Jeremiah 29:15
Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Original Language Analysis
כִּ֖י
H3588
כִּ֖י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 7
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
הֵקִ֨ים
hath raised us up
H6965
הֵקִ֨ים
hath raised us up
Strong's:
H6965
Word #:
3 of 7
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
יְהוָ֛ה
The LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֛ה
The LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
5 of 7
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
Historical Context
Several false prophets operated among the exiles (vv. 21-23, 24-32), including Ahab, Zedekiah, and Shemaiah. They likely claimed dreams or visions contradicting Jeremiah's letter. The conflict mirrors Jeremiah's confrontation with Hananiah (ch. 28), showing the persistence of false hope that God would override consequences without repentance.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you discern between prophetic voices that promise what you want versus what God actually says?
- When has 'God told me' become a way to baptize your preferences rather than submit to His revealed will?
- Why is false prophecy especially dangerous during suffering? What makes desperate people vulnerable to lies?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon—This verse introduces the exiles' fatal delusion. The Hebrew הֵקִים (heqim, raised up) is the same verb used for Moses (Deut 18:15), but these self-appointed prophets contradicted God's revealed word. They promised swift deliverance (28:2-4) while Jeremiah commanded settling for seventy years (29:10).
The tragedy lies in the phrase in Babylon—the exiles wanted prophets who validated their presence in pagan territory as temporary inconvenience, not divine discipline requiring repentance. False prophecy always serves what people want to hear (2 Tim 4:3) rather than what they need: submission to God's sovereign timing and purposes, however painful.