What is the meaning of Jeremiah 27:14?

Do not listen

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets” (Jeremiah 27:14a)

• God is issuing a clear, parental command—like Proverbs 1:8–10 warns, the people must shut their ears to voices that lead them away from His revealed will.

• Similar cautions appear in Jeremiah 23:16, where the Lord says, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They fill you with false hopes.”

• 1 John 4:1 carries the same timeless principle: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits.” The authority of God’s Word stands higher than any human claim, no matter how persuasive.

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the words of the prophets

“the words of the prophets” (Jeremiah 27:14a)

• These individuals wore the title “prophet,” yet their message contradicted God’s earlier revelation (Jeremiah 27:9–10).

• Jeremiah 14:14 notes that such men “prophesy lies in My name… I have not sent them.” Title and popularity do not equal authenticity.

• The real prophets—Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel—spoke in harmony with God’s covenant warnings (Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:36).

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who say, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’

“who say, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’” (Jeremiah 27:14b)

• The false prophets promised political autonomy and quick deliverance (Jeremiah 28:2–4).

• God, however, had decreed submission to Babylon as discipline for Judah’s sin (Jeremiah 27:6–8; 38:17).

• Resisting Babylon therefore equaled resisting God’s corrective hand—much like Israel’s refusal to enter Canaan in Numbers 14:39–45.

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for they are prophesying to you a lie

“for they are prophesying to you a lie.” (Jeremiah 27:14c)

• The litmus test is truth versus falsehood (Deuteronomy 18:21–22). Their predictions would collapse because God had not spoken through them (Jeremiah 27:15).

• Lies soothe in the short term but destroy in the long term (Lamentations 2:14).

• Paul echoes this danger when he warns of teachers who will tickle ears and turn people to myths (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

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summary

Jeremiah 27:14 calls God’s people to tune out voices, even religious ones, that contradict His revealed Word. The counterfeit prophets offered national pride and instant relief, yet obedience required humble submission to Babylon as God’s appointed tool of discipline. Discernment means weighing every message against Scripture, embracing truth even when it is uncomfortable, and rejecting lies that promise easy escape from divine correction.