The Meaning of Jeremiah 29:8 Explained

Jeremiah 29:8

KJV: For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

YLT: For thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Let not your prophets who are in your midst, and your diviners, lift you up, nor hearken ye unto their dreams, that ye are causing them to dream;

Darby: For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in your midst, nor your diviners deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams, which ye like to dream.

ASV: For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thus saith  the LORD  of hosts,  the God  of Israel;  Let not your prophets  and your diviners,  that [be] in the midst  of you, deceive  you, neither hearken  to your dreams  which ye cause to be dreamed. 

What does Jeremiah 29:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 29:1-32 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 29

1  Jeremiah sends a letter to the captives in Babylon to be quiet there,
8  and not to believe the dreams of their prophets;
10  and that they shall return with grace after seventy years
15  He foretells the destruction of the rest for their disobedience
20  He shows the fearful end of Ahab and Zedekiah, two false prophets
24  Shemaiah writes a letter against Jeremiah
30  Jeremiah foretells his doom

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 29:8 mean?

For thus says Yahweh of hosts the God of Israel not do let deceive you your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַל־ יַשִּׁ֧יאוּ לָכֶ֛ם נְבִֽיאֵיכֶ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־ בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם וְקֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְאַֽל־ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־ חֲלֹמֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם מַחְלְמִֽים

כֹ֨ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֜ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאוֹת֙  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יַשִּׁ֧יאוּ  do  let  deceive 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׁא  
Sense: to beguile, deceive.
נְבִֽיאֵיכֶ֥ם  your  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  are 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם  in  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וְקֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֑ם  and  your  diviners 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: קָסַם  
Sense: (Qal) to practice divination, divine.
וְאַֽל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙  listen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
חֲלֹמֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם  your  dreams 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: חֲלֹום  
Sense: dream.
מַחְלְמִֽים  cause  to  be  dreamed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָלַם 
Sense: to dream.