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Deuteronomy 13:2-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Deuteronomy 13:2-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
2 (A)If there arises in your midst a prophet or a dreamer[a] who promises you a sign or wonder, 3 saying, “Let us go after other gods,” whom you have not known, “and let us serve them,” and the sign or wonder foretold to you comes to pass, 4 do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer; for the Lord, your God, is testing you to know whether you really love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and soul.(B) 5 The Lord, your God, shall you follow, and him shall you fear; his commandments shall you observe, and to his voice shall you listen; him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast.(C) 6 But that prophet or that dreamer shall be put to death, because, in order to lead you astray from the way which the Lord, your God, has commanded you to take, the prophet or dreamer has spoken apostasy against the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst.(D)
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Deuteronomy 13:2-6
New International Version
Deuteronomy 13:2-6
New International Version
2 and if the sign(A) or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods”(B) (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet(C) or dreamer.(D) The Lord your God is testing(E) you to find out whether you love(F) him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the Lord your God you must follow,(G) and him you must revere.(H) Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast(I) to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death(J) for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn(K) you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil(L) from among you.
6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices(M) you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods”(N) (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known,
1 Kings 22:1-40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
1 Kings 22:1-40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 22
Ahab’s Defeat by Aram.[a] 1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. 2 In the third year, however, King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours and we are doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” 4 He asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you come with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “You and I are as one, and your people and my people, your horses and my horses as well.”
Prophetic Condemnation. 5 Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Seek the word of the Lord at once.” 6 The king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked, “Shall I go to fight against Ramoth-gilead or shall I refrain?” They said, “Attack. The Lord will give it into the power of the king.”[b] 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no other prophet of the Lord here we might consult?” 8 The king of Israel answered, “There is one other man through whom we might consult the Lord; but I hate him because he prophesies not good but evil about me. He is Micaiah, son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say that.” 9 So the king of Israel called an official and said to him, “Get Micaiah, son of Imlah, at once.”
10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, were seated, each on his throne, clothed in their robes of state in the square at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 (A)Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, made himself two horns of iron[c] and said, “The Lord says, With these you shall gore Aram until you have destroyed them.” 12 The other prophets prophesied in a similar vein, saying: “Attack Ramoth-gilead and conquer! The Lord will give it into the power of the king.”
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah said to him, “Look now, the prophets are unanimously predicting good for the king. Let your word be the same as any of theirs; speak a good word.” 14 Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I shall speak whatever the Lord tells me.”
15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to fight at Ramoth-gilead, or shall we refrain?” He said, “Attack and conquer! The Lord will give it into the power of the king.” 16 But the king answered him, “How many times must I adjure you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 17 [d]So Micaiah said:
“I see all Israel
scattered on the mountains,
like sheep without a shepherd,
And the Lord saying,
These have no master!
Let each of them go back home in peace.”
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you, he does not prophesy good about me, but only evil?” 19 [e]Micaiah continued: “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord seated on his throne, with the whole host of heaven standing to his right and to his left. 20 The Lord asked: Who will deceive Ahab, so that he will go up and fall on Ramoth-gilead?[f] And one said this, another that, 21 until this spirit came forth and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked: How? 22 He answered, ‘I will go forth and become a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord replied: You shall succeed in deceiving him. Go forth and do this. 23 So now, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; the Lord himself has decreed evil against you.”
24 Thereupon Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, came up and struck Micaiah on the cheek, saying, “Has the spirit of the Lord, then, left me to speak with you?” 25 Micaiah said, “You shall find out on the day you go into an inner room to hide.” 26 The king of Israel then said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon, prefect of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son, 27 and say, ‘This is the king’s order: Put this man in prison and feed him scanty rations of bread and water until I come back in safety.’” 28 (B)But Micaiah said, “If you return in safety, the Lord has not spoken through me.” (He also said, “Hear, O peoples, all of you.”)[g]
Ahab at Ramoth-gilead. 29 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead, 30 and the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your own robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and entered the battle. 31 In the meantime the king of Aram had given his thirty-two chariot commanders the order, “Do not fight with anyone, great or small, except the king of Israel alone.”
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they cried out, “There is the king of Israel!” and wheeled to fight him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, 33 and the chariot commanders, seeing that he was not the king of Israel, turned away from him. 34 But someone drew his bow at random, and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his breastplate. He ordered his charioteer, “Rein about and take me out of the ranks, for I am wounded.”
35 (C)The battle grew fierce during the day, and the king, who was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans, died in the evening. The blood from his wound flowed to the bottom of the chariot. 36 At sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, every man to his land!”
37 And so the king died, and came back to Samaria, and they buried him there. 38 (D)When they washed out the chariot at the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood and prostitutes bathed there, as the Lord had prophesied.
39 The rest of the acts of Ahab, with all that he did, including the ivory house he built and all the cities he built, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors, and his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
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- 22:1–40 This chapter presents a contrasting parallel to chap. 20, where Ahab enjoyed victories over Aram’s aggression. Here Ahab is the aggressor, but falls in battle against Aram. Like the preceding chapters, it contains a story of Ahab plus an episode of prophetic condemnation. The story ends with the formulaic conclusion to Ahab’s reign (vv. 39–40). Chronicles has a parallel version of this account in 2 Chr 18:1–34. After the story of Ahab’s death come accounts of the reign of Jehoshaphat (paralleled in 2 Chr 20:31–37) and of the beginning of the reign of Ahaziah.
- 22:6 Though Ahab is clearly intended to understand the oracle as prophesying his success, the prophets’ words are ambiguous. “The lord” (not “the Lord,” i.e., the proper name of Israel’s God) who will give victory is unidentified, as is the king to whom it will be given.
- 22:11 The “two” horns probably symbolize the coalition of two kings, Ahab and Jehoshaphat.
- 22:17 Micaiah’s oracle uses the common ancient metaphor of “shepherd” for the king. It means that the Israelite forces will be left leaderless because the king (or perhaps both kings: the word “master” could be singular or plural in Hebrew) will die in battle.
- 22:19–23 Since Ahab’s intention to attack Ramoth-gilead is unshaken, Micaiah reveals God’s plan to trick Ahab to his death, and thus virtually dares Ahab to walk into the trap with his eyes open. The work of the “lying spirit” explains the ambiguities of the prophets’ original oracle in v. 6. Prophets “stand in the council of the Lord” and are privy to its deliberations; cf. Jer 23:22.
- 22:20 Fall on Ramoth-gilead: lit., “heights of Gilead”; even the Lord’s words are double-meaning. God wants Ahab to “fall on” (that is, attack) Ramoth-gilead so that he will “fall on” (that is, die on) Ramoth-gilead.
- 22:28 The last words of the verse are a scribal gloss attributing to Micaiah, son of Imlah, the opening words of the book of a different Micaiah (Micah), the prophet of Moresheth, the sixth of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament canon.
1 Kings 22:1-40
New International Version
1 Kings 22:1-40
New International Version
Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab(A)
22 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead(B) belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”
4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight(C) against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel(D) of the Lord.”
6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”
“Go,”(E) they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”(F)
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet(G) of the Lord here whom we can inquire(H) of?”
8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate(I) him because he never prophesies anything good(J) about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor(K) by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 11 Now Zedekiah(L) son of Kenaanah had made iron horns(M) and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”(N)
14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”(O)
15 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
17 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered(P) on the hills like sheep without a shepherd,(Q) and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
19 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne(R) with all the multitudes(S) of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
“‘I will go out and be a deceiving(T) spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
23 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving(U) spirit in the mouths of all these prophets(V) of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster(W) for you.”
24 Then Zedekiah(X) son of Kenaanah went up and slapped(Y) Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from[a] the Lord go when he went from me to speak(Z) to you?” he asked.
25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide(AA) in an inner room.”
26 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison(AB) and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
28 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken(AC) through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead(AD)
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise,(AE) but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Now the king of Aram(AF) had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king(AG) of Israel.” 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “Surely this is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, 33 the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.
34 But someone drew his bow(AH) at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 35 All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. 36 As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: “Every man to his town. Every man to his land!”(AI)
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there. 38 They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed),[b] and the dogs(AJ) licked up his blood, as the word of the Lord had declared.
39 As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory,(AK) and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 22:24 Or Spirit of
- 1 Kings 22:38 Or Samaria and cleaned the weapons
Jeremiah 14:13-16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Jeremiah 14:13-16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 “Ah! Lord God,” I replied, “it is the prophets who say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword; famine shall not befall you. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”(A)
14 These prophets utter lies in my name, the Lord said to me: I did not send them; I gave them no command, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you lying visions, foolish divination, deceptions from their own imagination.(B) 15 Therefore, thus says the Lord: Concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, though I did not send them, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not befall this land”: by sword and famine shall these prophets meet their end.(C) 16 The people to whom they prophesy shall be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and the sword. No one shall bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour out upon them their own wickedness.(D)
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Jeremiah 14:13-16
New International Version
Jeremiah 14:13-16
New International Version
13 But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets(A) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.(B) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace(C) in this place.’”
14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies(D) in my name. I have not sent(E) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,(F) divinations,(G) idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish(H) by sword and famine.(I) 16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury(J) them, their wives, their sons and their daughters.(K) I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.(L)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations
Jeremiah 23:9-40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Jeremiah 23:9-40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The False Prophets[a]
9 Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me,
all my bones tremble;
I am like a drunk,
like one overcome by wine,
Because of the Lord,
because of his holy words.
10 The land is filled with adulterers;
because of the curse the land mourns,
the pastures of the wilderness are withered.(A)
Theirs is an evil course,
theirs is unjust power.
11 Both prophet and priest are godless!
In my very house I find their wickedness—
oracle of the Lord.(B)
12 Hence their way shall become for them
slippery ground.
Into the darkness they shall be driven,
and fall headlong;
For I will bring disaster upon them,
the year of their punishment—oracle of the Lord.(C)
13 Among Samaria’s prophets
I saw something unseemly:
They prophesied by Baal
and led my people Israel astray.(D)
14 But among Jerusalem’s prophets
I saw something more shocking:
Adultery, walking in deception,[b]
strengthening the power of the wicked,
so that no one turns from evil;
To me they are all like Sodom,
its inhabitants like Gomorrah.(E)
15 Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts against the prophets:
Look, I will give them wormwood to eat,
and poisoned water to drink;
For from Jerusalem’s prophets
ungodliness has gone forth into the whole land.(F)
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
Do not listen to the words of your prophets,
who fill you with emptiness;
They speak visions from their own fancy,
not from the mouth of the Lord.(G)
17 They say to those who despise the word of the Lord,[c]
“Peace shall be yours”;
And to everyone who walks in hardness of heart,
“No evil shall overtake you.”(H)
18 Now, who has stood in the council of the Lord,
to see him and to hear his word?
Who has heeded his word so as to announce it?(I)
19 See, the storm of the Lord!
His wrath breaks forth
In a whirling storm
that bursts upon the heads of the wicked.(J)
20 The anger of the Lord shall not abate
until he has carried out completely
the decisions of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand fully.
21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.(K)
22 Had they stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
They would have brought them back from their evil ways
and from their wicked deeds.
23 Am I a God near at hand only—oracle of the Lord—(L)
and not a God far off?[d]
24 Can anyone hide in secret
without my seeing them?—oracle of the Lord.
Do I not fill
heaven and earth?—oracle of the Lord.
25 I have heard the prophets who prophesy lies in my name say, “I had a dream! I had a dream!” 26 How long? Will the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies and their own deceitful fancies ever turn back? 27 By the dreams they tell each other, they plan to make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal.(M) 28 Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams; let those who have my word speak my word truthfully!
What has straw to do with wheat?[e]
—oracle of the Lord.(N)
29 Is not my word like fire—oracle of the Lord—
like a hammer shattering rock?
30 Therefore I am against the prophets—oracle of the Lord—those who steal my words from each other.(O) 31 Yes, I am against the prophets—oracle of the Lord—those who compose their own speeches and call them oracles. 32 Yes, I am against the prophets who tell lying dreams—oracle of the Lord—those who lead my people astray by recounting their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them; they do this people no good at all—oracle of the Lord.(P)
33 [f]And when this people or a prophet or a priest asks you, “What is the burden of the Lord?” you shall answer, “You are the burden, and I cast you off”—oracle of the Lord. 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else mentions “the burden of the Lord,” I will punish that man and his household. 35 Thus you shall ask, when speaking to one another, “What answer did the Lord give?” or “What did the Lord say?” 36 But “the burden of the Lord” you shall mention no more. For each of you, your own word becomes the burden so that you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus shall you ask the prophet, “What answer did the Lord give?” or “What did the Lord say?” 38 But if you ask about “the burden of the Lord,” then thus says the Lord: Because you use this phrase, “the burden of the Lord,” though I forbade you to use it, 39 therefore I will lift you on high and cast you from my presence, you and the city which I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 And I will bring upon you eternal reproach, eternal shame, never to be forgotten.(Q)
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- 23:9–40 After the collection of oracles against the kings, the editor of the book placed this collection of oracles against the false prophets. With them are associated the priests, for both have betrayed their trust as instructors in the ways of the Lord; cf. 2:8; 4:9; 6:13–14.
- 23:14 Cf. note on 13:25.
- 23:17–20 Not only are the false prophets personally immoral, but they encourage immorality by prophesying good for evildoers. The true prophet, on the other hand, sees the inevitable consequences of evil behavior.
- 23:23–24 Near at hand only…far off: a divine claim that no one can hide from God and that God is aware of all that happens.
- 23:28–29 Straw…wheat: a contrast between false and true prophecy. True prophecy is also like fire (cf. 5:14; 20:9), producing violent results (v. 29); Jeremiah’s own life is a testimony of this.
- 23:33–40 A wordplay on massa’, which means both “oracle” (usually of woe) and “burden.” In vv. 34–40 the word massa’ itself is forbidden to the people under the meaning of a divine oracle.
Jeremiah 23:9-40
New International Version
Jeremiah 23:9-40
New International Version
Lying Prophets
9 Concerning the prophets:
My heart(A) is broken within me;
all my bones tremble.(B)
I am like a drunken man,
like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
and his holy words.(C)
10 The land is full of adulterers;(D)
because of the curse[a](E) the land lies parched
and the pastures(F) in the wilderness are withered.(G)
The prophets follow an evil course
and use their power unjustly.
11 “Both prophet and priest are godless;(H)
even in my temple(I) I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore their path will become slippery;(J)
they will be banished to darkness
and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
in the year they are punished,(K)”
declares the Lord.
13 “Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal(L)
and led my people Israel astray.(M)
14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen something horrible:(N)
They commit adultery and live a lie.(O)
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,(P)
so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.(Q)
They are all like Sodom(R) to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”(S)
15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:
“I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,(T)
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness(U) has spread throughout the land.”
16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Do not listen(V) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions(W) from their own minds,
not from the mouth(X) of the Lord.
17 They keep saying(Y) to those who despise me,
‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’(Z)
And to all who follow the stubbornness(AA) of their hearts
they say, ‘No harm(AB) will come to you.’
18 But which of them has stood in the council(AC) of the Lord
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?
19 See, the storm(AD) of the Lord
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind(AE) swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger(AF) of the Lord will not turn back(AG)
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send(AH) these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(AI)
they would have proclaimed(AJ) my words to my people
and would have turned(AK) them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.(AL)
23 “Am I only a God nearby,(AM)”
declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(AN) in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(AO)
declares the Lord.
25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(AP) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(AQ) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(AR) of their own minds?(AS) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(AT) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(AU) my name through Baal worship.(AV) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(AW) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(AX) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(AY) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(AZ) that breaks a rock in pieces?
30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(BA) the prophets(BB) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’(BC) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(BD)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(BE) with their reckless lies,(BF) yet I did not send(BG) or appoint them. They do not benefit(BH) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.
False Prophecy
33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message(BI) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake(BJ) you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message(BK) from the Lord,’ I will punish(BL) them and their household. 35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’(BM) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort(BN) the words of the living God,(BO) the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast(BP) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace(BQ)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 23:10 Or because of these things
Jeremiah 28
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Jeremiah 28
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 28
The Two Yokes. 1 That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the prophet, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the sight of the priests and all the people: 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took from this place and carried away to Babylon. 4 And Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon, I will bring back to this place—oracle of the Lord—for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
5 Jeremiah the prophet answered the prophet Hananiah in the sight of the priests and all the people standing in the house of the Lord, 6 and said: Amen! thus may the Lord do! May the Lord fulfill your words that you have prophesied, by bringing back the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the exiles from Babylon to this place! 7 But now, listen to the word I am about to speak in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. 8 In the past, the prophets who came before you and me prophesied war, disaster, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as the prophet whom the Lord has truly sent only when his word comes to pass.(A)
10 Thereupon Hananiah the prophet took the yoke bar from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 He said in the sight of all the people: “Thus says the Lord: Like this, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from the neck of all the nations.” At that, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke bar off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 Go tell Hananiah this: Thus says the Lord: By breaking a wooden yoke bar, you make an iron yoke! 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I have placed on the necks of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; even the wild animals I have given him.(B) 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet: Listen to this, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, and you have led this people to rely on deception. 16 For this, says the Lord, I am sending you from the face of the earth; this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.(C) 17 Hananiah the prophet died in that year, in the seventh month.
Jeremiah 28
New International Version
Jeremiah 28
New International Version
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(B) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(C) of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(D) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[a](E) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(F)
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.(G) 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague(H) against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.(I)”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke(J) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said(K) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke(L) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve(M) Nebuchadnezzar(N) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.(O)’”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent(P) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.(Q) 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.(R) This very year you are going to die,(S) because you have preached rebellion(T) against the Lord.’”
17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.(U)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
Ezekiel 13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ezekiel 13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 13
Against the Prophets of Peace. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, prophesy! Say to those who prophesy their own thoughts: Hear the word of the Lord!(A) 3 Thus says the Lord God: Woe to those prophets, the fools who follow their own spirit and see nothing.(B) 4 Like foxes among ruins are your prophets, Israel! 5 You did not step into the breach, nor repair the wall around the house of Israel so it would stand firm against attack on the day of the Lord. 6 False visions! Lying divinations! They say, “The oracle of the Lord,” even though the Lord did not send them. Then they expect their word to be confirmed!(C) 7 Was not the vision you saw false? Did you not report a lying divination when you said, “Oracle of the Lord,” even though I never spoke? 8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore, for certain I am coming at you—oracle of the Lord God. 9 My hand is against the prophets who see false visions and who make lying divinations. They shall not belong to the community of my people. They shall not be written in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord.(D)
10 Because they led my people astray, saying, “Peace!” when there is no peace, and when a wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,[a] 11 say then to the whitewashers: I will bring down a flooding rain; hailstones shall fall, and a stormwind shall break forth.(E) 12 When the wall has fallen, will you not be asked: “Where is the whitewash you spread on it?”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: In my fury I will let loose stormwinds; because of my anger there will be flooding rain, and hailstones will fall with destructive wrath.(F) 14 I will tear down the wall you whitewashed and level it to the ground, laying bare its foundations. When it falls, you shall be crushed beneath it. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord. 15 When I have poured out my fury on the wall and its whitewashers, it will fall. Then I will say to you: No wall! No whitewashers— 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and see visions of peace for it when there is no peace—oracle of the Lord God.(G)
Against Witches. 17 As for you, son of man, now set your face against the daughters of your people who play the prophet from their own thoughts, and prophesy against them.(H) 18 You shall say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to those who sew amulets for the wrists of every arm and make veils[b] for every head size to snare lives! You ensnare the lives of my people, even as you preserve your own lives! 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread,[c] slaying those who should not be slain, and keeping alive those who should not live, lying to my people, who listen to lies. 20 Therefore thus says the Lord God: See! I am coming after your amulets by which you ensnare lives like prey. I will tear them from your arms and set free the lives of those you have ensnared like prey.(I) 21 I will tear off your veils and deliver my people from your power, so that they shall never again be ensnared by your hands. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you discourage the righteous with lies when I did not want them to be distressed, and encourage the wicked so they do not turn from their evil ways and save their lives,(J) 23 therefore you shall no longer see false visions or practice divination again. I will deliver my people from your hand. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord.
Footnotes
- 13:10 The false prophets contributed to popular illusions of security by predictions of peace, like those who whitewash a wall to conceal its defects.
- 13:18 Sew amulets…make veils: used by sorcerers to mark individuals for life or for death. For a small price (v. 19), these women promised protection for the wicked, who, in the Lord’s estimation, “should not live” (v. 19), and death for the righteous, “who should not be slain” (v. 19). Both decisions belong to the Lord.
- 13:19 Handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread: payment for the amulets and scarves.
Ezekiel 13
New International Version
Ezekiel 13
New International Version
False Prophets Condemned
13 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets(A) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:(B) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!(C) 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish[a] prophets(D) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!(E) 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair(F) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.(G) 6 Their visions are false(H) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent(I) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.(J) 7 Have you not seen false visions(K) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,(L) declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying(M) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records(N) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(O)
10 “‘Because they lead my people astray,(P) saying, “Peace,”(Q) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,(R) 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones(S) hurtling down,(T) and violent winds will burst forth.(U) 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”
13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones(V) and torrents of rain(W) will fall with destructive fury.(X) 14 I will tear down the wall(Y) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation(Z) will be laid bare. When it[b] falls,(AA) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AB)”’
17 “Now, son of man, set your face(AC) against the daughters(AD) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them(AE) 18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned(AF) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.(AG) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.(AH)
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.(AI) 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(AJ) 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,(AK) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,(AL) 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions(AM) or practice divination.(AN) I will save(AO) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.(AP)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 13:3 Or wicked
- Ezekiel 13:14 Or the city
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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