-17; Gen 37:5-11; Genesis 40; Gen 41:1-45; Num 12:6-8; 1Ki 3:5-15; Daniel 2; Dan 4:4-27; Daniel 7; Joe 2:28; Zec 1:7 to Zec 6:8). The pagans also viewed dreams as a way the gods communicated with them. Consequently it was possible to claim a revelation in a dream and to obtain an audience. The person who received a revelation from Yahweh in a dream knew it, but it was very difficult for someone else to know if the dream that a prophet claimed as divine really came from Yahweh.