Jeremiah 27:10 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 27:10 mean?

Jeremiah 27:10 warns that certain people are falsely claiming to speak for God, but their messages are lies meant to mislead the people and cause them to lose their land and ultimately be destroyed. The verse makes clear that these false prophecies will result in serious consequences for those who believe them.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah during a time when many so-called prophets were telling them they would not be conquered by Babylon. Jeremiah insists these messages are not from God. He explains that believing these lies will lead to exile from their homeland and even to their destruction, emphasizing the danger of listening to false assurances.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 27:10

• "prophesy" (נָבָא, nava): This word means to speak as a prophet or claim to deliver a message from God. Here, it highlights that the people spreading these messages are presenting themselves as God’s spokespeople, but they are not.
• "lie" (שֶׁקֶר, sheqer): This word refers to something false or deceptive. Jeremiah uses it to stress that these so-called prophecies are not just mistaken—they are deliberately untrue.
• "far" (רָחַק, rachaq): This word means to be distant or removed. The verse uses it to show that the effect of the lies is to separate the people from their land, not just physically but also in terms of their relationship with God’s promises.
• "land" (אֲדָמָה, adamah): This word means the ground or territory, often with the sense of the land God gave to Israel. Losing it would be a devastating consequence for the people.
• "out" (נָדַח, nadach): This word means to drive away or scatter. It underlines the forceful removal of the people from their home as a result of following false guidance.
• "perish" (אָבַד, avad): This word means to be destroyed or lost. Jeremiah uses it to warn that the ultimate result of believing lies is not just exile, but ruin.

Why Jeremiah 27:10 matters

• Jeremiah 27:10 clears up the misunderstanding that all who claim to speak for God are truly delivering His message; it shows that some can intentionally deceive.
• The verse emphasizes the real-world consequences of believing false spiritual claims, connecting spiritual deception with national disaster.
• This warning fits into Jeremiah’s larger message that trusting in comfortable lies rather than God’s hard truth leads to loss and destruction, not safety.