I’ll return all the people to you as a bride is returned to her husband. Since you will be seeking the life of only one man, all the people will have peace.”
From the bottom of your feet to the top of your head there is no healthy spot left on your ⌞body⌟— only bruises, sores, and fresh wounds. They haven’t been cleansed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
They say to the seers, ‘Don’t see ⌞the future⌟.’ They say to those who have visions, ‘Don’t have visions that tell us what is right. Tell us what we want to hear. See illusions.
Then the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun. The light of the sun will be seven times as strong, like the light of seven days. When that day comes, the Lord will bandage his people’s injuries and heal the wounds he inflicted.
Then I said, “Almighty Lord, prophets are saying to them, ‘You won’t see wars or famines, because I, the Lord, will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ”
“Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’ ”
They keep saying to those who despise me, “The Lord says, ‘Everything will go well for you.’ ” They tell all who live by their own stubborn ways, “Nothing bad will happen to you.”
Within two years I will bring back all the utensils of the Lord’s temple that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from this place and carried off to Babylon.
I said, “Almighty Lord, you certainly have deceived these people and Jerusalem. You said that everything would go well for them, but a sword is held at their throats.”
Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.
“ ‘They have deceived my people by saying that everything is alright, but it’s not alright. When someone builds a flimsy wall, the prophets cover it up with paint.
The prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem are gone. Those who said that everything was alright, when it wasn’t alright, are gone, declares the Almighty Lord.” ’
You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn’t brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives.
“ ‘If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, the Lord, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel.
This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, “All is well!” But they declare a holy war against those who don’t feed them.
When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape.
False prophets were among God’s people ⌞in the past⌟, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction.