“How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies?”
The full verse · Jeremiah 23:26 · KJV
How long shall this in the of the that ? yea, they are of the of their own ;
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Asked to
The immediate audience is the false prophets themselves, but the question addresses all Israel who suffers under their deceptive ministry.
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionGod voices His frustration over the duration and persistence of prophetic deception. By framing this as a question rather than a declaration, He expresses the emotional weight of enduring falsehood and invites recognition of the intolerable situation.
The Response
What Scripture recordsNo direct verbal response is recorded. The context shows the false prophets continued their deceptive ministry, causing the people to forget God’s name through their dreams and messages (Jeremiah 23:27).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyGod’s question reveals His pain over the duration of prophetic falsehood in Judah. The Hebrew construction emphasizes the ongoing nature of the problem. These prophets possessed hearts (leb) filled with lies, the inner source of their false messages. By asking rather than declaring, God expresses exasperation at the persistence of deception. The rhetorical form underscores His patience has boundaries. This question carries theological weight because it reveals God’s emotional investment in truth and His intolerance for sustained falsehood among those claiming to speak for Him. The repetition of prophesy lies and deceit of their own heart emphasizes the self-generated nature of their messages, contrasting sharply with true prophets who received words from God Himself.
When leaders speak comfortable lies instead of difficult truths, how long will you listen? God’s patience with falsehood has limits, and His question challenges us to examine what voices we trust. Test every teaching against Scripture, for even eloquent speakers can prophesy from their own hearts rather than God’s word (1 John 4:1). The Spirit who inspired Jeremiah still convicts us when we prefer pleasant deceptions over painful truth. God’s frustration should become ours when falsehood goes unchallenged in our communities. His grief over prolonged deception calls us to love truth enough to confront error, even when it costs us popularity or comfort.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?”
“Is not my word like as a fire?”
“Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding?”
“How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?”