What is the meaning of Jeremiah 27:15?

For I have not sent them, declares the LORD

God openly disowns the self-appointed prophets of Jeremiah’s day.

• His commission is the only source of genuine authority (Jeremiah 23:21 – “ I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message ”).

• When He affirms He did not send them, He exposes the counterfeit nature of their ministry, much like the warning in Deuteronomy 18:20 about any prophet who speaks presumptuously in the Lord’s name.

• The Lord’s declaration underscores personal responsibility—He alone chooses and dispatches His messengers (Isaiah 6:8; Amos 7:14-15).

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and yet they are prophesying falsely in My name

The deceit is intensified by misuse of the divine name.

• “Falsely” points to a willful distortion of God’s word (Ezekiel 13:6-7).

• Invoking His name gives their lies a veneer of legitimacy; this is a violation of the third commandment (Exodus 20:7).

• Similar patterns appear in 1 Kings 22:11-18 where Zedekiah and other prophets assure victory while Micaiah alone speaks truth.

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therefore I will banish you

Judgment follows naturally from false prophecy.

• “Banish” conveys exile—literal removal from the land promised to Abraham (Jeremiah 24:9).

• The consequence fits the covenant warnings in Deuteronomy 28:64-65; false security leads to dispersion.

• God’s action is certain; He controls nations and outcomes (Daniel 2:21).

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and you will perish—you and the prophets who prophesy to you

Both hearers and speakers of falsehood share guilt and fate.

• Shared destruction echoes Hosea 4:5 – “ You will stumble by day; the prophet will stumble with you by night .”

• Accountability falls on the entire community that embraces lies (Jeremiah 14:15-16).

• Perishing underscores physical and spiritual ruin; rejecting truth forfeits life (Proverbs 29:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

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summary

Jeremiah 27:15 confronts counterfeit voices that claim divine backing. God never sent them, yet they dare to speak in His name, misleading a willing audience. Because His word is literal and sure, He vows exile and death for both deceivers and the deceived. The verse is a sober reminder that authentic prophecy comes only from God, that misuse of His name invites severe judgment, and that embracing error is as deadly as proclaiming it.