Jeremiah 23:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

Thus says the LORD of hosts, Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת אַֽל־תִּשְׁמְע֞וּ עַל־דִּבְרֵ֤י הַנְּבִאִים֙ הַנִּבְּאִ֣ים לָכֶ֔ם מַהְבִּלִ֥ים הֵ֖מָּה אֶתְכֶ֑ם חֲז֤וֹן לִבָּם֙ יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ לֹ֖א מִפִּ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

Transliteration

Thus ʾāmar YHWH ṣəbāʾôt: ʾal-tišməʿû upon-dibrê the-nəbīʾîm the-nibəʾîm to-you, mahbilîm they you; ḥăzôn libbām yədabbērû, not from-pî YHWH.

Grammar Details

• *ʾāmar*: perfect, 3rd masculine singular - said/declared
• *YHWH*: proper noun - LORD/Yahweh
• *ṣəbāʾôt*: noun, feminine plural construct - hosts/armies
• *ʾal*: negative particle - do not
• *tišməʿû*: qal imperfect, 2nd masculine plural - listen/hear/obey
• *dibrê*: noun, masculine plural construct - words of
• *nəbīʾîm*: noun, masculine plural - prophets
• *nibəʾîm*: niphal participle, masculine plural - prophesying
• *mahbilîm*: hiphil participle, masculine plural - causing to be vain/making empty
• *ḥăzôn*: noun, masculine singular construct - vision of
• *libbām*: noun, masculine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix - their heart
• *yədabbērû*: piel imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - they speak
• *pî*: noun, masculine singular construct - mouth of

Word Meanings

• *mahbilîm*: causing to be vain/making empty/filling with false hopes
• *ḥăzôn*: vision/revelation/oracle
• *libbām*: their heart/mind/will/understanding

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And therfore the LORDE of hoostes geueth you this warnynge: Heare not the wordes of the prophetes, that preach vnto you, and disceaue you: for they speake the meanynge of their owne herte, and not out of the mouth of the LORDE.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thus sayth ye Lord of hosts, Heare not the wordes of the prophets that prophecie vnto you, and teach you vanitie: they speake the vision of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lorde.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And therfore the Lorde of hoastes geueth you this warning: Heare not the wordes of the prophetes that preache vnto you and deceaue you, truely they reache you vanitie: for they speake the meaning of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lorde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the LORD.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, Don't listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Ye do not hearken unto the words Of the prophets who are prophesying to you, They are making you vain things, A vision of their own heart they speak, Not from the mouth of Jehovah.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  This is what the Lord of armies has said: Do not give ear to the words which the prophets say to you: they give you teaching of no value: it is from themselves that their vision comes, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Thus says Yahweh of Armies, Don't listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to the people of Jerusalem:“Do not listen to what those prophets are saying to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They are reporting visions of their own imaginations, not something the LORD has given them to say.

Referenced Verses

• Jer 14:14 : 14 Then the LORD said to me, 'The prophets prophesy lies in My name; I have not sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision and divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.'
• Jer 27:9-9 : 9 Therefore do not listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon: 10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
• Matt 7:15 : 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
• 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
• Gal 1:8-9 : 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
• 1 John 4:1 : 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• Ezek 13:3 : 3 Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
• Ezek 13:6 : 6 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, saying, 'The LORD says'; but the LORD has not sent them. And they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
• Jer 27:14-17 : 14 Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets that speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie to you. 15 For I have not sent them, says the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that you might perish, you, and the prophets that prophesy to you. 16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says the LORD; Do not listen to the words of your prophets that prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city be laid waste?
• Jer 23:21 : 21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
• Jer 23:26 : 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
• Jer 29:8 : 8 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, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
• 2 Kgs 17:15 : 15 They rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; they followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves, and went after the nations that were around them, although the LORD had commanded them not to do like them.
• Prov 19:27 : 27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.
• Jer 2:5 : 5 Thus says the LORD, What wrong have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have followed idols, and have become idolaters?
• Jer 9:20 : 20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O you women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation.
• Ezek 13:16 : 16 This is concerning the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and see visions of peace for her, when there is no peace, says the Lord GOD.
• Ezek 13:23 : 23 Therefore you shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations; for I will deliver my people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.
• Ezek 22:28 : 28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, Thus says the Lord GOD, when the LORD has not spoken.
• Mic 2:11 : 11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood lies, saying, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
• Rom 1:21 : 21 Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.