Bible Strands
Jeremiah 29:21
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses the Judean exiles in Babylon, specifically naming the false prophets Ahab and Zedekiah who are deceiving them. This declaration occurs within a broader warning to the captives against trusting anyone who promises a premature return to Jerusalem.
The words — The opening כֹּֽה־ (koh-) translates literally as "thus," functioning as a formal marker for a divine oracle. The name אַחְאָ֤ב ('ach.'Av) identifies a specific false prophet condemned alongside Zedekiah for speaking unauthorised messages.
The thread — The condemnation of prophets delivering lies in God's name recurs in Jeremiah 14:14 and Jeremiah 29:8. The curse invoking these exact two men is repeated in Jeremiah 29:22 and aligns with the critique of deceptive visions in Lamentations 2:14.
Why it lands — The text explicitly states that God will deliver these false prophets to Nebuchadnezzar to be killed before the exiles' eyes. Readers must test prophetic claims against the reality of divine judgment rather than accepting unverified promises of safety.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 14:14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
- Jeremiah 29:8 For 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.
- Lamentations 2:14 The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.