Jeremiah 29 · Verse 8

Jeremiah 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.
Jeremiah 29:8, King James Version

Jeremiah 29:8 in other translations

BSBFor this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.
WEBFor the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you. Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
ASVFor 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.
YLT‘For thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Let not your prophets who are in your midst, and your diviners, lift you up, nor hearken ye unto their dreams, that ye are causing them to dream;
DARBYFor thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in your midst, nor your diviners deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams, which ye like to dream.
BBEFor this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Do not let yourselves be tricked by the prophets who are among you, and the readers of signs, and give no attention to their dreams which they may have;
WebsterFor thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that are in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

What does Jeremiah 29:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. 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 (Ex 32:1-4). So the Jews caused or made the prophets to tell them encouraging dreams (Jr 23:25, 26; Ec 5:7; Zec 10:2; Joh 3:19-21).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 29:8-19
Let men beware how they call those prophets whom they choose after their own fancies, and how they consider their fancies and dreams to be revelations from God. False prophets flatter people in their sins, because they love to be flattered; and they speak smoothly to their prophets, that their prophets may speak smoothly to them. God promises that they should return after seventy years were accomplished. By this it appears, that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. It will be the bringing to pass of God's good word to them. This shall form God's purposes. We often do not know our own minds, but the Lord is never at an uncertainty. We are sometimes ready to fear that God's designs are all against us; but as to his own people, even that which seems evil, is for good. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them. When the Lord pours out an especial spirit of prayer, it is a good sign that he is coming toward us in mercy. Promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer. He never said, Seek ye me in vain. Those who remained at Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed, notwithstanding what the false prophets said to the contrary. The reason has often been given, and it justifies the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners; Because they have not hearkened to my words; I called, but they refused.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Jeremiah 29:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּי֩kiforH3588
כֹ֨הkhohthusH3541
אָמַ֜ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָאוֹת֙tze.va.'Otof hostsH6635
אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] God ofH430
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יַשִּׁ֧יאוּya.Shi.'uthey deceiveH5377
לָכֶ֛םla.Khem<to> <the> you
נְבִֽיאֵיכֶ֥םne.vi.'ei.Khemprophets yourH5030
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whoH834
בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖םbe.kir.be.Khem[are] in midst yourH7130
וְקֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֑םve.ko.se.mei.Khemand diviners yourH7080
וְאַֽל\־ve.'al-and may notH408
תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙tish.me.'Uyou listenH8085
אֶל\־'el-toH413
חֲלֹמֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔םcha.lo.Mo.tei.Khemdreams yourH2472
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
אַתֶּ֖ם'a.TemyouH859
מַחְלְמִֽים\׃mach.le.Mim[are] dreamingH2492

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 29:8

  • Ephesians 5:6

    Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11

    Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

  • Jeremiah 5:31

    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

  • Jeremiah 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:

  • Revelation 13:14

    And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

  • Jeremiah 28:15

    Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

  • 2 Peter 2:2-3

    And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

  • 2 Timothy 3:13

    But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

  • Jeremiah 27:14-15

    Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

  • Jeremiah 14:14

    Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

  • Zechariah 13:4

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

  • Mark 13:5-6

    And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Let.
14:14; 23:21; 27:14,15; 28:15; Zec 13:4; Mt 24:4,5,24
Mr 13:5,6,22,23; Lu 21:8; Ro 16:18; 2Co 11:13-15; Eph 4:14; 5:6
2Th 2:3,9-11; 2Ti 3:13; 2Jo 1:7-9; Re 13:14; 19:20
your dreams.
5:31; Mic 2:11; Lu 6:26; 2Pe 2:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 29:7

    And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

  • Jeremiah 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.

  • Jeremiah 29:9

    For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

Read all of Jeremiah 29

Jeremiah 29:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque así ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos, Dios de Israel: No os engañen vuestros profetas que están entre vosotros, ni vuestros adivinos; ni miréis á vuestros sueños que soñáis.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car ainsi dit l’ Éternel des armées, le Dieu d’Israël: Que vos prophètes qui sont au milieu de vous, et vos devins, ne vous séduisent point, et n’écoutez pas vos songes que vous vous plaisez à songer;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn so spricht Jehova der Heerscharen, der Gott Israels: Laßt euch von euren Propheten, die in eurer Mitte sind, und von euren Wahrsagern nicht täuschen; und höret nicht auf eure Träume, die ihr euch träumen lasset.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc enim dicit Dominus exercituum, Deus Israël: Non vos seducant prophetæ vestri qui sunt in medio vestrum, et divini vestri, et ne attendatis ad somnia vestra quæ vos somniatis: