Jeremiah 23:27 · Bible study
Jeremiah 23:27 Commentary: False Dreams and Forgetting God
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah 23:27 reveals how false prophets used dreams to make God's people forget His name, parallel to Baal worship. Study the meaning and discernment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: False prophets caused the people to forget Yahweh through their fabricated dreams, repeating the idolatry of Baal worship.
- Key words: “Forget” (שָׁכַח), willful neglect; “Name” (שֵׁם), God’s revealed character; “Baal”, Canaanite deity.
- Main debate: Whether these prophets were self-deceived or deliberately deceptive, and how to distinguish genuine dreams from false.
- Theological theme: The danger of replacing God’s word with human imagination, leading to functional idolatry.
- Best use: A warning to test all spiritual claims by Scripture, and a call to treasure God’s revealed name above private impressions.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They suppose the dreams that they tell one another will make My people forget My name, just as their fathers forgot My name through the worship of Baal.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal.
KJV King James Version 1769
Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Who are devising to cause My people To forget My name by their dreams, That they recount each to his neighbour, As their fathers forgot my name for Baal.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
who think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour: as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who seek to make my people forget my name through their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbour: as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ No piensan como hacen á mi pueblo olvidarse de mi nombre con sus sueños que cada uno cuenta á su compañero, al modo que sus padres se olvidaron de mi nombre por Baal?
Que pretendem, por meio de seus sonhos que cada um conta a seu próximo, fazer com que meu povo se esqueça de meu nome, tal como seus pais se esqueceram de meu nome por causa de Baal.
Ils pensent faire oublier mon nom à mon peuple
und wollen, daß mein Volk meines Namens vergesse über ihren Träumen, die einer dem andern erzählt? gleichwie ihre Väter meines Namens vergaßen über dem Baal.
Die daar denken om Mijn volk Mijn Naam te doen vergeten, door hun dromen, die zij, een ieder zijn naaste, vertellen; gelijk als hun vaders Mijn Naam vergeten hebben door Baal.
pensan essi di far dimenticare il mio nome al mio popolo coi loro sogni che si raccontan l’un l’altro, come i loro padri dimenticarono il mio nome per Baal?
Którzy myślą, jakoby z pamięci wywieść ludowi mojemu imię moje snami swemi, które powiadają każdy bliźniemu swemu, jako zapomnieli ojcowie ich na imię moje dla Baala.
Думают ли они довести народ Мой до забвения имени Моего посредством снов своих, которые они пересказывают друг другу, как отцы их забыли имя Мое из-за Ваала?
他們各人 將所 做的夢 對鄰舍 述說，想要 使 我的百姓 忘記 我的名，正如 他們列祖 因巴力 忘記 我的名一樣。
Whose purpose is to take away the memory of my name from my people by their dreams, of which every man is talking to his neighbour, as their fathers gave up the memory of my name for the Baal.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 23:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the false prophets in Jeremiah 23:27 were not openly denying the true God but were using claims of dreams to erode genuine knowledge of Him. Calvin notes that these prophets 'made God’s name to be forgotten by their dreams' just as earlier generations forgot Him through Baal. Matthew Henry connects this to the broader charge that they 'speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.' Gill observes that by turning people from God's word to listen to lies, the prophets aimed to bring people to practical atheism. Barnes compares the effect of this superstition to 'absolute idolatry,' noting that it keeps God entirely out of minds. Whether from honest self-deception or deliberate strategy, the prophets' dreams functioned as a rival revelation that displaced remembrance of Yahweh.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Deliberate Deception: The prophets knowingly used dreams to manipulate the people; their intent was to lead them away from God (v.27 'they intend to cause to forget').
- Self-Deceived Prophets: The prophets believed their own dreams were from God, but their hearts were deceived (v.26 'prophets of the deceit of their own heart').
- Contrast with True Prophecy: The issue is not the medium (dreams) but the source; authentic dreams from God will align with his already-revealed word, unlike these false ones (vv.28–29).
What is clear: All traditions agree that the verse condemns teachings that cause God's people to forget his revealed character and word, regardless of the prophet's subjective intent.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of the prophets' sin | They were not necessarily denying Yahweh but were leading people away from him through their claimed dreams. | Some see them as self-deluded (Gill: they 'think' to cause forgetfulness); others view them as deliberate deceivers who made gain of their office (Calvin). |
| Comparison with Baal worship | Forgetting Yahweh is as serious as outright idolatry; both lead to the same result. | Is this a historical reference to the prophets of Baal in Samaria (v.13), or does it say these false prophets were functionally Baal worshippers by their practices? |
| Role of dreams in revelation | God did and does reveal himself through dreams (Numbers 12:6, Joel 2:28; Jeremiah acknowledges that dreams can be from God). | How to test dreams: some emphasize consistency with earlier revelation (Deuteronomy 13:1, 5), others focus on the character and fruit of the prophet (Matthew Henry: 'vision of their own heart'). |
| The means of causing forgetfulness | The dreams themselves, being from human sources, displaced genuine knowledge of God. | Was the forgetfulness instantaneous or gradual? Barnes implies it accumulates like idolatry; Calvin suggests it was a long process of erosion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied in Judah's final decades, from 627 to 586 BC, as the kingdom collapsed under Babylonian pressure. The false prophets of this chapter offered reassuring messages of peace and safety when Jeremiah warned of judgment. Dreams were a widely accepted medium for divine communication in the ancient Near East, and the Hebrew text uses חֲלוֹם (chalom) in the ordinary sense of a dream. But these prophets were not commissioned by Yahweh; they spoke from 'the deceit of their own heart' (v.26).
The reference to Baal reaches back to the sins of the northern kingdom, which had been led astray by prophets of Baal and ultimately exiled (Judges 3:7, 2 Kings 21:3). The Hebrew verb שָׁכַח (shakach, 'to forget') implies more than absentmindedness; it denotes willful neglect and ceasing to care. 'Name' (שֵׁם) covers God's character, reputation, and his self-revelation. To forget God's name is to stop living in the reality of who He is. The false prophets made the people functionally atheistic, just as Baal worship had done in earlier generations.
God responds in the following verses by contrasting his word with these dreams: his word is like fire and a hammer that breaks rock (v.29), while the false dreams are straw (v.28). This literary and theological setting shows that the debate in Jeremiah's day was not about whether God speaks through dreams, he did and still can, but about whether the content of those dreams agrees with what he has already revealed.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and cross-references note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 23:27. The verse is textually stable across manuscripts. A minor variant in the Septuagint renders 'my name' as 'my law' (Greek νόμον μου), but the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the versions used by the commentators all read 'my name.' The Syriac and Vulgate follow the Hebrew. This variant does not change the essential meaning, as forgetting God's law and forgetting his name were practically synonymous in this context.
Reception History
This verse has been used across church history to warn against granting authority to human inventions that compete with God's revealed word. Early Christian writers, building on Deuteronomy 13:1, 5 and 1 John 4:1, argued that any claim to revelation must be tested by the apostolic rule of faith. During the Reformation, the passage was cited to critique the elevation of tradition or private visions above Scripture. John Calvin, in his Jeremiah commentary, used this verse to argue that even good intentions cannot justify teaching that leads people away from God. In modern charismatic movements, it is often paired with 1 Corinthians 14:29 to encourage the weighing of prophetic words. The central message, that failing to preserve the knowledge of God is a form of idolatry, has resonated in periods of renewal and revival, where the church has been called to return to a scriptural centre.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Intent: The false prophets deliberately aimed to make God forgotten.
- Method: They used dreams that came from their own hearts, not from God.
- Parallel: This forgetfulness was no less idolatrous than the Baal worship of the fathers.
Five-point outline
- The planners: God sees the scheming of those who claim his name while leading people away from him.
- The weapon: Dreams and subjective experiences can displace God's written word.
- The tragedy: God's own people are lulled into forgetfulness.
- The history: This pattern repeats, forgetting God for a shadow.
- The hope: God's word remains powerful enough to shatter deception and restore remembrance.
Illustration hooks
- A conference speaker who claims a 'word from the Lord' that contradicts biblical teaching, yet is received eagerly.
- A social media influencer sharing a 'dream revelation' about financial prosperity that ends in disappointment.
- A Christian who makes major life decisions based on a private impression without testing it against Scripture or wise counsel.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I know if a dream or inner impression is from God?
- What do I do when someone claims a prophecy that feels off?
- Does God still speak through dreams today, and how do we test them?
Leading a Discussion
This verse exposes a subtle danger: even claims to speak for God can lead people away from Him. The false prophets of Jeremiah's day did not attack Yahweh outright; they simply diluted his word with their own dreams. In your small group, use these questions to explore how we can drift into forgetfulness and how to stay anchored in God's revealed truth.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 23:27. What was the stated purpose of the false prophets? (Observation)
- How does the verse compare their work to what happened in the time of Baal? What does that comparison imply? (Observation)
- What does it mean to 'forget' God's name? Is this just mental absentmindedness, or something more willful? (Interpretation)
- Why were dreams so influential in ancient culture? What kinds of experiences carry similar weight in our lives today? (Interpretation)
- In verses 28, 29, God contrasts straw with wheat, and fire and a hammer. How do these images help us discern true from false revelation? (Interpretation)
- Where in your own life might you be giving more weight to a personal impression than to what God has already said in Scripture? (Application)
- What practices can Christians adopt to keep God's name, his character and his word, actively remembered day by day? (Application)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 13:1 | If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, |
| Deuteronomy 13:5 | That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you. |
| Judges 3:7 | The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. |
| Judges 8:33 | As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god. |
| Judges 8:34 | The children of Israel didn’t remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; |
| Judges 10:6 | The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned Yahweh, and didn’t serve him. |
| II Kings 21:3 | For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. |
| Jeremiah 29:8 | For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you. Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke distinguishes true prophetic dreams from vain imaginations by their character: they do not gratify the flesh, warn against sin, promote holiness, and are coherent rather than chaotic. Such dreams engage the intellect more than the imagination and should be reported faithfully as from the Lord.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that giving weight to dreams as if they carry divine authority effectively pushes God out of a person's mind, just as completely as outright idol worship did for the fathers who forgot His name through Baal. Superstition about dreams is no different from absolute idolatry.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the false prophets were not open enemies of the Law; they held many true religious principles. Yet their self-serving dreams caused God's people to forget his name just as effectively as their fathers did through Baal worship. The impiety was indirect but still a defection from true religion.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Notes points out that the false prophets used their dreams with the deliberate goal of making God's people forget His name. This mirrors the ancient sin of the forefathers who turned from the Lord to worship Baal, showing that idolatry is a recurring pattern of forgetfulness.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the false prophets deliberately plotted to make God's people forget His name and worship, spreading their dreams privately from house to house. He compares this to how their fathers forgot God for Baal, showing a calculated scheme rather than mere error.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the false prophets’ aim was to make the people forget God through their dreams, a sin that echoes the judges' era when fathers turned to Baal. God’s response is to raise up true prophets as a deliberate counter to these deceivers.