Jeremiah 29:9

Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 29:8-14

To make the people quiet and easy in their captivity, I. God takes them off from building upon the false foundation which their pretended prophets laid, Jer 29:8, Jer 29:9. They told them that their captivity should be short, and therefore that they must not think of taking root in Babylon, but be upon the wing to go back: "Now herein they deceive you," says God; "they prophesy a lie to you, though they prophesy in my name. But let them not deceive you, suffer not yourselves to be deluded by them." As long as we have the word of truth to try the spirits by it is our own fault if we be deceived; for by it we may be undeceived. Hearken not to your dreams, which you cause to be dreamed. He mean…

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 29:8

your dreams which ye caused to be dreamed--The Latin adage says, "The people wish to be deceived, so let them be deceived." Not mere credulity misleads men, but their own perverse "love of darkness rather than light." It was not priests who originated priestcraft, but the people's own morbid appetite to be deceived; for example, Aaron and the golden calf (Exo 32:1-4). So the Jews caused or made the prophets to tell them encouraging dreams (Jer 23:25-26; Ecc 5:7; Zac 10:2; Joh 3:19-21).

John Gill on Jeremiah 29:9

For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name,.... They pretended to have the authority of God for what they said; that their prophecies and dreams were from him, and as such they delivered them in his name; though they were false ones; that they might be the better received by the people: I have not sent them, saith the Lord; they had no mission or commission from the Lord, no warrant or authority from him; they set up themselves; and ran without being sent; and prophesied out of their own hearts what came into their heads, the fancies of their own brain, or the delusions of Satan, under whose power and influence they were; therefore sad must be the case of a people giving heed to such sed…

John Calvin