Lexical Summary mahathalloth: Mockings, deceits Original Word: מַהֲתַלָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance deceit From hathal; a delusion -- deceit. see HEBREW hathal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hathal Definition deceptions NASB Translation illusions (1). Topical Lexicon Concept and Sense מַהֲתַלָּה describes speech that beguiles the listener—messages crafted to soothe, flatter, or mislead. It is not simple error but an intentional distortion of reality that offers comfort while hiding uncomfortable truth. Biblical Occurrence Isaiah 30:10 contains its single attestation. Judah’s people implore their seers, “Give us no more visions of what is right; tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions”. Their request unveils the heart of מַהֲתַלָּה: a fabricated vision that silences divine warning. Historical Setting Isaiah delivered this oracle around 715–701 BC, when Judah contemplated alliance with Egypt against Assyria. Political fear bred spiritual compromise. Rather than repenting, leaders preferred rhetoric that justified their strategy and masked covenant infidelity. The plea for מַהֲתַלָּה epitomizes a culture that chooses propaganda over prophetic truth. Theological Significance 1. Rejection of Revelation Seeking מַהֲתַלָּה is an act of unbelief. It sets personal preference above the authoritative word of God, echoing Eden’s original temptation to redefine truth. Isaiah warns that those craving illusions will reap disaster (Isaiah 30:12–14). Scripture consistently portrays divine judgment as giving people over to the lies they desire (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12). The term underlines the gulf between God-sent prophets, who must proclaim hard truth, and hired voices who sell imaginative comfort (Jeremiah 23:16–17; Ezekiel 13:6–8). Related Old Testament Themes • שֶׁקֶר “falsehood” (Jeremiah 14:14) highlights fraudulent content, while מַהֲתַלָּה stresses the enticing form. New Testament Parallels 2 Timothy 4:3–4, “People will gather teachers to suit their own desires…they will turn aside to myths,” mirrors Isaiah 30:10. The appetite for pleasant illusions transcends covenants, warning the church against adjusting doctrine to cultural tastes. Practical Ministry Application • Preachers must resist pressure to soften sin or judgment. Pastoral compassion expresses itself in truthful proclamation, not therapeutic fabrication. Christological Insight Where Judah begged for illusions, Jesus embodies truth (John 14:6). He never offers rhetoric that flatters sin but calls to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Christ fulfills what false prophets counterfeit, providing genuine peace through atoning sacrifice rather than verbal anesthesia. Summary מַהֲתַלָּה exposes the perennial temptation to exchange hard truth for consoling fiction. Isaiah’s lone use supplies a vivid portrait of a people who silence God to soothe themselves, a cautionary picture for every generation entrusted with hearing and speaking the Word of the LORD. Forms and Transliterations חֲז֖וּ חזו chaZu ḥă·zū ḥăzūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 30:10 HEB: לָ֣נוּ חֲלָק֔וֹת חֲז֖וּ מַהֲתַלּֽוֹת׃ NAS: Prophesy illusions. KJV: prophesy deceits: INT: Speak pleasant illusions Prophesy |
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